Hinsdale High School Teachers Association

What could your child achieve if they were offered the best educational experience possible? I believe that exposing children to the best teachers and the best resources available increases their chances for success in life. After 21 years of teaching, I have learned that high standardized test scores alone do not guarantee a successful adult life. A good SAT or ACT score will certainly help open the door into a good university, but will it increase your child’s chance of success and happiness later in life? There are many other facets that enter into developing young people for an adult life. Unfortunately here at Hinsdale High School District 86, our school board has the ability to provide the very best in resources to do so, but chooses not to. How will this impact our students in the future?

The school board works very hard, and they hold enough meetings to prove it. And while the school board has made some improvements, they should be doing much more. For more than ten years they have been working in the Era of Fiscal Containment. They feel that they cannot spare the monetary resources needed to improve the educational experience for our students. The reality is that the school district has over 25% of their budget in reserve which is unheard of for most districts nationwide.

By micromanaging the district, the board has slowed the decision making process down dramatically. This has resulted in District 86 falling behind other schools in the area, especially when it comes to facilities. But who cares what goes on in both buildings in our district when standardized test score are higher than ever? Do high standardized test scores ensure District 86’s success for years to come? The simple answer is NO. The consultant from the ECRA organization hired by the school board has strongly suggested that the quality of a child’s education cannot be solely measured by their standardized test scores.

Many of the school board members want to treat our schools as a business and maximize their profits. However, the result of this type of thinking is not in the best interest of District 86. Students feel compelled to work harder when given the best environment to work. This is not the case at District 86. We have 4 science classrooms for which remodeling has been requested for the last 20 years. These below standard classrooms create instructional limitations. Students face crowded spaces with sinks that constantly clog and a classroom set up which makes it difficult to do true team orientated projects. We have also seen our average classroom size grow considerably in the last 5 years. The school board justifies this because our class size is comparable to the rest of the high schools in the area. And yet, when did we decide to settle for being average? District 86 should be about providing the best environment possible for our students. A good education should last a life time, giving students the skills that enable them to think critically and to adjust to the curveballs life throws them. These skills are not reflected by a high standardized test score, so don’t be fooled into thinking that all is well in the Land of Oz.

Tom Ludovice
Association President
Science teacher
Football coach
Hinsdale Central High School