Educational Access

Table of Contents

Overview

Types of Education

School Districts

Alternative Schooling

Work Programs / Trade Schools

Statistics

Demographics of Students

Race

Gender

Location / Neighborhoods

Funding

State Budget

Staff Salary

Quality of Education

IEPs

Post Secondary Enrollment

Graduates and Dropouts

Overview

 

What is Educational Access?

Educational access is a broad term that generally refers to educational equity. In its simplest form the intended purpose is providing equal opportunity for students to achieve success, and equal opportunity for educators to support their students. This concept is described by the National Equity Project as follows  “Educational equity means each child receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential.” and that its goal is ”Interrupting inequitable practices, examining biases, and creating inclusive multicultural school environments for adults and children”. In its simplest form Educational Access is the ability for each individual student to have the necessary resources for their academic success. 

Who is providing Education Access in our nation?

Within the community of Bloomington-Normal there are many organizations and people providing Educational Access, and many more working to improve it. But on a larger scale one of the leading forces in educational equity is the National Partnership for Educational Access. The NPEA is actively working towards developing and connecting educators with the goal of promoting discussion of educational inequities in our education system. This organization also runs programs for supporting students from historically marginalized places like The Stepping Stones Foundation. 

 

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-Options of Education-

Public Schools

In Bloomington-Normal there are two public school districts those being Unit 5 and District 87, and two alternative learning/behavioral schools. Regional Alternative School and Youth Build. There are also two private universities as well as one community college.

 

District 87 has a total of eight schools, they are as follows : 

Bloomington High School, Bloomington Junior High School, Stevenson Elementary, Bent Elementary, Oakland Elementary, Irving Elementary, Sheridan Elementary, Washington Elementary

Unit 5 has a total of twenty-three schools, they are as follows :

Normal Community West High School, Normal Community High School, Chiddix Junior High, Evans Junior High, Kingsley Junior High, Parkside Junior High, Benjamin Elementary, Brigham Elementary, Carlock Elementary, Cedar Ridge Elementary, Colene Hoose Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Fox Creek Elementary, Glenn Elementary, Grove Elementary, Hudson Elementary, Northpoint Elementary, Oakdale Elementary, Parkside Elementary, Pepper Ridge Elementary, Prairieland Elementary, Sugar Creek Elementary, Towanda Elementary

 

Alternative Schooling / Charter Schools 

 

Work Programs / Trade schools

 

Local Wiki Links

Elementary School

High School and Middle School

College and Universities

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-Statistics-

Demographics of Students

Information such as demographics, education plan enrollments, attendance, salaries, state testing scores, and a multitude of other information is recorded and published to the community every year through an online database titled ‘Illinois Report Card’, and is provided by the Illinois Board of Education. The information is gathered through two sources, one being data systems such as the Student Information System, and the other being from Principals that directly input the information highlighted onto this site. This provides students, families, and educators with a level of transparency otherwise inaccessible to them. It allows for parents to make informed decisions on their child's education as well as providing educators with the knowledge of what aspects of their district need improvements.

Race

The demographics amongst District 87 and Unit 5 are around the same percentages. The data on this can be found on Illinois Report Card.

District 87 reported in 2023 a total of 4,866 students and this is the breakdown of ethnicity amongst those students:

Unit 5 reported in 2023 a total of 12,308 students and this is the breakdown of ethnicity amongst those students:

  • 42.6% Caucasian or 2,073 Students

  • 25.7% African - American or 1,250 Students

  • 16.3% Hispanic or 794 Students

  • 12.1% ‘Two or More’ or 587 Students

  • 2.9% Asian or 143

  • 0.3% Native or 14 Students

  • 59.1% Caucasian or 7269 Students

  • 14.8% African - American or 1826 Students

  • 10% Hispanic or 1232 Students

  • 9.4% Asian or 1154

  • 6.3% ‘Two or More’ or 775 Students

  • 0.4% Native or 46 Students

Bloomington High School reported in 2023 a total of 1,424 students and this is the breakdown of ethnicity amongst those students:

Normal Community High School reported in 2023 a total of 2,089 students and this is the breakdown of ethnicity amongst those students:

  • 47% Caucasian or 669 Students

  • 22.8% African - American or 325 Students

  • 17.6% Hispanic or 251 Students

  • 10.3% ‘Two or More’ or 146 Students

  • 2% Asian or 29 Students

  • 59.1% Caucasian or 1,235 Students

  • 14.1% African - American or 295 Students

  • 11% Asian or 230 Students

  • 9.9% Hispanic or 206 Students

  • 5.4% ‘Two or More’ or 113 Students

This statistic tends to follow the same trends as our cities population does, that’s to say that all races in our community tend to be equally represented within the school districts. These population statistics can be found online, and are provided by the United States Census Bureau.

In Bloomington the demographics are:

In Normal the demographics are:

  • Caucasian 75.4%

  • African - American 9.5%

  • Asian 8.2%

  • Hispanic 6.1%

  • Two or More 5.2%

  • Native 0.2%

  • Caucasian 78.6%

  • African - American 12.7%

  • Hispanic 6%

  • Asian 3.9%

  • Two or More 3.7%

  • Native 0.2%

Gender

District 87

Unit 5

50.5% Male

51.2% Male

49.5% Female

48.8% Female

Location / Neighborhood

Each district distinguishes who will attend which district and school based on their location within Bloomington-Normal. 

The school district Unit 5 has almost three times as many schools as District 87 has, and subsequently there are more specifications for their boundaries. 

District 87 only has one high school and one junior high school, along with six elementary schools. Comparibally Unit 5 has two high schools, four junior high schools, and seventeen elementary schools. Another notable difference is that Unit 5’s boundaries include more of the rural neighborhoods around Bloomington-Normal, while District 87 includes most of the central part of the city.

Unit 5 Elementary Map Unit 5 Junior High Map Unit 5 High School Map

District 87 Boundary Map

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-Funding-

State Budget

In the year 2023, District 87 received from the state $52,271,966 out of their total Adequacy Target of $69,622,453, and Unit 5 received $122,846,816 out of their total Adequacy Target of $161,266,355. 

Between the two school districts there is a significant difference in funding provided by the state. This difference can mostly be attributed to one factor, total number of students enrolled. But besides this factor, The Illinois State Board of Education uses a sophisticated distribution system called Evidence Based Funding to assign funding to the Illinois school districts. 

Evidence Based Funding or EBF is a three stage formula for distributing funds amongst the school districts within Illinois, and the three stages are as follows. The Board of Education first determines the Adequacy Target of each district, which is a complex formula that is based on factors such as specified cost factors of educating students, regional variations in salaries, and the tier of school. Then they determine the Local Resources of each district. And finally any additional state funds will be distributed to assist districts in meeting their Adequacy Target.

There is a noticeable difference in funding not just amongst school districts, but even within the school districts. Comparing the lowest funded elementary school in district 87 (Oakland elementary) to the highest funded (Stevenson Elementary), there is a Five-Thousand Dollars difference in funding per student. Further comparing these schools shows many possible results of this funding difference. Oakland Elementary has, on average, a 10% higher truancy rate than Stevenson Elementary, and 10% less students with IEPs (Individualized Education Program).

All this being said, Oakland Elementary students score 10% higher on IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness) performance tests than those of Stevenson Elementary. With 25.8% meeting expected performance level in 2023 at Oakland and 11.6% meeting expected performance level in 2023 at Stevenson. 

Although, a statistic that is more notable than this is realized when examining this. Between 70-80% of elementary students in District 87 are not meeting the expected performance levels for their age group.

Staff Salary

The salaries provided by each of the districts tend to be around the same, and over the last few years has shown a steady increase.

District 87

Unit 5 

State

$66,272 in 2023

$64,974 in 2023

$73,916 in 2023

$64,310 in 2022

$63,596 in 2022

$72,315 in 2022

$62,280 in 2021

$62,796 in 2021

$70,653 in 2021

 

-Quality of Education-

Students with IEPs

IEPs are described as Individualized Education Program that details accommodations, modifications, supplemental services, and other necessary resources for students who are eligible for special education and related services. These disabilities can range anywhere from autism and visual impairment to emotional disabilities and learning disabilities.

Information on these disability areas can be found at:

https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Special-Education-Disability-Areas.aspx

As well as information on the specifics of IEPs here:

https://www.isbe.net/Pages/SpED-IEP-Forms.aspx

District 87

Unit 5

Bloomington High School

Normal Community High School

Stevenson Elementary

Oakland Elementary

Non IEP - 17%

IEP - 83%

Non IEP - 18%

IEP - 82%

Non IEP - 16%

IEP - 84%

Non IEP - 18%

IEP - 82%

Non IEP - 24%

IEP - 76%%

Non IEP - 13%

IEP - 88%

Total of 4,866

Total of 12,308

Total of 1,424

Total of 2.089

Total of 356

Total of 456

Post Secondary Enrollment

Post Secondary Enrollment is the percentage of students that have enrolled in a two or four year college within 16 months of graduation. 

 

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

District 87

69%

69%

66%

61%

56%

Unit 5

83%

79%

77%

76%

74%

These numbers are noticeably almost opposite of the percentages of students meeting the state academic standards provided here.

District 87

1.25% Exceeding

16.875% Meeting

81.875% Not Meeting

Unit 5

3.525% Exceeding

31.4% Meeting

65.075% Not Meeting

Graduates

School Year

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

District 87

89.2%

85.2%

78.8%

Unit 5

91.5%

90%

91.4%

Dropouts

School Year

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

District 87

1.4%

5.4%

6.5%

Unit 5

0.8%%

2%

2.2%

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- REFERENCES -

  1. “District 87 - Home Page”. District 87. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.district87.org/, 

  2. “Bloomington-Normal - Unit 5”. LocalWiki. Et al. March 13, 2015. Retrieved 5, 2024. https://localwiki.org/bloomington-normal/Unit_5. 

  3. “RAS - Home Page”. Regional Alternative School. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024.https://www.rasblm.org/o/rasblm. 

  4. “Mulberry School - Home Page”. Mulberry School. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. http://www.mulberryschool.org/. 

  5. “Bloom Community School - Home page”. Bloom Community School. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.bloomcommunityschool.org/. 

  6. “Epiphany Catholic School - Home Page”. Epiphany Catholic School. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.epiphanyschools.org/.

  7. “Bright horizons - Home Page” Bright Horizons. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.brighthorizons.com/  

  8. “Calvary Christian Academy - Home Page”. Calvary Christian Academy. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://ccanormal.org/

  9. “Metcalf School - Home Page”. Metcalf School. Illinois State University. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://metcalf.illinoisstate.edu/

  10. “University High School - Home Page”. UHigh. Illinois State University. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://uhigh.ilstu.edu/ 

  11. “Child Daycare & Preschool Learning Centers”. La Petite Academy. N.d. Retrieved May 7, 2024. https://www.lapetite.com/

  12. “Cornerstone Christian Academy - Home Page”. Cornerstone Christian Academy, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024. https://www.cornerstonechristian.com/

  13. “Central Catholic High School - Home Page”. Central Catholic High School, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.cchssaints.org/

  14. “Midwest Christian Academy - Home Page”. Midwest Christian Academy, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://midwestchristianacademy.com/

  15. “Corpus Christi Catholic School - Home Page”. Corpus Christi Catholic School, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.corpuschristisaints.org/

  16. “Trinity Lutheran High School - HomePage”. Trinity Lutheran High School, N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.trinluthschool.org/

  17. “White Horse Academy - Home Page”. White Horse Academy, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.whitehorseclassical.org/

  18. “YouthBuild | McLean County - Home Page”. YBMC, N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.youthbuildmcleancounty.org/mission-1

  19. “Bloomington Area Career Center - Home Page”. Bloomington Area Career Center.  Bloomington Public School District 87, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.district87.org/o/bacc

  20. “Cosmetology and Beauty School - Normal, IL”. Paul Mitchell. Paul Mitchell The School Normal. N.d. /retrieved May 5, 2024. https://paulmitchell.edu/normal

  21. “Bloomington Normal Barber College - Home Page”. Bloomington Normal Barber College. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. http://www.bnbarbercollege.com/

  22. “Career and Technical Education”. Heartland Community College. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.heartland.edu/academicDepartments/cte/index.html

  23. “Elementary Schools - Bloomington-Normal”. LocalWiki. Et al. July 2, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://localwiki.org/bloomington-normal/Elementary_Schools

  24. “High Schools and Middle Schools - Bloomington-Normal”. LocalWiki. Et al. Feb 24, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://localwiki.org/bloomington-normal/High_Schools_and_Middle_Schools

  25. “Colleges/Universities - Bloomington-Normal” LocalWiki. Et al. Feb 26, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://localwiki.org/bloomington-normal/Colleges/Universities

  26. “Illinois Report Card - Home Page”. Illinois Report Card.  Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/

  27. “ISBE Education Data Systems | Student Information System (SIS)”. Illinois State Board of Education. N.d. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.isbe.net/sis

  28. “Bloomington SD 87 Racial/Ethnicity Diversity”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?districtid=17064087025&source=studentcharacteristics&source2=studentdemographics

  29. “Mclean County USD 5 Racial/Ethnicity Diversity”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=enrollment&Districtid=17064005026

  30. “Bloomington High School (9-12)  Racial/Ethnicity Diversity”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?schoolid=170640870250001&source=studentcharacteristics&source2=studentdemographics

  31. “Normal Community High School (9-12)  Racial/Ethnicity Diversity”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?schoolid=170640050260001&source=studentcharacteristics&source2=studentdemographics

  32. “QuickFacts Bloomington city, Illinois; Normal town, Illinois” U.S. Census QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/bloomingtoncityillinois,normaltownillinois/RHI625222

  33. “Elementary Boundary Map” McLean County Unit District 5,  2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.unit5.org/Page/5816

  34. “Junior High Boundary Map” McLean County Unit District 5,  2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.unit5.org/Page/5817

  35. “High School Boundary Map” McLean County Unit District 5,  2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.unit5.org/Page/5818

  36. “District 87 Boundary Map”. District 87, October 5, 2008. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://5il.co/1vdpv

  37. “Bloomington SD 87 | FY 2023 Percent of Adequacy”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?districtid=17064087025&source=environment&source2=evidencebasedfunding

  38. “McLean County USD 5 | FY 2023 Percent of Adequacy”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?districtid=17064005026&source=environment&source2=evidencebasedfunding

  39. “Understanding Evidence Based Funding”. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.isbe.net/Documents/EBF_Presentation_Detailed.pdf

  40. “Bloomington SD 87 | School Finances Site-Based Expenditures”.  Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=environment&source2=sber&Districtid=17064087025

  41. “Oakland Elementary School | Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=iep&Schoolid=170640870252009

  42. “Stevenson Elementary School (k-5) |  Students with IEPs”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=iep&Schoolid=170640870252012

  43. “Oakland Elementary School | IAR Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?source=trends&source2=iar&Schoolid=170640870252009

  44. “Stevenson Elementary School | IAR Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?source=trends&source2=iar&Schoolid=170640870252012

  45. “Bloomington SD 87 | IAR Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=trends&source2=iar&Districtid=17064087025

  46. “Bloomington SD 87 | Salary”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=teachers&source2=teachersalary&Districtid=17064087025

  47. “McLean County USD 5 | Salary”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=teachers&source2=teachersalary&Districtid=17064005026

  48. “Special Education Disability Areas”.  Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Special-Education-Disability-Areas.aspx

  49. “Special Education IEP Forms”.  Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.isbe.net/Pages/SpED-IEP-Forms.aspx

  50. “Bloomington SD 87 | Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=iep&Districtid=17064087025

  51. “McLean County USD 5 | Students with IEPs Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/district.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=iep&Districtid=17064005026

  52. “Normal Community High School | Students with IEPs Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=iep&Schoolid=170640050260001

  53. “Bloomington High School | Students with IEPs Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=iep&Schoolid=170640870250001 

  54. “Stevenson Elementary School | Students with IEPs Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=iep&Schoolid=170640870252012

  55. “Oakland Elementary School | Students with IEPs Overall”. Illinois Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2024. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=iep&Schoolid=170640870252009

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