Walking gingerly with a wooden cane, George Bailey stepped to the podium Thursday at the Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 Board of Education meeting and spoke to the reason dozens of his fellow community members were sitting in the gallery.
“There are a lot of people here working for change,” said the Oak Park resident.
Many of those community members were holding signs that read “Imagine Educational Equity for ALL our OPRF Huskies,” and “Those Things That are Best for ALL.” At points during the seven public comments, speakers, including Bailey, held up their signs so board members could see them.
“We are asking you as the District 200 board to create an authentically independent curriculum equity advisory group that sets and monitors time-sensitive goals to ensure ongoing improvements in the Freshman All Honors curriculum,” said another speaker, Jim Schwartz, a future OPRF parent and member of the Committee for Equity and Excellence in Education (CEEE).
Other community members present were from African American Parents for Purposeful Leadership in Education (APPLE), including President Melanie McQueen, along with representatives of Activate Oak Park and Congregations Networking for Social Justice.
“This curriculum equity advisory group would be made up of students, families, teachers, community members and OPRF curriculum leaders such as Dr. (Jennifer) Hester,” said Schwartz, referring to the new associate superintendent of student learning.
Schwartz said the group would be charged with reviewing the effectiveness and responsiveness of curriculum and instruction at OPRF by looking at instructional data like grades, test scores and classroom observations, studying research on best practices, and engaging in conversation with students and families.
“The curriculum equity advisory group would build and maintain a connection with students and families – especially those who have been and still are marginalized by the school’s practices,” he said.
With the help of Superintendent Dr. Greg Johnson, Hester and Kristen McKee, district coordinator of learning analytics and supports, presented key data regarding access and achievement outcomes for the freshman curriculum change instituted three years ago, called detracking.
The pair noted that over 80% of freshmen are enrolled in honors classes in English, history and science, compared to no more than 47% in the years before detracking.
One chart showed that while an increase of freshman honors students has occurred across all ethnicities since students who graduated in 2022, Black students are significantly behind. About 60% of Black students in the class of 2026 are enrolled in honors classes, compared to over 80% for all other ethnicities.
It was a similar story with another chart that showed sophomore enrollment in Advanced Placement and honors courses. Just under 40% of class of 2026 Black students are enrolled in Advanced Placement and honors courses; all other ethnicities are at 60% or higher.
“When you think about 80%, 85% of our students coming into the honors curriculum, that’s not the case for our Black kids,” said board president Audrey Williams-Lee. “Our Black kids are coming in at about 60%. So, our kids are not starting at the same starting point.”
CEEE member John Duffy said that while the three-year report delivered Thursday was heavy on quantitative data, he felt something was missing: qualitative insights.
“Experts in school program evaluations know that when quantitative and qualitative methods are used in tandem, evaluations can offer insights and understandings either approach alone cannot meet,” he said. “Tonight’s quantitative data again shows positive results continuing across all demographics, with honors enrollment and AP participation on the rise.
“Still, regarding the district’s racial equity priority, striking disparities also persist,” he said. “We now must place this data next to multiple reports calling for more support resources to achieve equity for all students, but especially our Black and brown students.”
Equity will continue to be a key part of the board’s approach this school year, according to member Dr. Jonathan Livingston, who said that while the data is substantial, he quickly pointed out that “it’s not enough.”
At that point, someone in the gallery said audibly, “Thank you.”
“Nobody would disagree with that,” Livingston said. “It is not enough. We know we have significant work to do. Mr. Bailey asked the question earlier tonight: Do we really want the change? And I just wanted to speak to that.
“Please do not doubt the commitment of the board and the administration to continue to address the achievement path, to continue to address the needs of all of our students, to continue to enhance access for all of our students. We’re 100% committed to that … all of us.”
Williams said, and Bailey agreed post-meeting, that the discussion was robust.
“I felt that there were people in there who were beginning to hear us,” Bailey said, “about what we see in the real world, boots on the ground, not filtered through what teachers are going through, though that’s important.”
Added McKee: “I was hearing that we have a very involved, active community that wants the best for students. They believe the best way to approach education is through partnership, and they have a lot to offer the school in terms of the community’s sort of involvement.”
Hester, who joined OPRF this school year, said the next steps are to hear from more stakeholder groups.
“I really do think all stakeholders have to get around the table,” she said. “Being new, I’m just starting to really get to know our teachers, I’m getting to know our division heads. I really want to hear from the teachers. They’ve done a lot of work on the curriculum.”
The conversation may have been robust, but it was also collegial. In the hallway after the meeting, Bailey approached McKee and had a special message for her.
“Thank you,” Bailey said. “And again, thanks for all the work you guys do.”
“Appreciate you, and appreciate the community activism,” McKee responded. “It always helps.”