Park Ridge Students Hit 68% Math Goal Despite National Dip

Students in Park Ridge's District 64 are proving that steady progress is possible, with 68% now meeting math goals and 66% hitting reading targets.

Superintendent Ben Collins shared the good news at a May school board meeting, revealing that the district exceeded its 60% achievement goal for the 2025-2026 school year. The wins came after focused work with teachers and principals to align everyone around clear student success targets.

The district uses MAP Growth assessments to track how students progress throughout the year. Teachers received special training to help more kids reach grade-level expectations in both subjects.

Eighth graders continue to face the toughest challenges, with 55% meeting math goals and 47% reaching reading targets. But Collins emphasized these numbers are actually climbing, not falling.

"We've always seen a dip in student performance as we get to eighth grade," Collins told the board. "That is a national, normal trend, but we're seeing our eighth grade numbers rise closer to that 60% threshold."

The Bright Side

What makes this story especially hopeful is that District 64 is moving numbers in the right direction when most schools aren't budging at all. Collins acknowledged that changing academic performance takes years of consistent effort, not quick fixes.

The superintendent plans to share more detailed strategies with the board this fall. His team isn't accepting eighth grade struggles as inevitable, even though they mirror patterns across the country.

District 64 serves Park Ridge and Niles, giving thousands of Chicago-area families reason to feel optimistic about their kids' education. The progress shows what's possible when districts set clear goals and give teachers the support they need.

Collins summed up the challenge ahead with realistic optimism: "To try to move academic performance is really hard, most districts don't move at all, so we're trying to push everything in the right direction."