More than 1,200 of Evanston Township High School students enrolled in a summer school course this summer, an 11 percent increase over last year.
Two-thirds of incoming freshmen took a course, possibly due to increased outreach to middle schoolers, Summer School Director William Farmer told the ETHS board this week.
Among the courses Farmer highlighted was Reading and Math in Social Context, which was offered to students with math and reading scores at or below the 40th percentile.
Farmer said the class took 37 students this year and hired one additional math and reading teacher in order to accommodate the “historically low reading levels for a high proportion of our incoming freshmen.”
Of the students who took the course, two raised their test scores into the 40th to 50th percentile range, while seven scored higher than the 50th percentile and were able to enroll in earned honors classes.
Also highlighted was the Access ETHS course, which enrolled 166 students to prepare them for high school.
Farmer said that while the 2016 summer school session expenses exceeded revenues, the overage was cut to $130,000 this year from $190,000 last year.
Farmer said he hopes the summer program will continue to reduce its deficit and expand course offerings to partial-credit and enrichment classes.