Ten New Lenox Schools Rated “Commendable” as State Changes Testing Metrics

New Lenox School District 122 Board Meeting | Nov. 2025

Article Summary:
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Peggy Cucci presented the annual student achievement report, noting that all ten eligible district schools received a “Commendable” designation on the Illinois Report Card. The presentation highlighted a shift in state testing performance levels for 2025.

Student Achievement Key Points:

• School Designations: All District 122 schools serving grades 1-8 received the “Commendable” summative designation.

• New Benchmarks: The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) changed from five performance levels to four, meaning results are not directly comparable to prior years.

• Strong Performance: District students consistently performed better than the state average in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Math across all tested grade levels.

The New Lenox School District 122 Board of Education on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, reviewed the latest academic performance data, celebrating strong marks on the Illinois School Report Card despite changes to the state’s testing framework.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Peggy Cucci reported that all ten of the district’s qualifying schools achieved a “Commendable” summative designation. The district’s kindergarten and early childhood centers, Cherry Hill and Spencer Trail, do not receive these designations.

Dr. Cucci explained that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) updated the performance levels on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) for 2025. The system moved from five levels to four to provide greater clarity and national alignment. The new levels are “Below Proficient,” “Approaching Proficient,” “Proficient,” and “Above Proficient.”

“Because of the new benchmarks, proficiency results are not directly comparable to prior years, but we are still able to drill down to get the information to support our students,” Cucci said.

Data presented showed District 122 students outperforming state averages significantly. For example, in Grade 3 Math, 76.7% of district students tested as Proficient or Above Proficient, compared to only 39.3% statewide.

Board Member Al Haring asked about the district’s chronic absenteeism rate, which stands at 10.6%. Dr. Motsch noted that chronic absenteeism is a county-wide problem and that the district is utilizing resources from the Regional Office of Education and working with a truant officer to address the issue.