Joliet High Schools Celebrate Improved Graduation Rates in 2024

Joliet Township High School District 204 has reported significant improvements in graduation rates for both Joliet West and Joliet Central High Schools, as reflected in the recently released 2025 Illinois School Report Cards. While the district celebrates these advancements, it acknowledges the need for further support for students with disabilities at Joliet Central.

The Illinois State Board of Education published its annual school report cards in October, evaluating schools based on critical metrics such as standardized testing performance, graduation rates, college readiness, and overall attendance rates across various student demographics. Schools are ranked from comprehensive to exemplary, with those in the top 10% receiving an exemplary designation and those in the bottom 5% categorized as comprehensive. Most schools, including Joliet West and Joliet Central, maintained their designations from the previous year; Joliet West is classified as commendable, while Joliet Central remains in the targeted category, specifically focusing on students with disabilities.

Dr. Karla Guseman, Superintendent of Joliet Township High School District 204, emphasized the district’s commitment to improving academic outcomes, particularly for English language learners and students requiring special education. “We’re really focused on Central, especially on achievement for English language learners and special education, and looking for ways to support those learners more,” Guseman stated.

To enhance support for special education students, the district plans to strengthen its co-teaching model and implement a new “consult model.” This initiative assigns special education tutors to certain students who attend regular classes, allowing staff to either “push in” during class to provide individual assistance or “pull out” students for focused work outside the classroom. Currently, this model has been introduced for freshmen and sophomores, with future plans for expansion to all grade levels.

In terms of graduation rates, Guseman noted that both Joliet West and Joliet Central have shown substantial improvements, with graduation rates for Joliet West at 86.6% and Joliet Central at 80.8%. Central, in particular, experienced a notable jump of over 5% from the previous year, while West improved by just over 3%. The state average graduation rate stands at 87.7%.

“Our previous district rate was 79%, so that’s a pretty solid area of growth for one year, especially in a district this big,” Guseman added. The district has implemented various strategies to increase graduation rates, such as expanding virtual tutoring options and recovery programs for students who fall behind on credits.

Beyond graduation rates, Guseman highlighted internal metrics related to college readiness. Joliet Township High School students earned a total of 3,811 college credit hours at institutions including Joliet Junior College, University of St. Francis, College of DuPage, and Lewis University during the 2024-2025 academic year. Furthermore, students took over 1,700 AP tests, with a passing rate of 63%.

Despite these successes, the district’s ACT proficiency scores fell below the state averages in key areas such as English Language Arts, math, and science. Joliet West reported proficiency rates of 38.2% in ELA, 27.8% in math, and 38% in science, while Joliet Central’s rates were 27.7% in ELA, 18.5% in math, and 26.9% in science. Proficiency scores for students with disabilities were particularly low, at 11.4% in ELA and 10.6% in both math and science.

Guseman noted that the recent data represents a new baseline, as the state switched from the SAT to the ACT for standardized testing, introducing new benchmarks for proficiency. She also pointed out a unique challenge for the district, where a significant portion of students are English learners. “In Illinois, the tests are only provided in English. This is a problem for districts like JTHS with a higher than average non-English speaking population,” she explained.

The district is required to have at least 95% of students take the assessment, yet nearly a quarter of the student body are English learners, with Joliet Central reporting 32.3% of its students in this demographic and Joliet West at 17.8%. Guseman described the situation as an evaluation system challenge, stating, “It lowers the overall proficiency score, and it’s an unfair expectation to put on those students.”

Despite these hurdles, Guseman remains optimistic about the district’s trajectory. “We are a great district, and we are committed to improvement year over year,” she asserted. “I believe the data shows that work has been impactful so far. We’re committed to ensuring we maximize every student’s growth while they’re with us.”