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State board responds on Charter Oak testing investigation

The Illinois State Board of Education says it found no evidence that a District 150 primary school manipulated test scores. However, a letter sent from the ISBE to the district says it’s forwarding its report to its Licensure Division for further review. 

The District previously reported ‘testing irregularities’ of Charter Oak special education students to the state earlier this year. The district investigation eventually led to the removal of principal John Wetterauer from the post and the transfer of two teachers. The issue also saw a strong response from Charter Oak parents and community members, saying the district lacks transparency and operates a ‘culture of fear’.

But the District’s internal investigation also found Wetterauer failed to investigate spikes in the exam scores or properly train staff on state testing. The letter says results were inconclusive when the state examined ‘whether a larger pattern of improprieties was present.’