'Bright Star' Awarded to Unit 2 Schools
According to the findings of a Kansas City research firm, the Herscher
Community Unit School District ranks among the top districts in Illinois.

Superintendent William Davison was recently notified that Unit 2 is the recipient of a Bright Star award for academic excelence. The recognition is sponsored by SchoolSearch, an educational research and consulting firm that publises online rankings of school systems.

Herscher Unit 2 is one of 80 Illinois districts selected from a field of 872 school districts statewide.

The award criteria are based on those districts whose students' academic performance ranks in the upper one third of Illionis school districts, but whose expenditure per pupil ranks in the lower one-fourth.

"SchoolSearch is not a proponent of low funding for school districts. SchoolSearch believes Bright Star recipents should be considered for additional funding since it is very likely their funds would be used wisely, states SchoolSearch president Dee Shugart.

SchoolSearch studies ISAT and ACT test results as well as the district's average operating expenditure per pupil.

In Illinois, that expenditure ranges from $4,281 to $28,355. Unit 2's expenditure per pupil last year was $7,791.14 and $7,242 in 2005-2006.

SchoolSearch provides school district information to corporations, homebuilders, real estate companies and other entitites. Its findings are also posted on the website.

Back to Businesses