What the FOIA Revealed

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0600

On November 14, 2025, I submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to Oak Park Elementary School District 97. I asked for records related to the acceleration rubric—specifically, the research supporting its thresholds, documentation of how decisions are made, and data on how consistently the process is applied.

On December 15, 2025, the district responded.

Here’s what the documents show.

Finding 1: No Research Basis Exists

I asked for validation research, longitudinal studies, or any data supporting the rubric’s percentile thresholds.

Public Records on Acceleration Denied

What the FOIA Revealed

Finding 1: No Research Basis Exists