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Dixon Strike Threatens Student Testing

Dixon Athletics

In Dixon, teachers and the school board remain split on how to resolve a strike.  Members of theDixon Education Association bargaining team walked out of contract talks Monday. The main sticking point is salary increases. As they two sides stand apart on a contract, students are supposed to be taking standardized tests.

Amanda Simhauser speaks for the Illinois State Board of Education. She says the Dixon School District has been granted an extension to administer the tests until March 22. 95% of students must take the exams to qualify for adequate yearly progress:

"One year's not going to have immediate repercussions, but if students don't perform well the next year, that could obviously impact what happens with the school's recognition." - Amanda Simhauser, ISBE

READ MORE ABOUT SCHOOL RECOGNITION STATUS

READ MORE ABOUT THE ISAT's

The district says there is at least one immediate impact--losing state funding. The District says it will work with the state board of education to find ways to complete the tests.

Jenna Dooley has spent her professional career in public radio. She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and the Public Affairs Reporting Program at the University of Illinois - Springfield. She returned to Northern Public Radio in DeKalb after several years hosting Morning Edition at WUIS-FM in Springfield. She is a former "Newsfinder of the Year" from the Illinois Associated Press and recipient of NIU's Donald R. Grubb Journalism Alumni Award. She is an active member of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association and an adjunct instructor at NIU.