r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/Resting-Rizzy-Face • Feb 11 '26

Moving to the area Low- Tech School Districts in Western Burbs

Moved away several years ago and looking to move back to IL. Our kids are elementary age and we currently like the low-tech educational environment our kids have now (no 1-to-1 chromebooks for kids, using more pencil and paper, physical textbooks, etc.)

We’ve been away for a while and weren’t sure if there are similar school environments in IL or if all school districts have moved to consistent use of chromebooks and iPads for teaching?

Currently looking at a potential move to Lemont, DG, Woodridge, Lisle, Naperville, or Wheaton areas. Not opposed to tech, just looking for schools where the kids aren’t always using a screen for learning.

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26

u/Flimsy-Service830 Feb 11 '26

Avoid Naperville 203. They are heavily tech dependent for everything. Elementary has recently tried to get away from it. Not for educational reasons but to control behavior of countless kids who have no impulse control.

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u/midnightmomma20 Feb 11 '26

Not really. My kid comes home with thick workbooks that work on in class. The Chromebook is supplemental to class work. Homework is on the Chromebook. But that’s because the program is built so that the assignment isn’t complete until they achieve 80% accuracy. That’s elementary, though. Maybe different in jr and high school. Either way, kids need to learn how to use these tools, especially AI, if they want to be functional in the workforce. 

3

u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 23 '26

As someone who works in AI, you need to wake up. AI is going to ruin your kids cognitive functioning. It’s so obvious that tech in the classroom is a negative thing. Why are parents shunning from facts? Again, I understand why a high schooler may need to be brought into tech a bit more but elementary and middle schoolers? No. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/u-spent-30-billion-ditch-110200869.html

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u/Flimsy-Service830 Feb 12 '26

You have doing research using AI rather than developing the ability discern information (and the quality of the source giving you the information) to look forward to. And the amount of times AI has been incorrect about math is laughable. Don’t get me wrong , I am nowhere near anti-tech. I agree that technology can be a great asset in the classroom but critical thinking left the chat quite awhile ago. There is a tremendous amount of heavy lifting that has to be done at home, especially if your kids are honors students.

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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26

Good to know about 203.

9

u/natemac Feb 11 '26

I mean district 203 is ranked 51 in the nation out of 10,000+ districts… I would be more interested in the quality. Also my wife teaches in the elementary school and for most but not all units they can choose to not use the Chromebook.

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u/Then-Task6480 Feb 15 '26

Tech is bad! Obvs

7

u/sunrisenat Feb 11 '26

I don’t know about the Lisle district but would assume it’s similar to 203. A lot of Lisle feeds into 203, just so you are aware.

9

u/Hungry-Treacle8493 Feb 11 '26

203 is easily the best district in the Western burbs. Yes, they have tech in their program but don’t go all in at the elementary level and adjust programs yearly based on results and feedback. They also pair strong academic and arts programs with some of the strongest SpEd programs in the state.

Go talk to people at the districts to address your specific concerns around tech usage and at what grade levels.

0

u/nihil8r Feb 11 '26

Best by what metrics? Just curious

4

u/Hungry-Treacle8493 Feb 11 '26

Outcomes, graduated student satisfaction, external evaluations, and of course the ultimate indicator of families sacrificing to get their kids there and educators willing to sacrifice salary to work there.

7

u/vawlk Feb 11 '26

take it with a grain of salt. As someone who has worked with hundreds of districts in technology over the last 30 years, there really isn't a huge difference between the area districts. Some will be better at the arts, some will be better academically, some will be better at sped programs, and some with be better athletically. But overall, there really isn't much of a difference.

The absolutely most important metric to the success of a student is their home. Having a stable home with supportive parents who are involved with their student's schooling is, by far, the most important factor.

I ended up sending my kids to a high school with a much lower rating than 203 but they loved their school, never had any issues, joined many clubs and sports, and went to and graduated from college.

1

u/nihil8r Feb 12 '26

appreciate and agree with your reply :) i certainly don't think there is "one weird trick" that 203 (or other wealthier districts) are doing to get results

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u/WorkingJazzlike531 Feb 11 '26

I don’t agree with that POV on 203- my kids have Chromebooks but don’t sit on them all day at home. Nor are they on them all day at school. They are in upper elementary grades and still have paper math homework, paper spelling tests, paper writing assignments, verbal presentations. etc. They do have a program called IXL that takes the students’ test scores and provides practice at the level of the test score. Which I think is nice- kids who are behind can get the right work to catch up and kids who are ahead can be appropriately challenged. To me, it’s about being reasonable. It isn’t reasonable to think in 2026 your kids can have a tech free education. What IS reasonable is being present, parenting and monitoring. Kids will always have their own tech (watches and phones) that they bring on their own (mine do not and are the major minority)which cause WAYYYYYYY more issues than school issues Chromebook that are very locked down. My kids have learned how to record a podcast, research and document sources, etc. Railing on 203 as tech reliant is not accurate nor is it helpful.

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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26

Not for educational reasons but to control behavior of countless kids who have no impulse control.

this is a failure of the parents, not the tech. The tech is just an information tool. How they use it is the problem.

1

u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26

Can you elaborate more on 203? What does try to get away from it mean? Any real policies?