Quincy Reporter

Community Consolidated School District 181 Board of Education Academic Success Committee met Jan. 11.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Call to Order

The Academic Success Committee meeting of the Board of Education of Community Consolidated School District 181, DuPage and Cook Counties, Illinois, was called to order by Grace Shin, Board Member, and Committee Chair, at 12:01 p.m. on January 11, 2024.

On roll call, the following members were present: William Cotter and Grace Shin.

Also present: Dr. Hector Garcia, Dr. Kathy Robinson, Dr. Dana Bergthold, Kristin Reingruber, Jake Wertz, Sara Clary, Chaidan Leshinski, and Recording Secretary Jean Duggan.

Pledge of Allegiance

Grace Shin led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of Minutes

Grace Shin made a motion to approve the minutes from the December 7, 2023, Academic Success Committee meeting. Bill Cotter seconded the motion. All in favor, the motion carried.

Public Comment

No public comments.

Discussion Topics

Special Education Mid-Year Report

Dr. Dana Bergthold, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, shared that District-wide data is utilized to observe trends or identify areas of need. The data is broken down into decile, grade level, and school groups.

The grade-appropriate MAP assessments were administered to all grades 1-7 students based on the District 181 Assessment Calendar. She said the fall administration provides a data point for where to begin instruction, provide support, and enrich the curriculum for students. She emphasized the importance of continuing to ensure that there is growth. Also, she noted that trends and patterns are difficult to calculate in Special Education because the students are constantly moving in and out. The data is not apples-to-apples.

NWEA generally observes that approximately 50-60% of students nationwide meet or exceed their growth projections.

Dr. Bergthold said that D181 students with IEPs are achieving at a similar or higher level in reading and math as non-IEP students across Illinois. She noted that the gaps are decreasing in both reading and math on the IAR.

Dr. Bergthold shared that the most prevalent eligibility categories in D181 are as follows:

● Developmental Delay (25%)

● Speech/Language Impairment (24%)

● Other Health Impairment (20%)

She highlighted that this was the first year that “Specific Learning Disability” was not one of the top three prevalent eligibility categories. This is a celebration for the District in that the instruction, interventions, and student supports are preventing students from entering special education under this eligibility category.

Dr. Bergthold presented the Special Education student cohort data. She said the information is used to understand student growth throughout the school year and to assist school teams in adjusting support as necessary.

● Elementary Data

● Middle School Data

● Eligibility Category Data

Dr. Bergthold said that the MTSS efforts in D181 are designed to identify student instructional needs early and provide support in a specific and targeted manner. Each student is identified utilizing the procedures developed by the MTSS Committee. The Committee works to review these procedures and continues evaluating the effectiveness of the interventions District-Wide. They also review the current efforts and service delivery models to determine better how students progress within each model and intervention.

Dr. Bergthold shared that the MTSS Committee continues to work on analyzing the movement between levels of intervention and the success of resources used for students who make growth. This includes data from the middle-school and elementary social-emotional screening tools and resources to support students at all grade levels district-wide.

Elementary students and teachers completed the Satchel Pulse SEL Screener during the second week of September 2023. Dr. Bergthold shared the average of how the D181 elementary buildings measured across the five CASEL competencies for SEL based on the Fall 2023 Satchel Pulse screening. The District overall rated above five, which was excellent news. The District is generally doing well with students' social and emotional health.

Dr. Bergthold noted a dip in second grade, and the District is closely monitoring this cohort.

Comprehensive School Climate Inventory (CSCI) Overview

Kristin Reingruber, Director of Assessment, Instruction & Evaluation, said the District has used the CSCI survey since the 2018-19 school year. She said the CSCI is a nationally recognized school climate survey that provides an in-depth profile of our school community’s strengths and needs. She noted that the survey allows the District to gather detailed information to quickly and accurately assess student, school personnel, and family perceptions and provides the District with data to make informed decisions for lasting improvement. The input is provided by students in grades 4-8, along with K-8 staff and parents, through an online survey format that takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

The CSCI measures fourteen essential dimensions of a healthy school climate in five broad categories:

● Safety

● Teaching and Learning

● Interpersonal Relationships

● Institutional Environment

● Leadership & Efficacy

The staff also provides input regarding leadership and professional relationships. The survey poses questions asking participants to either agree or disagree with a statement about their personal experiences with the school. Possible responses range from 1 being the most negative to 5 being the most positive. If a question does not apply or one wishes not to answer it, they should select DOES NOT APPLY instead of providing a rating. All answers are anonymous; no identifying information is shared with the district. Results are reported in the state report card and by local media. The survey will be conducted from February 12-23, 2024. Information will be emailed to families from the district, schools, and PTOs to encourage parent participation further. Participation levels for students, staff, and parents increased in 2023. Overall, the 2023 district average scores for parents, staff, and students were all within the positive range (3.5-5.0).

District-level Committee Updates:

The Department of Learning updated the committee on the District-level Committee meetings.

Adjournment

Grace Shin made a motion to adjourn at 1:08 p.m. William Cotter seconded the motion. All in favor. The motion carried.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/hccsdil/Board.nsf/files/D26STK6CFC42/$file/2024_01_11_ASC_Minutes.pdf