How you built a PLC

The PLC journey began over a decade ago in all of the District 96 schools. District leadership began researching and learning about the components of effective practices and components of systems operating as a professional learning community. The district worked on developing a common mission, vision, values and goals to guide our work. A focus on the four critical questions led us to understand how important a guaranteed and viable curriculum was needed. District content teams worked to develop the common set of targets for each subject area in every grade. From these targets we understood the need to write appropriate assessments (formative and summative) to measure the attainment of the identified targets. From this data, we were more prepared to identify students who needed extra support and those that needed opportunities for extension and/or acceleration. Over the years, we have continued to revise the expected targets as we have learned more, often adding rigor and higher expectations for our students. This revision has included the addition of leveled targets and the implementation of a standards based reporting system to provide specific, timely and accurate feedback to students and parents. The district also modified their calendar to include early releases on a regular basis for time for district content area teams and/or grade levels to meet together for consistency between and collaboration among all staff members.

KCSD96 created collaborative teams at each grade level or content team. The principal, assistant principal, and school team developed a master schedule that provides common planning time for these teams to meet. These teams developed norms for working together productively. An agenda is developed for each team meeting time and is shared with all team members. The principal regularly attends the grade level team meetings to provide support and encouragement. These teams review the upcoming targets, pacing guides and scoring rubrics. They develop common formative assessments to assess the unique needs of their students. These teams meet regularly to review data (pre-test, common formative assessments, and end of unit assessments) to design effective differentiated instruction. More recently, the district has provided staff members serving in a coaching role to provide support to teachers in the area of literacy, math, technology, language development, and informational literacy. These coaches provide job-embedded professional development to individual teachers and teams.

To support new teachers in our system, the district provides five days of new teacher training prior to the start of school each August. During these days, new staff are provided an overview of the District 96 Professional Learning Communities work. The district has a two year mentor program in order to continue to develop the capacity of the new staff.

 

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

Monitoring Student Learning:

We use many forms of assessment to monitor student learning. We think of our assessment practices on a continuum ranging from most formative (daily) to most summative (annually). Our goal is to use a balanced and coherent system of assessment to guide our instruction.

Before we begin to design the assessments, teams of teachers representing every grade level assemble at the district level to work together and identify and prioritize the essential learning targets by grade level and by course from the Illinois Learning Standards. To help our students reach the highest of academic standards, staff regularly differentiate their instruction, assess and monitor student learning, and provide interventions for those students who need extra time and support to succeed in their learning. Teachers collaboratively design grade-level pacing guides outlining the learning standards for each trimester to maintain our guaranteed and viable curriculum. Likewise, they align common formative and summative assessments to the standards in the pacing guides and use the assessment data to guide instruction. The “unpacking, powering, and pacing” of the Illinois Learning Standards provided us the opportunity to scale each learning target using the Marzano & Kendall taxonomy. This allows deep levels of differentiation in the classroom as each teacher and team has the 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 extension targets embedded in the pacing guide they use to drive their conversations and instruction.

In addition to the once-a-year, high-stakes, state examinations, which we define as an example of the “most summative” kind of assessment, teams of teachers work together to develop district (benchmark) assessments based on the essential learning targets to monitor how groups of students are progressing through the curriculum. These benchmark assessments are given throughout each trimester and represent a “more summative” form of assessment.

While the faculty and staff determined that data from this type of “more summative” assessment was better than the once-a-year autopsy data the district receives from the state tests, the benchmark assessments were not frequent enough for teachers to use in guiding their instructional decision making so we began to develop more frequent and more formative common assessments at the school level.

These more frequent and more formative common assessments (or CFA’s) are designed by teams of teachers at the school level and represent a “more formative” type of assessment. Teachers also regularly use progress monitoring – one of the “most formative” assessment practices - to manage and monitor student learning in individual classrooms and in specific interventions.

Our goal is to be very knowledgeable about the most appropriate use of assessments and data and to consciously use all aspects of a balanced and coherent system of assessment to guide our instruction.

2. Creating systems of intervention to provide students with additional time and support for learning.

Creating Systems of Intervention:

Collaboration is key to creating systems of intervention. In District 96, our system of intervention begins with the robust assessment system based on our identified targets for each grade level course, in addition to nationally normed universal screeners. For example, we use Northwest Evaluation Assessment Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for all students in grades K-5 three times a year for math and reading. This data is used for consideration for additional time and support. Additional assessments are used to triangulate data using FASTBridge, especially for students scoring below the 25th percentile on NWEA MAP. Each school has a Problem-Solving Team made up of specialists whose purpose is to develop a plan of support for students needing additional instructional time and strategies. This Problem-Solving Team, including the classroom teacher, reviews progress monitoring data on a regular basis to match support to student needs. Students also have the ability to accelerate in math and/or reading to the next grade level or potentially two grade levels. A student also has the opportunity to advance a grade level if the data supports it.

Each school adheres to an MTSS model with Tier 1 making up 80% of the population, Tier 2 making up 15% of the population, and Tier 3 making up 5% of the population. Tier 1 is an intervention or acceleration that takes place inside the classroom. Teachers provide Tier 1 intervention or acceleration by analyzing data from formative assessments, including common assessments, in order to ascertain areas where student learning can be improved. Students in Tiers 2 and 3 are tracked via our watch list or our acceleration list. Intervention students are progress monitored weekly to track the progress of interventions. Students can receive intervention in math, literacy, or both. 

 

In each elementary school, every grade has 40 minutes of common intervention time daily. Students can be pulled for Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 intervention during this time. In addition, intervention time is also used to extend the thinking of all students that have already mastered grade-level targets. 

 

In each middle school, the schedule includes a daily “flex” period for all students. During flex, students have access to the following supports, based on individual needs:

 

• Tier 2 & Tier 3 Literacy and Math Intervention

• Tier 1 support (extension and reteaching) in all content areas, provided by the grade-level content teachers

• Related service and resource supports as indicated by specific student IEPs 

• Target-aligned projects - determined by individual student interest - are developed, designed, and reported on during flex time

• Students can receive Tier 1 support for social and emotional needs 

3. Building teacher capacity to work as members of high performing collaborative teams that focus efforts on improved learning for all students.

Building Teacher Capacity

There is a conscious effort to organize a variety of opportunities for teachers to collaborate and be a part of collaborative teams. While there always is a focus on learning, there also is a focus on developing leadership skills in all teachers. Expertise is shared across the entire district. This collaborative spirit contributes to the development of our high-performing collaborative teacher teams.

 

Building high-performing teams is essential throughout our professional learning community, to ensure students are reaching their maximum potential. Each grade level and specialist team has an identified team leader that works closely with the principal. These leaders provide an additional layer of support to all teachers in working towards the district and school goals. All team leaders go through extensive professional development around facilitation skills. The Leadership Team meets weekly with the principal and assistant principal, where they work collaboratively around the goals, identifying needed supports and developing targeted plans to reach goals. These weekly meetings also serve as a place to celebrate successes and problem-solve across grade levels.

 

Team meeting time is built into every school’s master schedule. At the elementary grade levels, the teams meet for 2-3 hours per week to discuss math, literacy, social studies, and science instruction. The teams meet during times that students attend specials. Students in grades K-5 have a 1-hour block that is comprised of PE, Art, Music, Learning Center, and Exploration Lab. In addition to our grade levels meeting, our specials teachers meet 1-2 times per week to engage in a "critical friends" process. Our coaches also have a weekly meeting where they meet and discuss coaching. 

Every elementary school has one instructional coach at each grade level. Coaches meet weekly with teams and as needed with individual teachers. This includes the review of student data, best practices supporting students' mastery of learning targets, additional techniques for assessment of student learning to refine instruction, and collaborative planning for instruction, including intervention and extension. Our coaching model provides teams and teachers with opportunities for modeling, co-teaching, observation, and collaboration around best practices. Coaches participate in extensive training and development and also meet weekly with the principal.

 

The middle school coaching team is made up of coaches in our Math, Literacy, Language Development, Science, Humanities, and Innovation areas.  Coaches meet weekly with content teams to review student data, discuss best practices in students attaining mastery of targets, share instructional strategies, and identify students for intervention and extension. Our coaches also model, co-teach, plan job alike professional development, and collaboratively plan with our teachers to increase student achievement. Weekly meetings and monthly goal reporting with the principals have made our coaches an invaluable asset in building staff capacity and moving forward on our district goals.  

Our Problem-Solving Team includes the Principal, Assistant Principal, School Psychologist, Literacy Differentiation Specialist, School Social Worker, Special Education Teachers, Occupational Therapist, and Speech & Language-Pathologists. This team meets weekly to regularly review student data for students qualifying for Tier 2 and 3 interventions, as well as for those students already eligible for special education. A review of this data guides further decisions and planning for students to close instructional gaps. The Problem-Solving Team also provides Tier 1 support to teachers. The Problem-Solving Team works with teachers to support student learning needs and align specific data collection tools to monitor progress.

District 96 has also created vertical job-alike teams who meet once a month to discuss subject area and specific content. Vertical teams comprise one teacher representative from each grade in each subject area. For example, membership on the mathematics team includes a teacher representing each grade in kindergarten through eighth. It is the same in reading, writing, science, social studies, physical education and health, and the fine and applied arts. Special education teachers also meet once monthly by job assignment to share best practice. These job-alike teams collaborate on identifying the essential outcomes and developing better assessment instruments for each content area.

District 96 hosts several “PLC Visits” for other schools and districts to come to learn from our staff and teams. These days typically involve presentations from administrators, coaches, and teachers who share what our Professional Learning Community at Work looks like in District 96. Attendees usually also have time to observe or connect with different staff members to differentiate their learning specific to their role or need. In a normal school year, each of our schools will host at least one PLC Visit. 

Achievement Data Files

• district-96-plc-data--2022-grade-k-1553.xlsx
• district-96-plc-data--2022-grade-k.xlsx
• district-96-plc-data--2002-grades-1--2.xlsx
• district-96-plc-data--20220418-2382.xlsx

Additional Achievement Data

Additional Achievement Data

The state of Illinois requires schools to participate in the yearly state assessment for students in grades 3-8 for elementary districts.  Until the 2014-15 school year, the state assessment was the Illinois Standards Achievement Test.  This assessment included math and reading tests for all grades and additional science tests for students in grades 4 and 7.  Illinois became a PARCC state (Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Career) and implemented this test for the first time during the 2014-15 school year.  In order to prepare parents and teachers for the more rigorous expectations for the PARCC exam, Illinois changed the proficiency levels on the ISAT assessments.  You will notice a decline in scores across the entire state beginning in the 2012-13 school year.  It is not appropriate to compare data before and after this change.  During the 2014-15 school year, the PARCC was administered to students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades two times during the year.  Following that year, the PARCC was administered to students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade once during the year.  In the 2018-2019 school year, Illinois administered the Illinois Assessment of Readiness for reading, writing, and math.

Awards & Achievements

• 2022 Cara Anderson, Twin Groves Middle School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois), received the IGSMA Cloyd Myers Memorial Award.

• 2022 Emma Degan, Twin Groves Middle School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois), received IAHPERD’s Elementary Adapted Teacher of the Year Award.

• 2021/22 and 2018/19 IL Empower Summative Designation of Exemplary or Commendable at Country Meadows Elementary, Ivy Hall Elementary, Kildeer Elementary, Prairie Elementary, Twin Groves Middle, and Woodlawn Middle schools.

• 2021, Woodlawn Middle School (Long Grove, Illinois) 8th-grade team named Finalist in the National STEM Competition.

• 2021 Woodlawn Middle and Country Meadows Elementary School Campus’ Solar Fields are activated.

• 2020/21NPR-News featured Ivy Hall Elementary School for Common Core Curriculum.

• 2019 All Things PLC magazine featured Superintendent Julie A. Schmidt.

• 2019 Ivy Hall Elementary School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) was named a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School for its students' strong academic standing.

• 2019 Beth Dalton, Assistant Superintendent, received IASPA Distinguished Service Award.

•  2019, 2017, and 2015, the KCSD96 Board of Education was recognized by IASB for the School Board Governance Award, a two-year designation.

• 2019, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011, Illinois State Board of Education Those Who Excel Award in all categories. 

• 2018 Woodlawn Middle School (Long Grove, Illinois) awarded the DuFour Award

•  2018/19 IL Empower Summative Designation of Exemplary or Commendable  for Country Meadows Elementary, Ivy Hall Elementary, Kildeer Elementary, Prairie Elementary, Twin Groves Middle, and Woodlawn Middle schools.

• 2018/19 Country Meadows School (Long Grove, Illinois) rated a Top 10 School in Lake County by  Chicago Magazine.

• 2018 Kildeer Elementary (Long Grove, Illinois) awarded a second IAHPERD Blue Ribbon for its physical education program.

• 2017/18, KCSD 96 (Buffalo Grove, IL) received the State of Illinois Shared Services Award with the Buffalo Grove Park District.

• 2017 Prairie Elementary School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) was named a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School for its students’ strong academic standing.

• 2016 Superintendent of Schools Julie A. Schmidt was named Lake County Illinois Superintendent of the Year by the Lake County Superintendent’s Association, and an Illinois Superintendent of Distinction by the Illinois Association of School Administrators.

• 2016 the Buffalo Grove Park District received the Best of the Best Intergovernmental Cooperation Award for their work with Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96 from the Illinois Association of Park Districts.

• 2016 Woodlawn Middle School (Long Grove, Illinois) won National Junior Level School of the Year by the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project.

• 2016 Woodlawn Middle School (Long Grove, Illinois) was named a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School for its students' strong academic standing, its second recognition in this category.

• 2016 Country Meadows Elementary School was ranked in the Top 10 Elementary Schools in Lake County by Chicago Magazine.

• 2015 Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96 was named an Apple Distinguished School District for 2015-2017, a two-year designation.

• 2015 Twin Groves Middle School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) teacher, Ben Leven, was named 2015-16 Health Education Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Education Association, and the Illinois Federation of Teachers

• 2015 KCSD96 was featured in Frontline Technology magazine for PLC Practices

• 2015 KCSD96 teams with Stevenson High School and Lincolnshire/Prairieview SD 102 to open the Exceptional Learners Cooperative serving special needs children in all three districts.

• 2014 Kildeer Countryside Elementary School was included in the Top 50 Chicagoland Schools by Chicago Tribune.

• 2013 KCSD96 was named in the top 5 school districts by the Lake County Regional Office of Education.

• 2013 Prairie Elementary School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) was named among the top 50 elementary schools in Illinois, and Woodlawn and Twin Groves Middle Schools were named among the top 50 middle schools in Illinois by Chicago Sun-Times.

• 2013 Twin Groves Middle School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) received a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School for its students' strong academic standing, its second recognition in this category.

• 2013 Twin Groves Middle School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) received a second blue ribbon award from the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD) for its health programs recognized as one of the three best middle school health programs in Illinois. 

• 2008 - 2012 ISBE awards Academic Excellence Awards to Twih Groves Middle School, Kildeer Elementary School, Ivy Hall Elementary School, and Prairie Elementary School.

• 2012 Kildeer Elementary School (Long Grove, Illinois) was named a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School for high student academic achievement.

• 2012 Kildeer Elementary School and Prairie Elementary School were named among the top 50 elementary schools, and Twin Groves Middle School and Woodlawn Middle were named among the top 50 middle schools in Illinois by Chicago Sun-Times.

• 2012 Twin Groves Middle School was named among the Top 10 Elementary Schools in Lake County by Chicago Magazine.

• 2012 KCSD96 was awarded the C.S. Robinson Award by the American Association of School Personnel Administrators.

• 2010 and 2011 Ivy Hall Elementary School, Kildeer Elementary School, Prairie Elementary School, Twin Groves Middle School, and Woodlawn Middle School were named among the top 50 schools in Illinois by Chicago Sun-Times.

• 2009 the four Elementary Schools in District 96 (Ivy Hall and Prairie in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, and Country Meadows and Kildeer in Long Grove, Illinois) reapplied and were awarded blue ribbon recognition for their physical education program for a second consecutive term by the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD). 

• 2009 Woodlawn Middle School (Long Grove, Illinois) was named a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School for its students’ strong academic standing.

• 2008 Ivy Hall Elementary School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) was awarded a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School for high student academic achievement.

• Twin Groves Middle School (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) received the 2007 No Child Left Behind blue ribbon recognition award for academic achievement.

• 2008 to 2012, all District 96 schools for grades 1 through 8 have received consecutive Illinois Academic Excellence Awards. 

• 2008 Both District 96 middle schools were named among Illinois Top 50 Middle Schools in the State of Illinois. Chicago Sun-Times posting of School Report Cards.

• 2008 All four District 96 elementary schools were named among Illinois's Top 50 Elementary Schools in the State of Illinois. Chicago Magazine.

• 2006 Chicago magazine (October 2006) names three District 96 elementary schools among the Top 15 Public Schools in Lake County, Illinois

• 2006 all four elementary schools (Country Meadows, Ivy Hall, Prairie, and Kildeer Countryside Elementary Schools) were selected by the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (IAHPERD) as blue ribbon schools and models of excellence for physical education programming in elementary schools.

Files

• plc-data-391-1.xlsx
• iv-b-2017-parcc-data-board-presentation--revised100217.pdf
• linkstodistrict96resourcesforallthingsplc.pdf
• isat-test-score-trend-2013.pdf
• district-96-isat-data-for-allthingsplc.pdf
• district-96-isat-scores-gap-between-iep-and-all-students.pdf