Download - Learning for All Plan
Learning for All Plan
Community Consolidated School District 181 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 • 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Table of Contents
● High Level Summary ................................................................................................................ 2
● Background ............................................................................................................................. 3
● Terms ....................................................................................................................................... 6
● Components
○ Introduction to the Components ............................................................................... 10
○ Structural Supports .................................................................................................... 11
○ Integrated Services .................................................................................................... 18
○ Parent and Community Support ................................................................................ 20
○ Standards-Based Curriculum ..................................................................................... 21
○ Effective Assessments ............................................................................................... 22
○ High Quality Instruction ............................................................................................ 24
● Grade Level Overview by Subject
○ Math (Presentation Pt. II)
○ English Language Arts (Presentation Pt. III)
○ Science (Presentation Pt. III)
○ Social Studies (Presentation Pt. III)
○ Other: Art, Music, Physical Education, Foreign Languages, etc. (Presentation Pt. III)
● Resources (Presentation Pt. III)
● Year-by-Year Goals (Presentation Pts. II and III)
● Reflections and Future Considerations (Presentation Pts. I, II, and III) .................................. 28
● Sources (Presentation Pts. I, II, and III) ................................................................................... 30
Presentation of the Document
The presentation of this document is occurring in three parts.
● Part I takes place January 26 and includes the high level summary, background, terms, and the six
components. It will also include the first group of sources and initial reflections / future
considerations.
● Part II is slated for February 9 and will focus on math. We will provide an overview of what the
Learning for All Plan includes in regard to math, our current status in regard to math programming
decisions, and an overview of future plans with any stated year-by-year goals in math.
● Part III is slated for February 23 and will focus on all other content areas, including ELA, Science,
and Social Studies. We will provide an overview of what the Learning for All Plan includes in regard
to these subjects, our current status in regard to related programming decisions, and an overview
of future plans with any stated year-by-year goals. We will additionally touch on resources impacted
by the Learning for All Plan as a whole (i.e. budget, staffing) and share any concluding reflections /
future considerations.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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High Level Summary
The Community Consolidated School District 181 Learning for All Plan is a research-based, multi-year effort
to continuously improve and enhance the learning in our district to better prepare students for college and
career success in the 21st century. We will achieve our goals by elevating our standards-based curriculum,
assessment framework, and high quality instructional practices, while also integrating pupil services,
strengthening our structural supports, and fostering community support.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Background
Gifted education in Community Consolidated School District 181 has been a topic of discussion for
decades. Board of Education members, staff, parents and the community have continually debated the
design of services and curriculum that truly meets students’ advanced learning needs.
Multiple outside evaluations of the District’s educational program have been conducted to address these
long-standing issues, including the Telliwriter Evaluation (1977), the Gifted Education Self Study (1991), the
Institute for Educational Research Study (1992), the Callahan / University of Virginia Study (1996), the
Coleman / University of Virginia Study (1999), the Morreale / Illinois Association for Gifted Children Study
(2001), and the VanTassel-Baska / College of William & Mary Study (2004). The shifts in philosophy and
methodology around the best way to provide advanced learning services have been dramatic in that time,
ranging from pull-out groups to traveling teachers delivering enrichment services, from students traveling
for services to ability testing used to create a tracking system.
In the fall of 2011, the Board of Education held renewed discussion regarding the needs of the District’s
gifted education students and the identification process and services the students were receiving. To
effectively review and address those concerns, the District contracted with the University of Virginia to
conduct a program review, which was led by Dr. Tonya Moon, a gifted education professor and principal
investigator for the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. Upon conclusion of the review,
the following recommendations were made:
● Develop a philosophy statement and an operational definition of giftedness that would drive
curriculum decision making and student programming.
● Eliminate/Revise the ACE program to provide students with access to high quality enriched and
accelerated options five days per week, rather than the existing part-time solution for a full-time
student need. (Presentation Pt. III will address ACE.)
● Align student programming with best instructional practices in gifted and general education.
● Redeploy the role of gifted specialists to become school-wide instructional coaches focused on
building general education teachers’ capacity to meet the needs of advanced learners.
● Revise professional development opportunities to include more time, as well as classroom
coaching.
● Implement a balanced literacy model across all grades levels.
● Investigate the feasibility of accelerating the entire District one grade level in the area of math.
● Develop a District-wide conceptual-level curriculum utilizing the Understanding by Design
Framework (Wiggins and McTighe).
● Allow students greater access to advanced level courses.
Following the University of Virginia report, the District developed a Philosophy of Teaching and Learning
and a definition of gifted students, both approved by the Board in May 2012. Additionally, the Board of
Education called for a District task force to be established for the purpose of developing an inclusive
implementation plan incorporating these findings, to be presented between December 2012 and January
2013. The Board also provided the following guidelines to the task force: include that the gifted label is not
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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needed to provide gifted education, increase the rigor for all students, and increase differentiation in the
classroom. Because of the conflicting opinions of the community, the Board of Education directed
administration to not include community members on the task force.
In October 2012, a team of staff in a variety of positions (general education teachers, social worker, pupil
services, principal, differentiation specialists, etc.) volunteered to participate on this task force. Initial
meetings began with the members reviewing and understanding Dr. Moon’s program evaluation, reading
additional research, and listening to scholarly presentations by nationally recognized faculty knowledgeable
in these subjects and implementation. These presentations were provided at no cost to the District. The
task force also conducted meetings with internal groups, including the District’s Professional Development
Committee, Math Committee, and Literacy Committee. The task force also reviewed Board meeting notes
and decisions. Administrative calls were also placed to Dr. Moon regarding action plan development.
In December 2012, the Advanced Learning Task Force presented a preliminary status report on their
research and process. Following this presentation, all District personnel were presented this information at
after-school meetings. On January 28, 2013, the task force presented a multi-year implementation plan to
the Board of Education. The Advanced Learning Plan was unanimously approved by the Board of
Education on February 25, 2013.
In order to best meet the needs of advanced learners and all D181 students, the task force recommended
the following practices be implemented gradually over time:
● Accelerate all students with increased rigor in the New Illinois Learning Standards Incorporating the
Common Core;
● Increase differentiated instruction in the classroom;
● Develop collaborative data‐based teams to focus on instruction for all students;
● Utilize flexible groupings within grade level teams;
● Provide advanced mathematics opportunities for all students K‐5;
● Implement a balanced literacy approach, with increased emphasis on the instructional levels of
students; and
● Restructure professional development to include job-embedded coaching and mentoring on an
ongoing basis, in addition to establishing a District‐level multi‐year professional development plan.
With the plan approved and the first year of implementation underway (2013-14), Dr. Moon returned to the
District in February 2014 to complete a progress check of the action plan, per her original contract. Gifted
education professor Dr. Reva Friedman of the University of Kansas was on hand to support Dr. Moon and
also share her impressions. Their visit included observations in approximately 70 core classes, representing
all grade levels and District schools. The visit focused on reviewing documents and data, visiting
classrooms, and engaging in discussions with staff to observe if there is alignment to the District’s
Philosophy of Teaching and Learning that had been adopted following her previous visit. Dr. Moon
commended the improvements that had been made and the “substantial changes” that had been initiated,
and also acknowledged areas needing further improvement, including professional development,
assessment, and communication. The complete report from both evaluations and related documents are
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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available on the District website (www.d181.org > Learning > Learning for All > Program Evaluation).
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The work of Dr. Moon and the task force ultimately highlighted the need for stronger core instruction in the
general education classroom. Dr. Moon’s January 2012 report notes, “While not explicitly stated, an
assumption undergirding the D181 gifted programs is that the programs and their services are necessary
because the general education program services are insufficient for the educational needs of the gifted
students in the district.” Dr. Moon further notes, “In a district that has as many high performing students as
documented on the ISATs and other achievement measures, it is clear that the overall level of challenge in
the district must be addressed for all learners.” Therefore, the issues exceeded simply identification.
What started as a deeper look at the needs of the District’s gifted education students thus became
something more, a collection of practices and a vision that would not take away or reduce opportunities for
gifted students, but work to provide them across all environments at all times to those students and
everyone else. The Advanced Learning Plan was renamed Learning for All Plan to more accurately reflect its
contents: a means to improve curriculum, assessment, instruction and services for all students, every day.
As noted in the District 181 Philosophy of Teaching and Learning: “All students must learn to persist in the
face of challenge by engaging with meaningful tasks that set high, yet achievable expectations.”
The Learning for All Plan is a strategy to continue moving the District forward as research-based practices
that are best for all students are gradually implemented. Change is a process that occurs over time, and the
Learning for All Plan has many changes within it. It is a vision to be grown into and to work toward. It must
be strategic, thoughtful, well communicated, and monitored to ensure ongoing progress.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Terms
● Ability Grouping
● Acceleration
● Assessments (Formative)
● Assessments (Summative)
● Coaching
● Common Assessments
● Compacting
● Curriculum
● Data-based decision making
● Developmentally Appropriate
● Differentiation
● Engagement (Home-School)
● Engagement (Student)
● Flexible grouping
● Instruction (High Quality Instruction)
● Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
● Pre-Assessment
● Professional Development
● Resources
● Rigor
● Response to Intervention (RtI) / Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
● Scaffolding
● Tiered lessons
● Tracking
The following definitions are provided through a combination of cited sources and the work of District 181
staff members. This section is intended to provide clarity in advance of the later use of these terms in this
document. It is important to note that while the District has made progress in the 1.5 years since beginning
the implementation of the Learning for All Plan, these terms may not necessarily represent the current and
systemic practices across the District or the current understanding of how they are used. Rather, these are
the practices we are working toward and/or moving away from as a District.
● Ability Grouping: The practice of grouping or sorting students based on their academic or
instructional level with others whose learning needs are similar to theirs. Permanent ability grouping
is a sorting of students in a static, ongoing way over the course of a school year or multiple school
years.
● Acceleration: Typically involves progress through an educational program at faster rates or ages
younger than is conventional. Acceleration can apply to an entire grade level, a group of students,
or individual students who are considered outliers amongst their peers.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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● Assessments (Formative): A means to gather feedback and help the teacher target ongoing
instruction. A process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides immediate
feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended
instructional outcomes; a process used to guide, mentor, direct, and encourage student growth.
● Assessments (Summative): A means to measure the level of success or learning that was obtained at
the end of a unit, quarter, semester, or year. Used largely to assess the outcomes of instruction and
many come in the form of mid-terms, chapter tests, unit tests, final exams, projects, papers, and
District and state assessments.
● Coaching: A confidential, non-evaluative process through which two or more professional
colleagues work together to reflect upon and analyze teaching practices and their consequences,
expand, refine and build new skills, share ideas and resources, teach one another, solve problems,
or collaboratively plan.
● Common Assessment: Any assessment given by multiple teachers with the intention of
collaboratively examining the results for: shared learning; instructional planning for individual or
groups of students; curriculum, instruction, and/or assessment modifications; and goal attainment.
● Compacting: A tool for differentiation. An instructional technique that is specifically designed to
make appropriate curricular adjustments for students in any curricular area and at any grade level.
Essentially, the procedure involves: defining the goals and outcomes of a particular unit or segment
of instruction; determining and documenting which students have already mastered most or all of a
specified set of learning outcomes; and providing replacement strategies for material already
mastered through the use of instructional options that enable a more challenging and productive
use of the student's time.
● Curriculum: The lessons and academic content taught in a school or in a specific course or program.
Curriculum typically refers to the knowledge and skills students are expected to learn, which
includes the learning standards or learning objectives they are expected to meet; the units and
lessons that teachers teach; the assignments and projects given to students; the books, materials,
videos, presentations, and readings used in a course; and the tests, assessments, and other
methods used to evaluate student learning. An individual teacher’s curriculum, for example, would
be the specific learning standards, lessons, assignments, and materials used to organize and teach
a particular course.
● Data-based Decision Making: A process for reaching more effective and efficient decisions which:
continuously utilizes collection of multiple accurate data sources; reviews and identifies issues;
develops and refines hypotheses; discusses and selects solutions; develops and implements action
plans; and evaluates and revises action plans.
● Developmentally Appropriate: Involves teachers meeting children where they are (by stage of
development), both as individuals and as part of a group.
● Differentiation: A supporting instructional approach that embraces the needs of academically
diverse populations of students. Involves creating multiple paths to learning for diverse students. A
teacher’s proactive response to learner needs shaped by mindset and guided by general principles
of differentiation. Teachers can differentiate through content, process, product and
affect/environment according to the student’s readiness, interests and learning profile through a
variety of instructional strategies.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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● Engagement (Home-School Engagement): Sustained school involvement that is multifaceted in
nature and encompasses behavioral engagement (e.g., attendance, active participation, being on
task), emotional engagement (e.g., positive or negative reactions to members of school community,
sense of “belonging”), and cognitive engagement (e.g., thoughtfulness, psychological investment
in learning).
● Engagement (Student Engagement): The degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and
passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of
motivation they have to learn and progress in their education.
● Flexible Grouping: A hallmark of an effective differentiated classroom which accommodates
students who are strong in some areas and weaker in others. The teacher who uses flexible
grouping understands that some students may begin a new task slowly and then launch ahead at
remarkable speed, while others will learn but more slowly. Flexible groupings enable teachers to
move students fluidly through lessons. The range of flexible groupings include (but may not be
limited to):
○ Whole class or half class
○ Teams
○ Small groups led by students
○ Partners and triads
○ Individual study
○ One-on-one mentoring with an adult
○ Temporary pull-out groups to teach specific mini-lessons
○ Anchor activities to which students return after working in small groups
○ Learning centers or learning stations through which students rotate in small groups or
individually
The groups are formed and dissolved as needs change to allow for maximum flexibility. Flexible
grouping stresses the importance of proactive instructional planning to ensure that students
regularly and frequently have the opportunity to work with a wide variety of peers (varied in
readiness needs, interests, approaches to learning tasks, etc.) including at times randomly grouped
peers and peer groupings created by both teacher and student choice.
● Instruction (High Quality Instruction): Purposeful instruction provided through the culture,
conditions and competencies of the environment. Deeply rooted in the instructional core where the
relationship of the teacher, student and content are at the center of the efforts to improve
performance through engagement, rigor, relevancy and results. The expectation of quality
instruction is to raise the level of content that students are taught, increase the skill and knowledge
that teachers bring to teaching that content, and increase the level of active learning of the content
by the student.
● LRE (Least Restrictive Environment): Per IDEA, LRE requires that, to the maximum extent
appropriate, students with disabilities aged 3 through 21, in public or private institutions or other
care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled. In general, to the maximum extent
appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other
care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate
schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular
classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
● Pre-Assessment: A flexible process for extending a teacher’s understanding of student learning
needs. Pre-assessment of student readiness has two functions: (1) Provide the teacher with clarity
regarding students’ prior or prerequisite knowledge related to content that the upcoming learning
segment is going to build upon. (2) Provide information for the teacher regarding students’ levels of
mastery of the unit’s new content.
● Professional Development: A set of coherent learning experiences that is systemic, purposeful, and
structured over a sustained period of time with the goal of improving teacher practice and student
outcomes.
● Resources: The materials or tools used by teachers to deliver instruction in the classroom, not the
curriculum itself. Resources can also be used refer to finances, staffing, and other assets of the
District.
● Rigorous: An environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, and each
student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels. Challenging, with increasing depth and
complexity.
● RTI (Response to Intervention)/ MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports): An assessment and
intervention process for systemically monitoring student progress and making decisions about the
need for instructional modifications or increasingly intensified services using progress monitoring
data. Also known as a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), it is an approach for redesigning and
establishing teaching and learning environments that are effective, efficient, relevant, and durable
for all students, families, and educators. RtI/MTSS involves an education process that matches
instructional and intervention strategies and supports to student needs in an informed, ongoing
approach for planning, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of instruction, curricular
supports, and interventions; involves benchmarking, target review meetings, and individual
problem solving meetings.
● Scaffolding: The provision of sufficient support to promote learning when concepts and skills are
being first introduced to students. These supports are gradually removed as students develop
autonomous learning strategies, thus promoting their own cognitive, affective and psychomotor
learning skills and knowledge.
● Tiered Lessons: Allow teachers to present a given concept to students at multiple levels of
complexity or through multiple learning styles.
● Tracking: The process whereby, and the practice in which, students are divided into categories so
that they can be assigned into groups to various kinds of classes; Any effort to organize a system
that results in students who seem to be alike in ability being taught together, separated from
others.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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An Introduction to the Six Components
The six components outlined in the following pages of this document are the six pieces of the Learning for
All graphic seen on the cover page: Structural Supports, Integrated Services, Parent and Community
Support, Standards-Based Curriculum, Effective Assessments, and High Quality Instruction. In considering
the many aspects of the Learning for All Plan, each can be assigned a place within one of these overarching
concepts. For example, differentiation, which was referenced repeatedly in the Advanced Learning Task
Force research and the gifted evaluation reports, is part of high quality instruction.
The six components are not specific to certain content areas, nor do they apply only to certain grade levels.
Many of the effective practices of high quality instruction in math can be applied in English Language Arts,
for example. The work to create more fully integrated services in a first grade classroom should also be
done for seventh grade social studies classes.
The components themselves could be considered timeless. It is hard to imagine a time when curriculum,
assessment and instruction would not be at the center of a school district’s educational model. School
districts will always want to have the proper supports in place for their staff, will always need to deliver
appropriate services in a way that is best for students, and always aim to build community support. It is the
depth beneath these components, though, that is ever-evolving. Educators must continue to be agile and
responsive to changing students, changing staff, and changing knowledge. If we know more today than
yesterday, we will know more tomorrow than today. It is therefore critical that we follow a continuous
improvement cycle that is based on data, research, professional collaboration, and open communication
with stakeholders to be successful in meeting students’ needs. That is why, too, Learning for All is a vision,
process, and strategy to improve student learning. This work pulls together the best of our collective
educational knowledge and incorporates federal and state directives, while keeping the door open for our
own continued growth.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Component 1 of 6: Structural Supports
The term "structural supports" refers to what District 181 staff need in order to effectively implement the
practices identified in the Learning for All Plan.
● Department of Learning
○ One of the key structural supports of the Learning for All Plan is the District 181
administration, specifically the Department of Learning, which is responsible for oversight of
all curriculum, assessment, instruction, and student services across the District. Prior to the
2012-13 school year, the administrative organizational structure was changed to reflect an
integrated model for the department, combining the areas of “special education” and
“general education” into one Department of Learning. This helped to signify to staff the
importance of all employees at every level of the organization collaborating for all students,
thus more accurately reflecting the District’s evolving practices. However, individual
responsibilities were still assigned to specific administrators. In 2014-15, the Department of
Learning shifted from two Assistant Superintendents of Learning to one, with two Directors
of Learning and one Director of Technology, all collaborating to meet students’ diverse
learning needs in partnership with the Superintendent, fellow administrators, and staff
throughout the District.
● District Leadership Team
○ The District Leadership Team (DLT) was established in the 2013-14 school year to provide
leadership and direction to the schools, support staff needs throughout the first year of the
Learning for All Plan’s implementation, identify ways to better meet the needs of all
students, and address challenges across the District. The DLT structure also created a
means to build staff capacity among a large group of colleagues representing all D181
schools and their Building Leadership Teams.
○ The DLT included one "team" from each of the District's nine schools and one "team" of
District Office administrators, for a total of 78 DLT members. Each school team included
staff members consistently representing the following positions: Principals, Differentiation
Specialists, Reading Specialists, Interventionists, MRC Directors, the Balanced Literacy
Coach, classroom teachers (elementary and middle), specials teachers (P.E., Music, Art,
World Language), Special Education / Resource teachers, and Instructional Assistants
(elementary and middle).
○ The DLT met seven times in the 2013-14 school year. Session topics were presented in two
semester-long studies. The first semester's focus was on the continuous improvement cycle.
The main outcome from this semester was to learn that the continuous improvement
process and how to use data to drive instruction. The teams learned strategies for exploring
data at a deeper level and ways to collaborate to achieve the desired student outcomes.
The second semester's focus was on coaching. The main outcome from this semester was to
learn that all staff can be coaches and that collaborating can be both formal and informal.
The team learned strategies to collaborate and support one another. Outside facilitators
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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and District administrators led each session; school leaders took turns facilitating the session
warm-up and wrap-up conversations.
○ The intention of DLT was to continue meeting in 2014-15 with slightly smaller teams. Even
with slightly smaller teams, the size of DLT is such that each meeting requires a significant
number of substitute teachers in each school, creates a challenge for participating, and
results in students having reduced time with their classroom teacher. Therefore, the
administration is currently revising the structure of the DLT for the future, and the 2014-15
opportunities to meet have been reduced from what was planned.
● Building Leadership Teams
○ A Building Leadership Team (BLT) has existed in one form or another in each District 181
school for many years. However, the purpose of each BLT, their meeting frequency, and
their member composition has greatly varied. The Advanced Learning Task Force
recognized that it would be essential to create a consistent BLT design across the District,
though it would be equally important to allow freedom and flexibility in their work to
maintain the unique culture and address the unique needs of each school.
○ The Department of Learning provided the following guidelines to principals in forming their
Building Leadership Teams for 2014-15:
■ Purpose - focus on School Improvement Plans; discuss progress and make
adjustments as needed
■ Meeting frequency - held approximately once per month
■ Member composition - as determined by the principal
○ Future considerations include: strengthening the flow of communications between BLTs and
the District; improving the continuity and consistency of agendas and discussion topics; and
continuing to focus on the identification and implementation of specific instructional
strategies and objectives that are aligned with the Learning for All Plan and District goals.
● Grade Level Teams
○ Teachers collaborate to align their instruction and practices to one another.
○ The Department of Learning provided the following guidelines to principals in structuring
their grade level team time for 2014-15:
■ Purpose - focus on student need, instructional planning, and using the Five Guiding
Questions to facilitate discussion around student data during collaboration time
● What should every student know, understand, and be able to do?
(Curriculum)
● How will we show every student is learning? (Assessment)
● How does each student learn best? (Learning Styles)
● How will we differentiate instruction for all students? (Differentiation)
● What will we do if a student is not making growth? (Intervention)
■ Meeting frequency - held approximately once per week
■ Member composition - grade level plus other available staff
● Danielson Framework
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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○ High quality instruction is one of the six major components of the Learning for All Plan.
Among the key structural supports, then, is the Danielson framework used for teacher
evaluation. It is a research-based set of components of instruction, aligned to the INTASC
(Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium) standards, and grounded in a
constructivist view of learning and teaching. Many districts in Illinois use this evaluation
model. The Human Resources Department worked in conjunction with the teachers’
association and administration to develop the D181 Teacher Evaluation Plan, which is
grounded in the Danielson Framework.
■ Domain 1: Planning and preparation
● 1a Demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy
● 1b Demonstrating knowledge of students
● 1c Setting instructional outcomes
● 1d Demonstrating knowledge of resources
● 1e Designing coherent instruction
● 1f Designing student assessments
■ Domain 2: Classroom Environment
● 2a Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport
● 2b Establishing a Culture for Learning
● 2c Managing Classroom Procedures
● 2d Managing Student Behavior
● 2e Organizing Physical Space
■ Domain 3: Instruction
● 3a Communicating with Students
● 3b Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
● 3c Engaging Students in Learning
● 3d Using Assessment in Instruction
● 3e Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness
■ Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities
● 4a Reflecting on Teaching
● 4b Maintaining Accurate Records
● 4c Communicating with Families
● 4d Participating in the Professional Community
● 4e Growing and Developing Professionally
● 4f Showing Professionalism
● Collaboration Time / Professional Development Structure
“The highest quality teacher-to-teacher professional relationship is collaboration. Collaboration
takes place when members of a learning community work together as equals (irrespective of
positions of authority) toward a common goal.”
“High performing schools award greater influence than lower performing schools to teacher teams;
a growing body of evidence suggests that when teachers collaborate to pose and answer questions
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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informed by data from their own students, their knowledge grows and their practice changes.
Collaborative inquiry is among the most promising strategies for teaching and learning.”
It is critical that colleagues come together to share ideas, problem solve, review student data, and
plan for opportunities to co-teach and integrate services. Colleagues also need to come together
for training, with targeted professional development (PD). Providing these opportunities helps to
create continuity across the District, particularly with regard to high quality instructional practices. It
also supports the building of staff relationships and professional networking.
Both staff and administrators agree that finding time for collaboration is a challenge, and the Board
of Education has recognized this challenge, as well. Several solutions have been implemented in
the last two years to begin addressing this issue:
○ Many teacher schedules have been reconfigured to create common plan time, allowing
teachers to meet when their students are in art, music, and physical education, for example.
○ Teachers receive 15 hours of professional development throughout the school year, per the
teachers’ association contract. For 2014-15, a large portion of this time was front-loaded so
that teachers could be more prepared for the upcoming school year.
○ Weekly staff meetings have been set for Mondays at all buildings so after-school
professional development, collaboration time, and committee meetings could be held
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
○ Once a month, two Monday faculty meetings are combined into one to provide a series of
two-hour blocks during the year for collaboration time with District-wide grade level /
department teams. These meetings can be horizontal (with colleagues in the same grade
level) and/or vertical (with colleagues in the grade level above or below).
○ The District recently considered the implementation of late start to provide an ongoing
opportunity for professional development and collaboration on select mornings, but the
concept was not initially supported by the community.
While the implemented changes have been positive steps forward, the need for additional time is
still clear.
--
The Department of Learning is working toward a PD timeline that lays out in detail the full year of
staff learning, provided to staff prior to the start of school. A helpful step forward in 2014-15 was
providing an overview of the year’s PD themes. Topics that have been identified for future
professional development sessions include differentiation strategies, instructional methods, use of
assessment data, advanced learner characteristics, and depth of knowledge.
To help guide discussion around student data during collaboration time, Five Guiding Questions
were written and shared with all staff. They are based on the research of Professional Learning
Communities (PLCs).
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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○ What should every student know, understand, and be able to do? (Curriculum)
○ How will we show every student is learning? (Assessment)
○ How does each student learn best? (Learning Styles)
○ How will we differentiate instruction for all students? (Differentiation)
○ What will we do if a student is not making growth? (Intervention)
Coaching, and specifically job‐embedded coaching, is a type of professional development that was
focused on by the Advanced Learning Task Force because it is a proven, highly effective method
for PD, and it can be scheduled in a way that minimizes the need for substitute coverage. It typically
follows an “I-we-you” model of first observing, then trying together, then doing together, with
conversation between the teacher and coach throughout the process.
“Coaching provides a vehicle by which to achieve goals, improve strategies, and make a difference
for students and colleagues. With coaching, teachers discover...how to reflect on their teaching in
ways that add value to their methods and an enhanced level of professionalism...They get
opportunities for receiving direct feedback on how they interact with their students. They increase
their ability to design lesson plans that focus on specific strategies they want to implement to reach
all their students.”
The addition of instructional coaches is also a strategy highlighted within the Learning for All Plan
and was a specific recommendation from Dr. Moon. The District had one balanced literacy coach in
2012-13, and increased to two balanced literacy coaches in 2013-14. For the 2014-15 school year,
one additional coach was hired and the coaching model shifted to instructional coaches, showing
the support their role can provide in not just one content area, but for learning in general. If budget
allows, a future consideration is to have one coach per school, with substantial professional
development provided.
“While instructional coaching can be content specific, its focus more often falls to the delivery of
learning - communication, leadership skills, well-planned lessons.”
An additional change related to professional development is connected to the curricula renewal
cycle, which did not exist before 2013-14. The process always included professional development,
but in the past, it was typically included toward the end of the work in preparation for the adoption
of materials. The process has been revised to include professional development all along,
beginning in the first phase.
● Physical Environment / Learning Commons
○ The Advanced Learning Task Force recognized that the physical learning environment in the
school can affect student learning. In considering the needs of District 181 schools, the task
force suggested the Media Resource Centers (MRCs, or libraries) would be a key area
needing a physical renovation because the MRC is often at the heart of a school and is a
space all students utilize. With flexible furniture and collaboration-friendly space, students
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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and staff would be able to more effectively engage in project-based learning, ranging from
group work using tablets to video recording. Furniture purchases and minor renovations are
being phased in over three years (three schools each year), with a committee weighing in on
the furniture selection and order of schools to receive upgrades. Hinsdale Middle School,
Monroe School, and Elm School received the first allocation for improvements in their MRCs
in 2014-15.
○ The discussion of a re-imagined MRC was inspired by study of the Learning Commons
concept, which has four characteristics:
■ A collaborative physical and virtual environment that invites and ignites participatory
learning
■ A responsive dynamic that is invested in school-wide improvement through an
evidence-based process of design, modify, rethink, redesign, and rework
■ Professionals who can successfully lead out front, lead from the middle, or push
from behind, are great candidates to head a learning commons
■ Participatory learning through attention to excellent instructional design, using best
resources and technologies, and building personal expertise and collaborative
knowledge
Task force members identified these characteristics as a target to reach when considering
how changes in facilities and practices can help bring alignment to the rigor called for in the
new learning standards and in a networked world where both teachers and students are in
command of knowledge building.
“The learning commons serves a unique purpose in the school, as a bridge between
educational philosophy being practiced and the real world. As such, the learning commons
serves school curriculum, but also is known as a place for experimenting, playing, making,
doing, thinking, collaborating and growing.”
○ We are currently creating a multi-year Facilities Master Plan that will identify building needs,
anticipate related expenses, and outline a schedule of upcoming maintenance work, among
other components. To develop this plan, data is being gathered from multiple sources: a
facilities assessment, an educational adequacy analysis, a life safety survey, staff surveys,
and anecdotal feedback. The educational adequacy analysis is particularly relevant to the
Learning for All Plan because this effort, being led by the District’s architects and involving
community members and staff, will help determine if building spaces and designs meet the
needs of current and future educational programs.
● Enhanced Instructional Technology
○ In the same time frame that the Advanced Learning Task Force was doing their work and
the Learning for All Plan was being developed, the @d181 Committee was meeting. Their
work focused around the innovative use of technology in teaching and learning. While the
task force recognized the role enhanced instructional technology would play in the
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Common Core and in a globally competitive workforce, the @d181 Committee was able to
more fully develop research and understanding in this area. Their research found that 1:1
classrooms can help build confidence, empower passion, increase communication, enable
collaboration, extend the school day, maximize instructional time, and realize the Common
Core. They identified a clear connection to Learning for All in meeting Common Core
expectations (research and media, text complexity, etc.) and how technology can be a tool
for effective differentiation, for example.
○ As part of the revised curricula renewal cycle, the administration is looking to build staff
capacity in technology integration in teaching and learning in each content area. As
committee members meet, they will have training and discussion around this important
aspect of instruction and resources. This has already begun with the Science Committee.
○ The Learning for All Plan did not identify goals or a vision specific to technology, and the
work did not address platform, devices, etc. The recently presented Digital Learning
Initiative is a process for creating those goals, setting that vision, etc. This work could be an
ideal complement to the Learning for All Plan, as it will likely touch on each of the six
components, particularly high quality instruction. As a partnership between the District and
the District 181 Foundation, the effort would also serve to strengthen community support.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Component 2 of 6: Integrated Services
Integrated services refers to taking the needs of diverse learners and the services they need and delivering
those services in natural environments, not in isolation. Whether a child needs greater opportunities for
advanced learning, special education, English language learning support, reading assistance, or any
number of other supports, the Learning for All Plan calls for those services to be provided in an integrated
and collaborative way. This means that students are not put in “silos” and are not “labeled.” Rather, the
staff recognizes the individual needs of each student and works together to support those needs in natural
environments to the greatest extent possible. However, it is important to note that there are times when
pull-out instruction may be appropriate. This type of shift in particular should be done gradually and with
care to ensure student and staff needs are met.
In regard to students with special education needs, decisions should be based on providing the Least
Restrictive Environment (LRE), as previously defined by federal legislation called the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities should be
educated with children who are not disabled. Further, special classes or other removal of children with
disabilities from the regular educational environment should occur only when the nature or severity of the
disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services
cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
To provide high quality integrated services, the Learning for All Plan calls for an “all hands on deck”
philosophy, meaning that all teachers work together for all students. The goal is not to add staff, but to
consider how staff roles need to shift to better provide proactive services and support student needs. For
example, the District’s gifted education teachers became differentiation specialists. They provide support
to teachers to develop stronger lessons while also providing direct services to students. This type of shift
also puts greater emphasis on coaching, co-teaching, and collaboration, as colleagues must review student
data and make educational decisions together.
“If the primary goal of schools is to raise student achievement within integrated environments and in so
doing eliminate discrepancies in achievement between students, then the roles of all educational
personnel, from central office to building principals to the cook’s helper, must evolve to meet the changing
needs of all students. Moving from providing programs for a few students to proactive services for all
students requires educators who can work flexibly in a variety of settings with students who have diverse
needs… To facilitate this personnel shift among educators, students and educators must be reassigned in
ways that align with the most effective practices in high-achieving, integrated schools.”
An additional aspect of integrated services is students’ social emotional learning (SEL) needs. While not a
major research focus during the development of the Learning for All Plan, task force members recognized
that SEL instruction is an important part of a District 181 education. Further, students are socially and
emotionally impacted by their school experience and the decisions of their teachers and school leaders.
The most effective practices identified in the Learning for All Plan not only support students academically,
but also aim to support the whole child.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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The vision for the District’s work in Social Emotional Learning for Academic Success (SELAS) is to be a
school district where children learn to: be self-aware and able to manage their emotions and behaviors;
have understanding and empathy for others and develop positive relationships; and make responsible
decisions; and to be a school district where adults and children have positive relationships that foster the
greatest learning and rewarding experiences for all, during both formal instruction of SEL and informal
teachable moments.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Component 3 of 6: Parent and Community Support
“Meaningful family engagement is based on the premise that parents, educators, and community members
share responsibility for the academic, physical, social, emotional, and behavioral development of youth.
Family engagement is fostered through a deliberate process that is embraced throughout the school. It
empowers adults to jointly support student growth, addresses any barriers to learning, and ensures college
and career readiness. Foremost, effective family engagement systems, policies and practices are mindful of
diverse school-communities that are rich in language, culture, and school experiences. They are responsive
to student and family needs.”
District 181 staff recognize the importance of a strong home-school connection, with families actively
involved, stakeholders engaged, and the District in return serving as a positive partner for the community.
Fostering open and ongoing communication is critical. By working collaboratively with Board of Education
members, Parent-Teacher Organization leaders, District 181 Foundation members, and District committee
members, for example, the District is facilitating two-way dialogue, building trust and understanding,
strengthening relationships, and furthering the continuous improvement process.
The Learning for All Plan calls for the monitoring of parent satisfaction with the plan’s initiatives. Using
quantitative and qualitative data, staff can assess not only satisfaction, but also parent understanding
around the plan’s many aspects. It is important the District provide opportunities to share that information.
To that end, the 2013-14 administration worked collaboratively with the Family Resource Network, D181
Foundation, and SELAS Consultant to develop the first Family Education Series, a year-long effort to
communicate the fundamental components of the District’s initiatives. A set of parent/community
presentations were developed and included topics such as Common Core ELA, Common Core Math,
Inquiry-Based Science, and the Parent’s Role in the RtI Process. The District also partnered with Hinsdale
Township High School District 86 in developing the Community Speaker Series, which brought in speakers
on the topics of strength-based parenting, technology, and resiliency.
In 2014-15, the Family Education Series has continued but with a focus on parenting skills, such as
homework support, children’s money smarts, the impact of growing up in an affluent community, and
creating positive learning environments. The District 86 Community Speaker Series collaboration also
continued for the second year and covers the topics of stress and anxiety, children’s social arenas, and
motivation / mindsets. All events in both series are offered at no charge and are open to all members of the
community.
Recent parent survey data showed that website content and written material (i.e. brochures) were of most
interest to parents in regard to how they want to learn more about academic-centered topics. District
administrators have been gradually building these pieces. Also noteworthy in regard to survey data is the
results of the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. District 181 has administered the survey for the last three school
years (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15). Schools use the parent, teacher, and (if applicable) student data in their
School Improvement Planning work.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Component 4 of 6: Standards-Based Curriculum
“Educational standards are the learning goals for what students should know and be able to do at each
grade level. Educational standards help teachers ensure their students have the skills and knowledge they
need to be successful, while also helping parents understand what is expected of their children.”
The terms "standards" and "curriculum" are often used interchangeably, but they have different meanings.
Standards define what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade level; they are
determined at the State level. A curriculum describes what students need to learn to meet those standards;
curriculum is created locally, by each school district. A change in the standards is like a change in an
archer’s target. It requires a new plan (curriculum), new tools (curriculum resources), new measurements
(assessments), and new strategies (instructional methods).
Below is a breakdown of the current Illinois standards:
● Math: Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (Adopted 2010; Effective 2013-14)
● English Language Arts / Literacy: Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (Adopted 2010; Effective
2013-14)
● Science: Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (Adopted 2014; Effective 2016-17)
● Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, Physical Development & Health, Social Studies: New standards have
not yet been released to replace the Illinois Learning Standards in these subjects (Adopted 1997)
When the math and ELA standards changed in 2010, educators quickly saw the changes from the standards
that had been adopted 13 years earlier. The CCSS are considerably more rigorous, calling for greater
depth and complexity in curriculum, assessment, and instruction. They were written to be “fewer, clearer,
higher” and aligned with the skills needed in college and careers. The NGSS are similarly written - to be
robust, forward-looking, rigorous, and aligned with expectations for college and careers.
-
Because a standards-based curriculum is at the foundation of teaching and learning, it is a cornerstone of
the Learning for All Plan. The Advanced Learning Task Force recognized the weight of this change and the
increased rigor of the Common Core standards, particularly in discussion with the Math and ELA
Committee members.
Like all districts in Illinois, we are in a major standards transition because some content areas have new
standards (Math, ELA, Science) while others do not (Social Studies, Fine Arts, etc.). Our curricula renewal
cycle is significantly impacted by these shifts, therefore our current resources need updating in many
subjects. As new resources are considered for each content area, the timing is a further challenge because
publishers need to fully incorporate the standards within their materials, or otherwise provide supplements.
We are in the midst of reviewing our curricula renewal cycle and are considering slowing the pace despite
the immediate need.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Component 5 of 6: Effective Assessments
The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework and the continuous improvement cycle are models to drive
ongoing growth and thoughtful planning. By following a process that unfolds one piece at a time, that uses
data to drive decision making and goal setting, the District creates opportunities to reflect on the work and
carefully consider changes to be made. Assessment, therefore, is a major cornerstone of continuous
improvement and the Learning for All Plan because it is a process of gathering information and interpreting
evidence to make educational decisions about student learning focused on the KUD’s - what students
should know, understand, and be able to do.
Assessment data is used in addressing the needs of individual students, classes, grade levels, schools, and
the District as a whole. Assessment data is used at the state and national level, as well. Whether crafting the
goals within a School Improvement Plan or comparing the results of Illinois schools to states across the
country, it is imperative that data be used for improvement and to help students achieve their potential.
We have created a research-based Assessment Framework that is annually reviewed and revised. It includes
District-specific information related to summative measures, universal common assessments and schedules,
an assessment plan, and an assessment glossary. A next step related to assessment is the creation of a
standards-based report card.
“Classroom assessment is the process of collecting, synthesizing, and interpreting information in a
classroom for the purpose of aiding a teacher’s decision making. Teachers use assessment to do the
following: diagnose student problems, make judgments about student academic performance, form
student work groups, develop instructional plans, and effectively lead and manage a classroom (Airasian,
1997).”
Common assessments can be used for pre-assessment, formative, or summative purposes. “Common
assessments provide teachers with an opportunity to ‘begin with the end in mind’ (Covey 2004). It allows
groups of teachers to talk about the standards, how the standards might be assessed, where students are
performing currently, and what learning needs to take place for students to demonstrate proficiency.”
● “Pre-assessment is a flexible process for extending a teacher’s understanding of student learning
needs rather than a fixed prescription or algorithm. Pre-assessment of student readiness has two
functions. One is to provide the teacher with clarity regarding students’ prior or prerequisite
knowledge related to content that the upcoming learning segment is going to build upon. The
second role is to provide information for the teacher regarding students’ levels of mastery of the
unit’s new content.”
● “Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides
feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended
instructional outcomes. It is a process used to guide, mentor, direct, and encourage student
growth.”
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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● “Summative assessment is intended to measure and evaluate student outcomes.” Summative
assessments are more formal and “official” than pre- and ongoing assessments. They are used
largely to assess the outcomes of instruction and many come in the form of mid-terms, chapter
tests, unit tests, final exams, projects, and papers (Airasian 1997).”
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Component 6 of 6: High Quality Instruction
“The expectation of quality instruction is to raise the level of content that students are taught, increase the
skill and knowledge that teachers bring to teaching that content, and increase the level of active learning of
the content by the student.”
In the High Quality Instruction component, we outline two areas - the elements that support and require
high quality instruction, and the practices that help to achieve high quality instruction.
Supporting and Requiring High Quality Instruction
The Illinois professional education standards establish the:
● framework for the improvement of teaching and learning;
● foundation for the design of educator preparation programs at colleges and universities;
● criteria for the approval of preparation programs at colleges and universities;
● basis for state licensure tests;
● guidelines for the induction of novice teachers; and
● foundation for ongoing professional development.
The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards are:
● Standard 1 - Teaching Diverse Students
● Standard 2 - Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge
● Standard 3 - Planning for Differentiated Instruction
● Standard 4 - Learning Environment
● Standard 5 - Instructional Delivery
● Standard 6 - Reading, Writing, and Oral Communication
● Standard 7 - Assessment
● Standard 8 - Collaborative Relationships
The Learning for All Plan calls for gradual changes in teaching practices. It is important to consider how
these changes align with the teaching standards noted above, which are core components of the Learning
for All Plan. Similarly, the new learning students for students (CCSS, NGSS, etc.), also require a shift in
teaching practices, as discussed in Component 4. Standards that provide students with more depth, rigor,
and complexity require that a teacher can facilitate that level of learning with students.
Perhaps most important for delivering high quality instruction and implementing the Learning for All Plan
successfully is a shared belief among educators that all students can learn at high levels. The task force
work that started as focused on advanced learning highlighted strategies and practices that are best for all
students, including the practice or mindset of having high expectations. One of the guidelines the Board
provided to the task force was that the “gifted label” is not needed to provide gifted education. This
guideline combined with a strength-based or asset-based mindset is paramount to the Learning for All
Plan.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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“In her article ‘Deciding to Teach them All,’ Carol Ann Tomlinson (2003) writes about the power of a
teacher embracing the challenge of teaching all students in the class - not some or even most - but all.
Tomlinson suggests when teachers make the decision to teach each individual child, our perceptual
framework undergoes a fundamental shift. We turn from looking at a student’s labels to searching for that
student’s interests and needs. We shift from focusing on the child’s deficits - what he or she cannot do - to
looking at the child’s strengths. We move away from the question ‘How do I remediate this student?’ and
toward ‘What do I do to ensure that this student works at the highest level of thought and production?’”
How High Quality Instruction Can Occur
- Balanced Literacy - In the reports of both Dr. Moon and the task force, one of the recommendations
was implementation of a balanced literacy model across all grades levels and with increased
emphasis on instructional levels. In this approach, the skills and strategies of reading, writing,
language and speaking/listening are taught and practiced across the strands, not in isolation.
Students must be proficient in all strands to be successful. District staff have tied the learning
standards to overarching literacy and conceptual understandings. These overarching
understandings allow students to make connections to their learning across all curricular areas.
- Differentiation - As defined in the Terms section of this document, differentiated instruction involves
creating multiple paths to learning for diverse students. Teachers can differentiate through content,
process, product and affect/environment according to the student’s readiness, interests and
learning profile through a variety of instructional strategies. Successful differentiation is essential to
the success of the Learning for All Plan. With integrated services and renewed emphasis on the core
classroom, teachers are asked to differentiate their instruction on a daily basis. It is important to
note that this again is a vision to be grown into and that teachers aren’t doing this work in isolation.
By using data to make instructional decisions and collaborating with grade level colleagues and
specialists, teachers are building their capacity over time. Differentiation is a focus area for future
professional development.
“When teachers differentiate instruction, they move away from seeing themselves as keepers and
dispensers of knowledge and move toward seeing themselves as organizers of learning
opportunities. While content knowledge remains important, these teachers focus less on knowing
all the answers and focus more on reading their students.”
- Flexible Grouping - This tool of differentiation allows teachers the ability to group students based
upon changing needs. It is a fluid process because students learn at different paces and in different
ways. Teachers understand what is developmentally appropriate for their students. Providing
teachers with the ability to group based on specific lessons is at the heart of their professional
freedom to make educational decisions. Grouping strategies may be planned well in advance, and
there are times when groups are made as a need arises. Depending on the lesson, students may be
grouped by their ability in a specific skill, by their interest, by their learning style, or other a number
of other factors.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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“Designed appropriately, these opportunities to work with many age-mates are important in
broadening students’ awareness and appreciation of their own strengths and needs and the
strengths and needs of others. Flexible groupings also prevent students from perceiving themselves
and others as ‘bluebirds, buzzards, and sparrows’ while it helps teachers to “audition” their
students in a variety of learning contexts.”
In the excerpt above from “Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom” written
by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Dr. Moon, they acknowledge a social emotional learning issue
associated with grouping that is also important to acknowledge. Permanent ability grouping can
impact students’ self-perception in a negative way. Further, it may not be appropriate for every
lesson.
- Response to Intervention / Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (RtI/MTSS) - The RtI process was
initiated through IDEA to address the misidentification of students as having a specific learning
disability. However, since the process involves analyzing progress data to make informed decisions
regarding instructional changes and services, the same process is being used for all learners in
districts across the country. Typically, if a student’s needs are not being met by the core curriculum,
an individual problem solving meeting is held before the issue negatively impacts the student. A
team of staff work together, often with the student’s parent, to define the problem, plan an
intervention if necessary, implement it, and evaluate progress. The Learning for All Plan calls for the
continued use of this type of process, however it needs to be refined and further clarified for
parents. Additional training is also needed for staff who serve as RtI Tutors.
- If an intervention had not proven sufficient to meet the needs of exceptionally advanced
learners following use of the RtI process, Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) were created. The
ILP is a structure to provide advanced learning opportunities for students beyond the core
curriculum. It is both a document and a process used by students to define their goals and
services with the support of District staff. ILPs are a short-term solution to ensure those
students are not “waiting to learn”; they will be phased out as staff build the capacity to
meet the needs of all students within the classroom.
- Literacy Workshop - Students in Grades K-5 are involved in authentic reading, writing, and speaking
and listening projects in readers workshop and writers workshop. They read and respond to self-
selected books, write and publish and other compositions, and they discuss and listen to each
other’s insights. The workshop approach involves three key characteristics: time, choice, and
response.
- Time: Students have extended periods of time and opportunities to read, write, and share.
Instead of being something separate for when students finish schoolwork, reading and
writing become the core of the literacy curriculum.
- Choice: Students have ownership of their learning through self-selection of books they read
and their topics for writing. Instead of reading books selected by the teacher or reading the
same book together as a group or class, students select the books they want to read -
books that are suitable to their interests and reading levels. Although students are selecting
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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their own material (poetry, nonfiction, etc.), teachers set parameters.
- Response: Students respond to books they are reading in reading logs they share and in
conversations with classmates and the teacher. Similarly, in writers workshop, students share
with classmates drafts of books and other pieces they are writing, and they share their
completed and published pieces with genuine audiences.
Acceleration and compacting are two strategies that have been part of the conversations related to the
Learning for All Plan.
● In regard to acceleration, Dr. Moon had advised that the District “Eliminate/Revise the ACE
program to provide students with access to high quality enriched and accelerated options five days
per week, rather than the existing part-time solution for a full-time student need.” She further
recommended that we “investigate the feasibility of accelerating the entire District one grade level
in the area of math.” She made this recommendation as a result of the need to improve our core
instruction that was not yet aligned to the Common Core standards. With full implementation of the
new standards, full grade level acceleration in math is now discouraged until middle school. As
noted in the terms provided in this document, acceleration typically involves progress through an
educational program at faster rates or ages younger than is conventional. These recommendations
are addressed in the content area sections that follow. It is important to remember that acceleration
can apply to not just an entire grade level, but can be done for a group of students or individual
students.
● In short, compacting is a replacement strategy for students who have already mastered material,
who have learned a concept faster than designed. In the 2012-13 school year, for example, third
grade math was compacted to expose more students to fourth grade curriculum.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Reflections / Future Considerations
As noted previously, the Learning for All Plan is collection of effective strategies to be grown into, to
gradually and thoughtfully work toward. We must continuously monitor our progress and when
appropriate, make changes and corrections. A mutual understanding is therefore needed among
stakeholders that true continuous improvement allows for adjustments along the journey. This section of
the document captures adjustments to be made, as well as future considerations and action steps we
recognize as necessary to further elevate this work.
General
● We look forward to having conversations with the Board, staff, and parents related to this document
and an opportunity to bring further clarity to these strategies and practices.
● During the 2014-15 school year, Superintendent Dr. Don White and the Board of Education agreed
to begin a strategic planning process that would carry over into the 2015-16 school year. The
resulting strategic plan will likely have a section dedicated specifically to learning, with many sub-
components. It is imperative that the strategic planning work and the Learning for All Plan
strategies complement one another.
● We recognize that clarity is needed in regard to the timeline for implementing the practices and
changes within the Learning for All Plan. While clear long-term goals in select content areas have
been identified, other aspects of this multi-year plan need to be connected with a timeframe.
● As discussed in this document’s introduction, the Learning for All Plan is dynamic and evolving. We
need to create a clear process for ensuring it is updated, monitored, and easily accessible for
stakeholders.
Structural Supports
● Professional development and collaboration time are essential to the success of the Learning for All
Plan. Many staff need further support in differentiation, depth of knowledge, coaching, RtI tutoring,
and other key areas. The administration and Board of Education need to continue partnering with
our teacher and staff associations in finding this time. Relatedly, the Department of Learning is
working to further strengthen the professional development we provide and bring continued clarity
to the PD plans for each school year.
● If approved, the Digital Learning Initiative process will result in outcomes directly related to the
Learning for All Plan. It will be important to ensure continued alignment between this work and the
plan.
● We are currently revising the structure of the District Leadership Team for 2014-15 and beyond.
● We would like to consider having one instructional coach per school, with substantial professional
development provided to them.
● We need to strengthen the flow of communications between Building Leadership Teams and the
District and improve the continuity and consistency of agendas and discussion topics.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Standards-Based Curriculum
● Summer Learning Program courses need to be evaluated for alignment to the Learning for All Plan
and the new learning standards.
● We are taking time to consider the curricula renewal process, specifically the timing of these cycles
due to concern about our capacity to effectively implement a number of changes and initiatives.
Science and social studies are the next content areas slated for renewal.
Effective Assessments
● The concept of “using data” is repeated throughout the Learning for All Plan. It is imperative that
we build on our existing Assessment Framework to clarify the data we use for decision making at
the District level. We also need to identify the data we will use to measure the success of various
aspects within the Learning for All Plan. Relatedly, we recognize that the way we store, access and
report data needs review. A data system must be developed that provides easily accessible data
and that is understood by teachers and administrators in way that can elicit action.
● District 181 student report cards are not based on the new learning standards.
High Quality Instruction
● We need to consider parameters or guidelines for staff related to practices such as flexible
grouping and build appropriate consistency in these areas across the District.
*The list above may be modified following the second and third presentations of the Learning for All Plan
written document. Changes from this listing to future listings will be clearly marked.
Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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Community Consolidated School District 181 • 6010 S. Elm Street, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 630.861.4900 • fax: 630.887.1079 • www.d181.org • Twitter: @CCSD181
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