Kaneland trustees hear detailed update as McDowell Elementary begins four‑year state turnaround cycle

McDowell Elementary has completed the state’s planning year after being identified as a targeted school for students with disabilities in mathematics, Principal Brian Zervis told the Kaneland CUSD 302 Board of Education on May 12.

The planning year is the first of a four‑year cycle under Illinois accountability. Zervis said the planning phase focused on building‑level review and design: a newly formed school leadership team (SLT) completed the Illinois Quality Framework supporting rubric (IQFSR), and the school developed three school improvement goals with nine 45‑day action items that will guide implementation in the coming years.

The update matters because the designation triggers additional state supports and a required multi‑year improvement process. Zervis said the planning work is intended to produce a concrete roadmap so McDowell can use state funds and outside partners to raise student outcomes during implementation years one and two.

Zervis said the SLT was a volunteer group made up of a wide cross section of building staff and administrators. Team members individually completed the IQFSR, then met in small vertical groups to reach team ratings; the SLT spent roughly two full days reviewing all 28 IQFSR indicators. The SLT rated 13 of 28 indicators as “accomplished” or “exemplary” and 15 as “emerging” or “ineffective.” From that work the team prioritized four high‑priority areas: monitoring for results, school and district teams (data analysis and collaboration), professional collaboration, and delivery of instruction.

From those priorities McDowell drafted three goals. Zervis outlined them in the presentation: (1) an I‑Ready diagnostic goal for grades 1–5 tied to professional development and a plan to use two I‑Ready lessons per week (about 30–45 minutes) as part of center/small‑group time, with contracted I‑Ready trainers coming in fall and winter for differentiated staff supports; (2) an Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)‑focused goal to raise the percentage of third‑through‑fifth graders earning a 3 or higher on the math IAR (Zervis said the current 3‑grade average across those grades “varies between about 50–70%” and that 60% was a working target for 2025–26); and (3) an optional third goal emphasizing student feedback and student goal setting, asking students to identify and work toward individual growth goals in math and celebrating classroom/grade‑level progress.

The district will partner with the Regional Office of Education (ROE) for monthly ROE‑led learning walks focused on math and accommodations for students with disabilities; the ROE will collect classroom data and return building‑ and grade‑level summaries for SLT and grade‑level teams to act on. Zervis said the SLT will meet twice monthly next year and hold three‑and‑a‑half‑hour sessions every 45 days to update action items and build the next 45‑day plan.

Zervis acknowledged some specifics remain to be finalized: the district is waiting for final spring I‑Ready diagnostic data to set exact percentage targets, and the year‑one budget depends on the state allocation tied to the designation. He said three of nine 45‑day plans were still in final development and that the team is securing I‑Ready PD contracts and other supports in advance of the implementation year.

Board members asked about classroom implementation and workload. Zervis said most I‑Ready work is intended to be part of non‑teacher‑led center time or “win time,” with teachers using I‑Ready data to target small groups; he said trainers will return in winter to focus on using I‑Ready data to personalize instruction. Superintendent Dr. Brian Rolling and Zervis both stressed that substantial professional development and coaching around the new math curriculum and the I‑Ready tools will be important to avoid overburdening teachers.

There was no board action required on the update; Zervis said the next steps are finalizing the 45‑day plans, securing year‑one funding, and returning to the board with a final school improvement plan for board approval and the state paperwork the district must submit.

Ending: Zervis said he intends to complete as much of the planning work as possible before the McDowell principal transition so the incoming principal will inherit fully developed 45‑day plans and the SLT’s documentation.