Board approves updated school-improvement plans so schools can receive federal funds; administrators explain targets and grant uses

The Belvedere District 100 Board of Education approved updated school-improvement plans after district staff told the board the Illinois State Board of Education requested more detail before releasing federal school-improvement grant funds. The plans had been developed with campus teams; the vote allowed the district to release grant money to schools with targeted or comprehensive designations.

Why it matters: The state’s designations determine whether a school is classified as targeted or comprehensive and affect eligibility and the amount of federal funds a school may receive. Administrators said failing to approve updated plans would delay federal funds intended to support interventions and staff development in the affected schools.

What administrators told the board - Dr. Johnson (Ed Services) said many of the plans had already been board-approved but the state requested additional detail—root-cause analysis, needs assessments and partnerships with an Illinois provider—before releasing funds. - Designations are based on a matrix that weighs proficiency, growth, graduation rates, attendance and subgroup performance; a school can be flagged because one subgroup (for example, English learners or students with disabilities) fails threshold measures even if other indicators improve. - District staff explained that designations are reported in the Illinois Report Card each fall; a school’s designation typically remains in place for a four-year cycle (one planning year followed by three implementation years), even if annual results fluctuate. - Examples cited: some schools were designated because a subgroup dipped below threshold (subgroups require at least 20 students in a grade to be reported); funding is generally larger for comprehensive-designation schools than for targeted ones.

How SI grant dollars may be used - Dr. Johnson described allowable uses: contracting with an Illinois provider for professional development (example: Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol, SIOP, training for English learners), stipends (summer PD may require stipends + benefits), substitute coverage for release time, materials and other implementation costs. The district said the state’s latest request was a condition of grant release.

Board action and follow-up - Motion: Approve updated school improvement plans (consent agenda item number 9—dual improvement plans). Mover and second: recorded on the consent/vote process; the item was approved by roll call (board members present recorded votes in the affirmative). - Administrators offered to present a deeper review of the designations and the Illinois Report Card at the district’s Ed Services meeting in November and to brief the new board sooner (an update was requested to be scheduled before the next board meeting).

Context and limits - Administrators said some plans dated from prior years and that the state’s request for added detail reflects federal compliance and accountability requirements tied to funding. They stressed that the action approved updated plans and did not itself change instructional programs; specific implementation steps will be undertaken at school level teams.

Ending: The district approved the updated plans so the schools can access federal SI funds; administrators said they will report further on the designation matrix and expected grant amounts at upcoming committee and board meetings.