Plainfield 202 curriculum committee begins review of Illinois comprehensive literacy plan; district will form literacy leadership and apply for state grant

Plainfield School District 202’s Curriculum & Technology committee heard an informational briefing on April 16 about the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan and began outlining a local response that will include teacher supports, building goals and a district literacy leadership team.

Assistant superintendent Paula Sorelius (presentation lead) told the committee the state plan is a lengthy, research‑based document and the district intends to phase its response through December, focusing first on classroom instruction and how well local practice aligns to state guidance.

Why it matters: the state plan is intended to raise literacy outcomes across Illinois by defining evidence‑based instruction, strengthening teacher preparation and equipping leaders to sustain equitable conditions for literacy instruction. District leaders said Plainfield’s immediate priority is to evaluate the alignment of core classroom instruction with the plan’s three goal areas and to provide professional development where gaps are identified.

Key points from the briefing:

- The Illinois document focuses on three goals: (1) every student receives high‑quality, evidence‑based literacy instruction; (2) every educator is prepared and continuously supported to deliver that instruction; and (3) every leader is equipped to create and sustain equitable conditions for literacy instruction. The district will tackle the first goal initially. - District staff emphasized that the state’s plan is informed by statewide assessment data (IAR, ACCESS, ACT/preACT) and that Plainfield will supplement state data with local screening, benchmark and classroom data when shaping local work. - The plan highlights seven components of literacy instruction (including phonological awareness, word recognition, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing and oral language). Staff noted the state urges systematic, explicit and evidence‑based instruction across grade levels, including 6–12 content areas. - The district intends to form a literacy leadership committee, include a literacy goal in school improvement plans next year, and create an ongoing professional development plan. Officials also said they will apply for state grant funds supporting literacy work; the district expects to submit a grant application by the end of the week.

Implementation considerations: committee members discussed the need to support secondary teachers who are content specialists but may not have had specific training in reading instruction, and they identified building‑level administrative leadership as a lever for change. Ms. Sorelius said the district will pilot phased professional development and share progress with the committee over the 2025 calendar year.

No formal committee vote was required for the informational briefing. The district will return to the committee with an implementation plan, grant details and proposed school‑level literacy goals.

Meeting context: the Curriculum & Technology committee includes board members and district curriculum leaders; the literacy briefing followed the district’s recent focus on math and is presented to support multi‑year improvement planning.