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U-46 presents instructional-clarity framework, outlines implementation steps for strategic plan
Summary
At the March 10 School District U-46 Board of Education meeting, district staff presented the second and third “circles” of the strategic plan — instructional effectiveness and infrastructure — describing classroom-level practices, signature strategies for four district goals, and next steps for implementation and measurement.
The School District U-46 Board of Education on March 10 received an update on the strategic plan’s instructional effectiveness and infrastructure components, presented by Lola Maistovich, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, with support from Performance Fact. The presentation described a district instructional vision based on an "instructional clarity" framework and laid out signature strategies and key actions tied to the district’s four goals.
Why it matters: The presentation connects classroom practice to district goals for early learning, belonging and inclusion, academic growth, and career readiness. Board members said clarity about classroom expectations, measurement and rollout will shape curriculum purchases, professional learning, and future board oversight.
District presenters said the instructional clarity framework identifies observable student behaviors and teacher practices that should be visible in classrooms. Core components discussed included standards-aligned curriculum and pacing, daily literacy (reading and writing across content), the workshop model of instruction (mini-lesson, work time, reflection), academic teaming and structured discourse, formative assessment for real-time feedback, actionable feedback cycles using rubrics and exemplars, and culturally and linguistically responsive practices.
Maistovich said the district is working to ensure tasks and assessments align with learning targets so students can demonstrate expected outcomes. She described professional learning, pacing guides and curricular frameworks that teachers will use to implement the adopted curriculum "with integrity," and said a portrait of a graduate document will guide the measurable actions students and staff take.
District staff also outlined the infrastructure needed to support instruction, describing four district goals and five key actions under each goal. For example, goal 1 (early academic and social-emotional foundations) lists actions such as expanding early learning access and strengthening professional learning; goal 3 (academic growth and mastery) emphasizes aligned curriculum and assessments, data-informed professional learning, interventions and continuous monitoring. Presenters said these signature strategies are not sequential steps but concurrent workstreams.
Board members asked how the instructional strategies map directly to the student-progress measures in the strategic plan. Board member Dawn asked whether the signature strategies are the key actions that will drive the numeric measures on the plan; Maistovich replied the instructional clarity work articulates observable classroom practices and is intended to help reach all four goals at the classroom level. Staff said an implementation team will develop metrics and monitoring plans and will present a public-facing dashboard on the district website once goals and measures are finalized.
Board members also gave design and communications feedback. Shonda asked that the portrait of a graduate page include photos of actual U-46 graduates in cap and gown; Kate asked staff to confirm whether images in presentations are district students or stock photos and was told the images are district students and that staff will align imagery to the district style guide. Staff said they will provide more photos and check representation for early learners and other groups.
Maistovich and Performance Fact staff emphasized that more work remains on specifying how each metric will be measured and on the communications plan for rollout to schools and teachers. Staff said the plan will be presented to the board for approval and that, after approval, the implementation team will convene to finalize performance metrics, timelines and communication and professional learning sequences tied to district collaborative days and school improvement planning.
Board members thanked the instructional team and external partners for their work and encouraged continued updates on measurement and implementation timelines. The board received a four-page handout summarizing the goals, measures and signature strategies.
Looking ahead: Staff said they will return with a proposed measurement framework, implementation timelines and details on how the district will align school improvement plans and professional learning to the strategic plan.
