Huntley District updates use of Satchel PULSE SEL screener; board presses for clearer evidence and more parent outreach

HUNTLEY, Ill. — District staff told the Board Committee of the Whole on Feb. 6 that Huntley Community School District 158’s pilot of the Satchel PULSE social‑emotional learning screener produced usable data and resources but that more time and professional development are needed to show a firm link between screener results and changes in student behavior or academics.

Dr. McCrindle, a district presenter, summarized the tool and its aims: “It really serves as a temper temperature check,” he said, describing the screener as a proactive way to identify students’ social‑emotional strengths and areas needing support and to help teachers target instruction and interventions.

The presentation showed differences by grade band and rater type: elementary teachers completed the screener for K–5 students while sixth through 12th‑grade students self‑rated. District staff reported opt‑out rates of about 2 percent at the elementary level (roughly 79 students) and 4 percent at the secondary level (about 209 students). For K–5 the district reported Tier 1 (meeting expectations) at 35 percent in the fall and 53 percent in winter, Tier 2 at 57 percent (fall) to 43 percent (winter), and Tier 3 at 7 percent (fall) to 3 percent (winter). In grades 6–12, Tier 1 rose from 56 percent (fall) to 62 percent (winter), Tier 2 fell from 43 percent to 37 percent, and Tier 3 was reported at 1 percent. Staff said elementary ratings were teacher scored and secondary ratings were student self‑reports.

Why it matters: staff framed the tool as part of the district’s MTSS (multi‑tiered system of supports) work — a data point intended to help educators identify which students need universal classroom lessons and which need small‑group or Tier‑3 interventions. “It allows our building and teacher teams to use data to drive decisions,” Dr. McCrindle said.

Board concerns and next steps: several board members pressed staff on the evidence that the screener produces improved student outcomes. Board Member John Thompson said he was “still not understanding the correlation,” noting he had not seen proof that using Satchel PULSE led to fewer behavior incidents or improved academics. District staff answered that the tool has only been used in full for about a year and that more time and ongoing data analysis are needed to show causal links; they also said the screener is aligned to the Illinois SEL competencies and to CASEL guidance, and that it supplies a bank of instructional resources for teachers.

Staff recommended continuing the contract. District finance staff reminded the committee that the Board previously approved a three‑year agreement that includes an option to cancel after the first year without penalty; Dr. McCrindle told the committee the administration is recommending continuation under that existing contract.

Data use, privacy and parent access: staff described the parent and student communication process and opt‑out provisions. Staff said they supply families a short URL for a parent version of the survey and that when parents opt out, the district works with technology staff to remove that student’s shared data from Satchel PULSE. “I've sent a request for an opt out, and the student has been removed completely from the system, including all of their data. It's like they never existed on the platform,” a district technology staff member explained during the meeting. Committee members asked for a clearer, district‑facing explanation for parents about how and when the district contacts families, how false positives/false negatives are handled, and what follow‑up steps are taken before interventions are started.

How staff said the tool is being used now: the district reported that typical SEL interventions are small groups of about three to nine students meeting one to two times per week led by MTSS interventionists, social workers, instructional coaches or MTSS facilitators. Staff also described teacher‑level uses — quick, classroom “wins” and targeted whole‑school lessons that derive from aggregated screener results (for example, teaching self‑management or relationship skills across advisory or Raider Ray lessons).

Board direction and reporting: the committee did not take a final vote on the contract at the Feb. 6 meeting. Members asked staff to: continue the contract term the Board previously authorized (three years with a one‑year opt‑out); prioritize professional learning so teachers understand and can reliably use the screener and rubrics; refine communication to families about the tool and the opt‑out process; and return to the Board with ongoing data analysis and a clear return‑on‑investment/impact report after more screening cycles.

Quotes (selected):

• “It really serves as a temper temperature check,” Dr. McCrindle said of the screener.

• “I'm still not understanding the correlation,” Board Member John Thompson said, pressing staff for evidence that Satchel PULSE reduces incidents or improves academics.

• “We approved this with the board was a 3 year contract with the option to pull out at after a year,” a district presenter said when discussing the contract structure and the administration’s recommendation to continue.

What’s next: staff said they will gather broader stakeholder feedback (classroom teachers, building teams, families), continue routine administrations of the screener to build trend data, and present an updated analysis and professional‑learning plan to the Board in a future meeting. No formal Board action to modify the contract was recorded in the committee meeting minutes for Feb. 6.

Ending note: the committee’s discussion focused on practical implementation details — who completes the screener, data privacy and opt‑out mechanics, how teachers will use the results, and the timeline needed to show whether the screener influences behavior and academic measures. Staff emphasized that Satchel PULSE is a tool to help target instruction and monitor interventions, not a diagnostic instrument for special‑education eligibility.