New teaching priorities: Monticello lays out goals to boost literacy, attendance and graduation

Laura Stebner, the district—s director of teaching and learning, used her first board presentation on Sept. 8 to outline the Monticello Public School District's multi-year goals and the strategies buildings will use to reach them.

"The district by 2026 is working on improving K–12 literacy, raising proficiency rates to 70 percent, working on our attendance rates for consistent attendance at that 90 percent threshold, [and] graduation rates at 95 percent for the four-year rate," Stebner said, describing the district—s scoreboard metrics. She said the district is not changing the overarching goals but will ask building leaders to focus on 'playbooks'—the day-to-day adult practices and strategies that drive student outcomes.

Stebner described the planning process the admin team used at a June retreat, noting that principals identified common priorities: strengthening tier-1 instructional practices, advancing literacy, preparing for standards and curriculum shifts, trauma-informed and relationship-based approaches, and using data to guide instruction and engagement.

When asked how quickly the district can expect curriculum changes to move outcomes, Stebner said implementation typically takes three years: the first year to learn the material, the second to refine practice, and the third to deepen implementation based on student data. She also said the district will supplement building presentations with a data packet so the board can see both strategies and the numerical progress.

Stebner said adult practices must be implemented consistently for student outcomes to follow and that district leaders will return with a districtwide data presentation in the near term.