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District 109 reports strong MAP scores but flags low self‑reported 'grit' in SEL survey
Summary
At its Oct. 17 meeting Deerfield SD 109 presented fall 2024 SEL survey and MAP assessment data showing students above national norms in ELA and math but lower self‑ratings on grit and emotional regulation; administration said it will pilot Wayfinder, promote Let Grow activities and target interventions for students reporting few strengths.
Deerfield Public Schools District 109 presented fall assessment and social‑emotional learning (SEL) results to the board on Oct. 17, showing above‑average MAP performance alongside persistent, lower self‑reported scores in 'grit' and emotional regulation on the Panorama SEL survey.
An unnamed district administrator who opened the assessment briefing told the board the presentation covers the fall 2024 SEL survey and MAP academic measures and emphasized that building‑level teams will use the data for teacher planning. "We provide a high level district overview. The really critical and important work really happens at each of our school buildings," the presenter said.
Jason Jesuit, Director of Learning, reviewed MAP cohort growth and RIT bands, saying district averages remain roughly 7 to 12 RIT points above the national norm at many grade levels and that several cohorts showed stronger growth than national peers. "So really, some good solid data there that's kind of keeping on trend with what we've seen over the last several years," Jesuit said.
On SEL, the district reported that students rated themselves relatively low for grit and emotional regulation compared with national peers. The presentation noted, for example, that 55% of students identified emotional regulation as a strength. Staff described specific subscales where students reported challenges: paying attention, describing feelings, and setting and maintaining goals.
Administration described instruction‑level and community responses. The district plans to pilot Wayfinder, a tier‑1 evidence‑based SEL curriculum in middle schools, implement targeted lessons on goal‑setting in sixth grade, and encourage home practice through Let Grow activities tied to an upcoming community screening of the film Chasing Childhood. "We're really centering that question around the words 'productive struggle'... celebrating the process of learning rather than the product," the district presenter said.
Board members asked whether Panorama comparisons against national cohorts are broadly representative; staff said Panorama is widely used nationally and regionally and that District 109 was an early adopter. Members also raised the question of whether low grit reflects developmental norms or a perception gap; staff replied the district will scrutinize the question‑level data and target support to students who report few strengths.
On academics, Jesuit said fall MAP scores are a "dipstick" that reflect some summer regression but show students entering the year ahead of national peers in both ELA and math. He also said the district has paused a 6–8 Carnegie Learning ELA pilot that "wasn't working for our kids" and is remapping materials to better meet student needs.
The board did not take immediate policy action; administration described next steps that include continuing cohort analysis, professional development and targeted classroom lessons.
