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District curriculum director reports two interim Guardrail 4 goals exceeded, classroom management target missed
Summary
Dr. Kim Dods Karen, the district director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for the Kraton School District, told the board the district completed 758 learning-walk visits and exceeded interim goals for learning targets (59%) and success criteria (51%) but fell short on classroom management (79% vs. an 85% goal).
Dr. Kim Dods Karen, the director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for the Kraton School District, presented the district's annual Guardrail 4 report, saying it summarized progress from March 2025 to March 2026 and reflected results from the district's learning-walk process.
The presentation reported that teams of district and site leaders and instructional coaches completed 758 classroom visits across nine schools between August 2025 and March 2026. "We not only met the goal but exceeded the goal by reaching 59%" for the interim measure tied to learning targets, Karen said, describing districtwide growth on that measure. She said all nine schools showed improvement on that indicator.
On the second interim measure, success criteria, the district's goal was to move from 36% to 46% of observed lessons scoring a three or higher; Karen said the district reached 51% and that all nine schools improved. She said observers documented stronger alignment between learning targets and success criteria, more student interaction with success criteria, and more students able to articulate what they are learning and how they will demonstrate mastery.
For interim measure 4.3, classroom management, the district's goal was to increase lessons scoring a three or higher from 75% to 85%. Karen said eight of nine schools showed growth but the district reached 79% in March 2026 and did not meet the 85% target. "This is an area where we are seeing progress, but not yet at the level we expect," she said.
Karen outlined targeted next steps to address gaps in classroom management: continuing principal-led learning walks and data discussions; providing more targeted, actionable feedback for teachers and leaders; developing and sharing clear exemplars of instructional practice; curating classroom videos and visuals that model effective practice; ensuring teachers have ready-to-use resources; strengthening classroom management through explicit instructional strategies in professional development; and leveraging student support services to reinforce consistent behavior systems.
She emphasized the learning-walk process is non-evaluative. "These visits are non-evaluative. They are not about judging individual teachers," Karen said, adding the tool helps identify system patterns and align professional learning and support.
The presentation framed the results as both a celebration of areas of growth and a reminder of ongoing responsibility to improve, closing with an emphasis on layered partnerships among teachers, coaches, site leaders and district leadership. No formal votes or motions were recorded during the presentation.
