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Wilmette SD 39 presents spring assessment gains and a draft five-year strategic plan
Summary
District staff reported strong spring assessment and SEL results — early literacy goals met and high percentile MAP performance — and unveiled a draft five-year strategic plan focused on learning growth, belonging, staff support and resource stewardship after broad community input.
District 39 officials on June 8 told the Committee of the Whole that spring assessment data show notable academic gains and that a draft five-year strategic plan will be recommended for board approval next week.
Staff said early-literacy and early-numeracy benchmarks (AS Web Plus) were met — the district reported about 92% of K–1 students meeting early-literacy goals and 89% meeting early-numeracy goals — and that NWEA MAP results continue to place most grade levels above national means. Kelly, the district's assessment lead, said the district has a high share of students in the 90th percentile on NWEA, with many grades showing more than 40% of students at or above that benchmark in reading and similarly strong results in math.
The presentation noted a recent NWEA norming update that affects percentile comparisons across years; staff emphasized that RIT scores (the MAP scale) are consistent year-to-year while percentile placement has shifted with the new norms. On growth, many grades met or exceeded MAP growth projections — most grades fell in the 62% to 81% range of students meeting fall-to-spring projections — though eighth-grade reading met projected growth at a lower rate (about 44%).
Staff also reviewed social-emotional learning data. Insights (early elementary) and Panorama (grades 5–8) results showed large shares of students in average-or-above performance bands; staff highlighted strengths in social awareness and emotional regulation while flagging spring declines on some school-climate items such as perceived adult support and teacher engagement. To better identify individual student needs, the district proposed adopting more sensitive, curriculum-aligned screeners (Wayfinder formative checks and FastBridge/SABERS) and noted the Illinois State Board of Education is developing a statewide mental-health screener for 2027–28.
Those assessment and SEL findings were presented alongside a draft strategic plan that maintains the district's mission and "portrait of a D39 scholar" while refining five priority areas: student learning & growth; student experience & community (social, emotional, behavioral, mental health); professional experience & community; family experience & partnership; and stewardship of resources. District staff said the plan reflects substantial community engagement: more than 450 focus-group participants and 555 survey respondents informed priorities. Early action priorities identified by respondents include advanced-learning/differentiation, social and mental-health supports, executive-functioning skills, and teacher care and workload.
Board members asked for clearer language in the plan's student-learning commitment so it reads as both an experience and an outcome — staff said they will refine wording and that the board will see annual action steps and a quarter-over-quarter scorecard (first action-step set expected in September). The plan is slated for formal presentation and a vote at the Board of Education meeting next week.
