Addison SD 4 principals report uneven IAR results, strong math growth and SEL gains

Principals from Addison SD 4 presented end-of-year school improvement results to the Board of Education on June 17, highlighting strong math growth at several elementary schools even as some sites fell short of targeted gains on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR).

Dr. Aaron Alexander, reporting for the Early Learning Center, said the school met several process goals and saw gains in fine-motor skills and following directions. "We set 11% increase for all three goals," he told the board, noting one benchmark moved from 86% to 88% and that occupational therapists heavily supported the effort.

Ardmore Principal Justin Johnson said Ardmore missed the board's 5% IAR proficiency increase overall but achieved a median i‑Ready growth of 119% and moved 75% of students at least one proficiency category, with particular gains in fourth grade. "With 75% of students moving, that means that regardless of proficiency level, we're moving ahead," Johnson said.

Army Trail Principal Dr. Christine Warren pointed to a 27% cohort gain in fifth‑grade narrative writing and reported the school exceeded its math typical‑growth target (104%). Fullerton Principal Brian Bolton reported approximately a 9% increase toward the district's IAR goal and a median i‑Ready growth of 112%.

Principal Christina Villalobos highlighted a 12.7‑point increase in students meeting or exceeding ELA standards at her building and said the school reduced inappropriate physical contact major referrals by 50% (from 30 to 15) after adopting a kindness theme and schoolwide strategies. "We went from having 30 referrals in inappropriate physical contact to 15," she said.

Several principals — including Lincoln Principal Cara Doman and Stone Principal Dave Smoker — noted that i‑Ready median growth rates often diverged from IAR results, prompting internal review of assessment correlations. Wesley Principal Katie Capuano said Wesley fell short of the IAR ELA target but exceeded the math growth goal with 124% median growth.

District leaders told board members they will return in August with formal school improvement plans for 2026–27 and promised a cross‑school, year‑over‑year attendance and assessment summary when final IAR results are certified in October. Board members asked administration to compile multi‑year trend data and attendance comparisons across schools.

The presentations emphasized instruction-focused interventions (writing initiatives, small-group math, SEL strategies) and noted places where targets were not met, while also identifying measurable improvements the district plans to scale next year.

The board took no formal vote on the presentations; principals will present formal improvement plans for board review in August.