The McHenry School District 15 Board of Education on June 24 voted to approve Valley View Elementary School’s improvement plan for the 2025–26 school year, a step district officials said will keep the school eligible for targeted state and federal grant funding.

District administrators presented the plan at the board meeting and said it builds on last year’s gains in reading and math, targets family engagement, and adds staff to support multilingual learners. "We believe in the work that's happening," a district administrator said while asking the board for approval.

The plan keeps growth targets for Valley View’s multilingual subgroup at an 8–10% increase in proficiency, a goal the presenter said the school met this past year. District figures cited in the presentation showed overall reading growth from 49% to 61% and multilingual reading growth from 15% to 31%; math growth figures cited were 55% to 66% overall and 27% to 44% for multilingual students. The presentation also noted the addition of a bilingual math interventionist and other intervention staff FTEs to support instruction.

Board members asked about changes from last year; the presenter said Valley View adjusted parent engagement strategies (moving curriculum night to coincide with supply drop-off and running monthly family literacy/attendance events) and increased technology integration and flexible classroom arrangements. The presenter said administrators and teacher leaders worked with a stakeholder advisory group and district leadership to craft the plan.

A motion to approve the Valley View School Improvement Plan carried on a roll-call vote with board members voting yes. The approval makes the school eligible to receive roughly $25,000 per month in current targeted funds cited by the district, and district staff said additional midyear grant allocations remain possible.

Board members said they will monitor implementation and that the plan’s funding will support interventions and facility improvements already underway at several buildings.

The board approved the plan as presented and will monitor outcomes and funding as the year progresses.