What can districts do when isolated attendance interventions or disconnected data systems make it difficult to support students effectively?
Urbana School District 116 shows how a district-wide multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) can connect attendance, academics, behavior, and family engagement through shared goals and consistent data practices. By bringing this data together, the district has created a common language for educators, strengthened Tier 2 and Tier 3 meetings, and enabled more precise, coordinated decisions about student support.
In this episode, Brittany Blackwell, M.Ed. speaks with Linda Gibbens, Dionne Webster, and Christina Cail-Lewandowski about how Urbana uses surveys, chronic absenteeism intervention plans, behavior data, and academic benchmarks to better understand and respond to student needs. They also discuss how the district’s focus on collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement helped raise academic achievement from the 20th to approximately the 38th percentile while also building a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Topics Covered
- How Urbana School District 116 strengthened MTSS across the district
- How student data, collaborative teams, and consistent process support data-driven decision-making
- How Urbana is addressing chronic absenteeism through district-wide attendance interventions and practices
- How academic, behavior, attendance, and life skills data can guide instruction and targeted student interventions
- The importance of building collaborative relationships and a culture of continuous improvement
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This is the podcast where top K-12 education leaders and experts explore teaching, learning, and school leadership, one real story at a time. Brought to you by Panorama Education, each episode features candid conversations with district and school leaders who are tackling today’s biggest challenges and creating meaningful change for students, educators, and communities.
You’ll hear directly from leaders who are improving attendance, strengthening literacy, supporting educator wellbeing, and finding new ways to help every student succeed. Along the way, they’ll share lessons learned, practical strategies, and insights you can bring back to your own team.
Whether you’re leading a classroom, school, or district, this show offers real world examples, fresh perspectives, and actionable ideas from educators doing the work every day.
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