Curriculum audit begins for Kankakee Dist. 111

KANKAKEE – A curriculum and instruction audit is now in progress for Kankakee School District 111.

The Kankakee School Board approved a contract this past month with Curriculum Management Solutions Inc., of Iowa, to complete the district-wide audit of curriculum and instructional practices for a total cost of $130,332.

The company was one of four vendors that submitted proposals.

Kelly Gilbert, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said that an interview committee evaluated the vendors based on seven areas, such as their capacity for completing the work and their qualifications, expertise and experience.

The interview committee included Gabrielle Garrett, director of secondary education; Bonita Arceneaux-Anderson, Kennedy Middle School principal; Albert Brass, Kankakee High School principal; Edith Petty, director of bilingual teaching and learning; Carrie Clodi, director of special education services, and Jennifer Way, director of school improvement.

Curriculum Management Solutions Inc. received the highest score in the committee’s evaluation.

The company has completed more than 500 audits nationally and internationally, according to the district’s rationale.

The audit will involve two phases, with the first phase to focus on curriculum and assessment and the second to focus on instructional practices.

The scope of the work will include document review, interviews, online surveys and site visits, according to the rationale.

The focus areas to be outlined in the report findings will include vision and accountability; curriculum, equity and consistency; assessment and feedback; and productivity.

Between phase one and phase two, the company will begin to create a plan for curriculum management and development, including training in curriculum writing where applicable.

This will occur with district leaders, building administration and teachers.

Gilbert said that in the few weeks since the company was selected, the document review process has already begun.

The district has begun sharing relevant documents with the company.

“We are already beginning some professional development planning based on the outcomes of that document review,” Gilbert said. “We know we’re under a tight timeline with that audit.”

The curriculum audit is scheduled to be completed May 30, while the instruction audit is slated for completion Sept. 30.

Gilbert said she anticipates being able to update the board in June regarding the outcome of the first phase of the audit.