Impact Case Studies

CEC partners with teachers and school leaders to develop and implement effective writing instruction, a key driver for early literacy development and improved student writing proficiency. To ensure sustainability, CEC provides tailored school-based support, addressing initial implementation challenges and integrating writing as a core component of the K-3 literacy block. Through professional development and coaching, CEC strengthens teachers’ expertise in a robust Tier 1 literacy framework, emphasizing writing instruction. These efforts have resulted in more students achieving growth targets and grade-level proficiencies compared to the previous year, along with teachers’ enhanced understanding and implementation of a comprehensive ELA program.

Berwyn South District partnered with CEC in 2021 to foster systemic growth through System Commitment and System Alignment. With strong leadership from Superintendent, Dr. Mary Havis, and Assistant Superintendent, Bea Maldonado, the district built Empowered Teams, focusing on collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement. Personalized coaching and support helped the district see significant growth, with schools showing high student progress.

Now, Berwyn South is transitioning to shorter 6-8 week improvement cycles, confident in their ability to drive sustained success through strong leadership and teamwork. Their journey highlights how strategic planning and collaboration can lead to meaningful change and growth.

Read the success story of Creve Coeur School District 76 in Illinois, where transformative change led to remarkable achievements in just one year. Partnering with Catalyst for Educational Change (CEC), the district advanced from comprehensive to commendable, as recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). This milestone underscores our commitment to enhancing educational outcomes and fostering equitable learning environments. Explore the full case study.

The Regional Office of Education #4 (ROE4) is a trusted partner in the Northern Illinois education community, providing comprehensive support and
resources to schools, districts, and communities within its region. With a proven track record of successful program delivery and a commitment to
collaborative problem-solving, the Regional Office is a vital hub for educational excellence. ROE4 recognizes that in order to meet their goal of providing the highest quality support, its in their interest to partner with leading agencies and organizations to bridge the gap between national education experts and the districts they serve. This case study outlines how ROE4 and Catalyst for Educational Change (CEC) aligned resources and streamlined processes to provide clients with seamless and efficient program delivery.

Transitioning to a new Superintendent can be a time of upheaval for a district. Berkeley School District 87 was no different. The new Superintendent wanted to clarify and refine the direction for the district. He wanted to ensure a process that identified a clear path and common focus for the district. Having worked with CEC in the past, he was familiar with the collaborative nature of their work and wanted to ensure maximum stakeholder voice in the district strategic planning development. Berkeley School District 87 selected CEC to help them build their new strategic plan to identify their “compass” for the next five years and realign their system to a true continuous improvement process.

In 2022, Hedges Elementary School sought to gain support in the design and implementation of an effective school improvement process. Additionally, Hedges wanted to provide their leadership team with professional coaching. Hedges partnered with Catalyst for Educational Change (CEC) to achieve these goals.