D28 Board Update: December 2, 2025

December 4, 2025

At the December 2 Board of Education meeting, the district's Teaching & Learning Department presented recently released data from the 2025 Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). The data shows that District 28 student proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math ranks among the highest in the state. The IAR is one of the assessments used by the district to monitor student success. It is a standardized assessment that measures student knowledge and skills by grade level in grades 3-8. Click here to view the presentation.

ELA & Math Results

Districtwide, 88% of students are at or above proficient in ELA, compared to 53% of students statewide. Districtwide, 82% of students are at or above proficient in Math, compared to 38% of students statewide.

Science Results

The team also shared results from the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), which is administered to 5th and 8th-grade students. At NBJH, 85% of students are at or above proficient in Science. At the elementary schools, 70-75% of students are at or above proficient in Science. Statewide, 45% of students are at or above proficient in Science.

Using Data to Drive Student Growth
"Our achievement data helps us understand how well students are developing foundational academic skills," said Dr. Kris Raitzer, Assistant Superintendent. "It gives us a picture of where students are excelling and where we might need to make adjustments so that students can build the full set of abilities required to thrive in school and contribute meaningfully beyond it." During the meeting, D28 principals shared how their teachers analyze student performance, adjust instructional strategies, and design student supports based on the results. Click here to view their presentation.

• March 2026: Meadowbrook gymnasium completed & construction of the new Meadowbrook School begins
• April - June 2026: Westmoor & Greenbriar construction begins
• Nov. 2026 - March 2027: NBJH construction begins
• Feb. - April 2027: Westmoor & Greenbriar Phase 1 construction completed
• August 2027: New Meadowbrook School completed
• February 2028: Greenbriar Phase 2 completed
  

At the December 2 Board meeting, the Board approved the school calendar for the upcoming school year. The first day of school for K-8 students will be Wednesday, Aug. 19. The last day for all K-8 students will be Friday, May 28, unless emergency days are used during the school year.

Winter break will begin Monday, Dec. 21, 2026. School resumes Monday, Jan. 4, 2027. Spring break will be March 22-26, 2027. Click here to view the 26-27 Calendar at a Glance.

Property taxes are the primary funding source for the district, accounting for approximately 86% of its annual operating revenues. Each year, the Board must adopt a property tax levy to fund the school district for the following school year. Following a public hearing at the December 2 Board meeting, the Board approved the 2025 tax levy. This is the first step in setting the final property tax levy that will support the district's operations in 2026. Click here to view the tax levy presentation.

Understanding the Levy Request

• Expected Increase: The district expects the levy to result in an increase of approximately 2.90% over last year's collection, plus any revenue from new property development.

• The "Defensive Levy" Request: However, the Board approved a request of 4.99%. This intentionally higher percentage is a measure known as defensive levying. It allows the district to protect its ability to collect all available funds by accounting for potentially higher-than-expected new property values that won't be finalized until later. The final approved levy will not exceed the 2.90% increase (plus new property) allowed by law.
  

At the Dec. 2 Board meeting, Board Vice President Adam Weinstock, the Board’s TrueNorth representative, shared an update on the reorganization of the TrueNorth Special Education Cooperative 804. In October, the Board approved a resolution to rescind its intent to withdraw from TrueNorth. Over the past several months, a committee of superintendents and special education leaders has been meeting to discuss an alternative to dissolution. They have reorganized the Cooperative to align programs and services more closely with the needs of member districts. Key improvements include:

• Establishing a single, high-quality Therapeutic Day School to serve students with complex social, emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs.

• Eliminating district membership fees beginning in 2026–27, with costs covered through tuition and service delivery fees.

• Continuing to provide itinerant and specialized services to districts on an as-needed basis.

• Transitioning to a new governance model with both a Governing Board of school board members and an Executive Committee of superintendents.
  
  

The new program model will launch for the 2026-27 school year. In the meantime, all services and support provided to students through the Cooperative will continue without interruption for the remainder of this school year.

Livestream/Archive Video

The Board of Education meetings are live-streamed on the District 28's YouTube Channel. The live streams are also archived for later viewing.

Next Meeting is on January 27

The Board of Education's next regular meeting is at 7 p.m. on January 27 in the HOH Community Room at the District Office, 1475 Maple Ave., Northbrook.