At the April 7, 2025 Board of Education meeting, Niles Township High School District 219 announced the process to develop a new strategic plan to define and strengthen the district’s initiatives and provide a clear path forward to maximize student performance. D219 is working with District Management Group (DMGroup), an education consulting organization, to create a new strategic plan that will guide and influence the district’s decisions over the next five years.

As a consulting partner, DMGroup provided an overview of two key areas:

• Development of the District Strategic Plan – A comprehensive roadmap to position D219 for greater success in achieving student outcomes.
• Special Education Opportunity Review – An in-depth analysis to enhance D219 support systems and services for students with special needs.

D219 has started introducing the project to staff members by creating core working groups and committees that will help develop a results-oriented strategic plan. Staff, students, families and community members will be invited to contribute feedback and thoughts to facilitate the work and help inform a set of goals and priorities as well as a theory of action for the district.

This school year, D219 began taking steps to transform its organizational structure to more efficiently utilize resources and effectively support all students. “Our leaders are excited about the work ahead of us to meet students’ needs in a rapidly changing world,” said Tom Moore, D219 Superintendent. “The strategic plan will help ensure that our efforts are focused on the possibility of every child.”

Project goals will also help D219 refine and strengthen supports for students with disabilities. The Special Education Opportunity Review will focus on several key components:

• Examine systems, structures, and staff time related to special education and intervention.
• Compare current practice to best practice research.
• Recommend steps for implementation to create sustained change in schools and classrooms.

D219 will unveil the comprehensive strategic plan during the 2025-26 school year. Prior to implementation, the D219 community will have different opportunities to participate in the process of developing the plan through authentic discussions, surveys, data analysis and other assessments. To view the DMGroup presentation about the D219 strategic plan process, see the April 7, 2025 Board of Education meeting (00:54:45 - 01:40:30).