The 2025–2026 District Comprehensive Improvement Plan (DCIP) and School Comprehensive Education Plan (SCEP) for Unadilla Valley Central School District outline coordinated strategies to elevate student achievement, engagement, and school climate. The DCIP identifies three district-wide priorities: (1) increasing student ownership of learning via Visible Learning strategies, (2) implementing Science of Reading-aligned literacy instruction in grades K–6, and (3) reducing chronic absenteeism and classroom disruptions. These priorities are grounded in stakeholder feedback and data analysis and are tightly aligned with the district’s vision of developing students as leaders of their own learning.
The SCEP, focused on Unadilla Valley Junior High (grades 7–8), operationalizes the DCIP goals with two key strategies: implementing Visible Learning to shift students from compliance to empowerment and adopting restorative practices to foster respectful, focused learning environments. Both plans rely on evidence-based interventions and include detailed implementation timelines, success metrics, and ongoing progress monitoring structures.
Through integrated professional development, structured curriculum work, and stakeholder engagement, the plans aim to improve academic outcomes, particularly in ELA and math, as well as social-emotional indicators. Expected results include increased student proficiency, improved survey results on engagement and classroom climate, and significant reductions in behavioral referrals and absenteeism. The plans reflect a systemic, data-informed approach to school improvement with an emphasis on equity, coherence, and sustainable change.
Data-Informed Planning
The DCIP & SCEP were shaped by a comprehensive data review process that included:
Quantitative data: STAR, NYS testing, attendance and discipline reports, stakeholder surveys.
Qualitative data: Student, teacher, and parent interviews across grade levels.
The Envision-Analyze-Listen process from SCEP teams surfaced key themes of engagement, literacy gaps, and behavioral disruption.
CSI/TSI identification context: High rates of chronic absenteeism and low reading proficiency prompted alignment with state-supported improvement strategies.
This multi-source evidence directly informed the development of the school and district priorities.
District Comprehensive Improvement Plan (DCIP) 2025–2026
Unadilla Valley Central SD
Superintendent: Brenton S. Taylor
Plan Developed By: Leadership, staff, and parents
Focus: System-wide academic and behavioral improvement
District Priorities:
Student Empowerment via Visible Learning
Implement John Hattie’s “Visible Learning” strategies to increase student engagement and ownership across K–12. The plan includes professional development, curriculum redesign, and structured coaching to move students from compliance to empowerment. Success will be tracked via surveys, i-Ready scores, and supervision feedback.Science of Reading Implementation (Grades K–6)
Launch a Literacy Task Force and implement practices aligned with the Science of Reading. Emphasis is on consistency, training, and curriculum alignment to improve early literacy rates and reduce misidentification for special services. Success is measured via i-Ready growth, teacher interviews, and implementation benchmarks.Reduce Absenteeism & Disruptions
Deploy restorative practices to improve student behavior and attendance. Strategies include administrator/staff training, community communication, and partnerships with the families. Success is measured via survey results, a 20% drop in chronic absenteeism, and 40%+ improvement in perceived classroom order.
Process & Participation:
Included surveys, interviews, and meetings (May 19–22) with representation from administration, teachers, parents, and students.
Submission Assurance: Fully compliant with NYSED regulations, with professional development and data-driven decision-making embedded.
School Comprehensive Education Plan (SCEP) 2025–2026
Unadilla Valley Jr. High (Grades 7–8)
Principal: Brendan Coyle
Plan Developed By: School improvement team with district support
Focus: Boosting academic engagement and positive behavior
Evidence-Based Interventions Used:
Evidence-Based Instructional Methods
Restorative Practices
Instructional Key Strategy:
Implementation of Visible Learning-Based Strategies
An initiative aiming to shift classrooms toward student-centered, engaging instruction. Teachers will receive training on using learning targets, checks for understanding, and discussion protocols. The strategy is grounded in feedback from student interviews and performance data. Success metrics include:
50% of students at grade-level benchmarks (ELA & Math)
40% increase in students saying peers allow for learning without disruption
Higher engagement and ownership in learning, tracked through surveys and classroom observations
Non-Instructional Key Strategy:
Implementation of Restorative Practices
To reduce disruptions and foster a respectful culture, the school will implement restorative practices, including proactive use of the behavior matrix. Administrators and staff will receive targeted training in restorative practices that will be supported throughout the school year with coaching. Success metrics include:
25% drop in discipline referrals
40% rise in perceived student behavior quality
10% decrease in chronic absenteeism
Plan Development Process:
Rooted in NYSED’s Five-Part Needs Assessment and aligned with district goals. Collaboratively created through meetings and data analysis sessions (April–May 2025).
Funding and Monitoring:
Tied to School Improvement Grant (SIG) expenditure plans; progress to be reviewed mid-year and year-end, with updated benchmarks and interview feedback to measure implementation fidelity.