The Freeport School District, located in Northern Illinois, showcases coherence between the district and schools for successful implementations. Through a multi-year partnership with ANet that supports all levels of the district, educators continue to refine how high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) are implemented across grades and subject areas. The district's journey demonstrates the power of aligned systems and a strong leadership culture.
Creating and Sustaining District and School Structures
District & School Alignment
From the outset, Freeport invested in creating an implementation roadmap that would serve as a consistent guide across all levels. Under the leadership of Chief Academic Officer Dr. Julia Cloth and Assistant Superintendent Georgia Mathis, the district established a vision and consistent structures for goal-setting, pacing, and progress monitoring. ANet provided coaching to district leaders like Mathis to help operationalize the plan while maintaining alignment with instructional priorities across schools.
Reflecting on the process, Mathis shared, "What I’ve learned is that having a strong roadmap with clearly defined structures makes operationalizing implementation so much easier. It grounds our team in a common purpose and helps us respond strategically."
Engaging Stakeholders
Implementation was never a top-down mandate. Freeport strategically engaged stakeholders from the beginning, including principals, assistant principals, department chairs, and school improvement teams. This inclusive approach was evident at BlackHawk Elementary, where Principal Stacey Kleindl proactively requested to be part of the initial HQIM pilot after observing effective professional learning communities (PLCs) during a school visit in Chicago.
"I saw what great PLCs looked like and knew I wanted that for our teachers and students," Kleindl said. "When the opportunity came to partner with ANet, I raised my hand."
PLCs became an essential component of the implementation process. Leaders at Freeport focused on supporting strong teaching and learning cycles, ensuring teachers had the right infrastructure for successful PLCs to make data-informed decisions.
“PLCs are the lifeblood of schools and school success. Professional learning communities, when you really break it down, are essentially teachers leading. They’re the ones closest to students and closest to whatever problem we’re trying to solve,” said Mathis.
This practice helped educators as they set and track goals, reviewed action items from feedback and observation, analyzed student data, and engaged in continuous professional learning.
Engaging in the Teaching & Learning Cycle
Goal Tracking With Instructional Walkthroughs
Freeport's HQIM implementation was rooted in data. Each school began the process by collecting survey and perception data to assess readiness and identify focus areas. These insights informed planning and helped prioritize professional development. The district-wide leadership teams conducted regular check-ins, and ANet-supported walkthroughs ensured real-time insights into implementation fidelity.
"Our walkthroughs aren’t just about compliance—they’re about understanding what’s working and where we can improve," said Mathis. "They give us the insights we need to support schools in real-time."
District-wide learning walks and observation cycles have been instrumental in supporting implementation. With support from ANet coaches like Jay Tillman and Julie Puzon, Freeport built a rhythm of beginning-, mid-, and end-of-year walkthroughs. In between these checkpoints, district leaders conducted progress checks, creating a robust feedback loop that informed coaching and next steps.
"Julie and I plan these walkthroughs together, and they help us see trends, successes, and next steps across the district," Mathis explained. "It’s a rhythm that brings coherence to our work."
Data Analysis
The district’s data cycle reflects a continuous improvement mindset. At BlackHawk, after mastering internalization routines, staff integrated data protocols to connect planning with student outcomes. These meetings evolved to include student work analysis, offering more profound insight into instructional effectiveness and ensuring a responsive approach to learner needs.
"When we started looking at student work, that’s when everything clicked," said Kleindl. "It allowed us to see the actual impact of our planning and instruction."
Looking Ahead
Now in its fifth year of partnership with ANet, Freeport has not only avoided a dip in HQIM usage but has seen measurable student growth. The district’s commitment to creating cohesive systems, collaborative leadership, and data-informed decisions positions Freeport as an exemplar. As Georgia Mathis reflected, "It takes so many stakeholders to make it work. ANet has been part of the Freeport story, and we’re seeing the results in our students."
Explore the HQIM Story
Our story spotlighting Freeport School District is part of a three-part case study exploring HQIM implementation. Explore the other parts of the case study:
Through our work supporting schools and districts with HQIM implementation and building assessment products, we know materials alone are not enough. Belle Chasse and Freeport’s success demonstrates how intentional and strategic HQIM implementation helps align classrooms, teachers, and educational leaders. In October, we will release a new white paper exploring the need for a high-quality instructional assessment (HQIA) to ensure materials, curriculum, and assessments work cohesively. We explore this coherence crisis and the impact an HQIA has on educators in this paper.