Introducing the Learning Elevation Framework

Why Are We Still Struggling with Student Outcomes?

Across Indiana, district leaders are grappling with a sobering reality—only 41% of students achieved proficiency in English/Language Arts, and just 40.7% reached proficiency in mathematics on the most recent ILEARN assessments. These figures reflect little change from the previous year, signaling a persistent challenge in elevating student performance. 

This isn’t just about test scores; it’s about students who are falling behind, struggling to master foundational skills, and entering high school unprepared for success.

Our district leaders are pulled in a hundred directions—balancing state expectations, curriculum adoption, teacher support, and student needs—all while trying to drive improvement. But here’s the hard truth: quick fixes, scattered initiatives, and one-off programs won’t solve the problem. 

Without a clear, sustainable system, student outcomes will continue to stagnate.

So, how do you move the needle in a meaningful, lasting way? The answer isn’t another program—it’s about gaining clarity to create alignment. 

The Core Problems

For many districts, the problem isn’t effort—it’s fragmentation. Schools often try to tackle curriculum, instruction, and assessment as separate issues, when in reality, they are interdependent pieces of the same puzzle. When these elements aren’t aligned, problems emerge:

Shifting State Standards & Assessments

In less than a decade, ELA and Math have had three different versions of state standards.  These frequent changes are forcing districts to constantly adapt their curriculum. Shifts within the scope, sequence, and pacing of standards within curriculum maps can cause inconsistent priorities being placed within different classrooms. Without a system in place to manage these shifts, consistency is nearly impossible. Teachers and administrators end up in a reactive cycle, trying to keep up rather than focusing on deep student learning.

The result? Without clarity on what essential standards we want educators to focus on, students are often taught at a superficial level, leaving little room for deep exploration. This issue has been further exacerbated by post-pandemic learning gaps, as proficiency rates remain below pre-pandemic levels, showing that many students are still struggling to catch up. This lack of depth means students may only gain surface-level understanding, making it difficult for them to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

Gaps in Curricular Materials

Many districts invest heavily in new curriculum materials, hoping they will provide solutions to instructional challenges. However, because Indiana has its own academic standards rather than following Common Core, many curricular materials are designed with other states like Texas and California in mind. Publishers may make slight adjustments and label them as "Indiana-Aligned," but these modifications rarely ensure full alignment with the Indiana Academic Standards.

As a result, many materials fail to fully meet state standards, leaving teachers to fill in the gaps themselves. To assist districts, the Indiana Department of Education has developed advisory lists of high-quality curricular materials. While these resources provide helpful guidance, they do not eliminate gaps entirely.

Each district must still take the time to audit materials, identify missing components, and integrate them within curriculum maps to ensure comprehensive coverage of essential standards. Without this intentionality, students risk missing key concepts, which can ultimately impact their performance on state assessments and their long-term academic success.

Lack of Instructional Coherence

A clearly defined instructional model establishes consistency in teaching practices, ensuring all students receive high-quality instruction. When districts prioritize a unified approach, teachers can deliver content more effectively, creating equitable learning experiences across classrooms. In the absence of clear instructional priorities, teaching methods may vary significantly—some classrooms emphasize high-rigor, student-centered learning, while others lack the necessary support, leading to gaps in student understanding.

To promote consistency, professional development must align with instructional priorities so that training directly translates into meaningful classroom practices. Leaders play a critical role in this process by embedding coaching and professional learning into daily instruction, offering ongoing, non-evaluative feedback that strengthens core instruction.

By actively supporting teachers, leaders help refine instructional practices, ultimately decreasing the percentage of students needing intervention and improving overall student performance. When leaders serve as coaches within a structured instructional framework, they drive meaningful, sustainable improvements that enhance student learning and long-term success.

Assessments That Don’t Drive Action

Additionally, intervention efforts in many districts are often reactive instead of proactive, often identifying struggling students too late. This happens when assessments fail to provide timely and actionable data or when instructional misalignment prevents early identification of student learning gaps. 

A well-defined framework for intervention is essential.  Without one, educators are left scrambling to provide support only after students have already fallen significantly behind. Districts must have systems in place that proactively identify student needs, ensuring that interventions are targeted, timely, and embedded within core instruction rather than being treated as a separate, last-resort effort.

This issue has become even more pronounced with Indiana's recent pilot of Checkpoints assessments. While the state's goal is to provide shorter assessments, the data generated is not granular enough to drive meaningful instruction. The results are presented with multiple standards being put together, making it difficult for educators to pinpoint specific learning gaps. 

Ideally, assessment data should indicate exactly where a student stands on an individual essential standard, but Checkpoints does not provide enough questions to determine that for each essential standard. 

Many students receive performance labels such as "performance varies," which offers little actionable insight for educators. Without clear, standard-level data, teachers are left without the necessary information to adjust instruction effectively, making it harder to provide targeted support and ultimately improve student outcomes.

Where can we go?

What if, instead of reacting to every curriculum change or assessment update, your district had a clear roadmap to guide instructional decisions?

That’s exactly what the EES Innovation Learning Elevation Framework (LEF) provides. It’s not another initiative—it’s a structured, yet flexible approach that aligns curriculum, instruction, and assessment into one unified system.

The Learning Elevation Framework is built on three key layers that work together to create sustainable student success:

• Firm Learning Expectations: Establishes clear, prioritized learning goals so every student is working toward essential standards with a consistent structure for pacing, resources, and assessment.

• Flexible Instructional Delivery: Ensures that teachers have the autonomy to meet student needs while maintaining alignment with district priorities, providing engaging and effective learning experiences.

• Firm on Ensuring Outcomes: Uses strong assessments and collaborative data analysis to drive instructional decisions, ensuring that students receive timely interventions and enrichment to support their progress.

In the upcoming blog articles, we will take a deeper dive into each of these layers, exploring how districts can implement them effectively to improve student achievement and create a system that leads to long-term success.

References

Indiana Department of Education. (2024). ILEARN and SAT results report. Retrieved from https://www.in.gov/sboe/files/07.17.24-SBOE_ILEARN-and-SAT-Results.pdf

Chalkbeat Indiana. (2024). ILEARN 2024 test scores show slight change in reading and math. Retrieved from https://www.chalkbeat.org/indiana/2024/07/17/ilearn-2024-test-scores-show-slight-change-in-reading-math

Indiana Department of Education. (n.d.). High-quality curricular materials advisory lists. Retrieved from https://www.in.gov/doe/students/high-quality-curricular-materials-advisory-lists/

The Learning Elevation Framework isn’t just a document you download—it’s a process that works best when tailored to your district’s unique needs.

If your district is tired of chasing quick fixes and wants a sustainable, strategic approach to improving student outcomes, we’re here to help.

Book a strategy session with us—no pressure, no sales pitch—just a real conversation about what’s working in your district, what challenges you’re facing, and how the Learning Elevation Framework might help.

Let’s build a system that truly moves the needle—together.