The Illinois Association of School Boards is once again honoring the District 75 School Board for its effective governance behaviors.
The Board was one of 42 Illinois school districts honored with the School Board Governance Recognition. It recognizes the Board’s effective governance behaviors and its commitment toward obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively govern the district.
Boards of education that meet the necessary requirements are recognized every other year. District 75 first received the award in 2023.
“The board has consistently proven it is dedicated to students throughout the District,” District 75 Superintendent Corey Tafoya said. “They are a group of leaders who strive for the best outcomes and look for ways to improve upon successes.”
Since the Board was last recognized for effective governance in 2023, it has shown commitment to IASB Foundational Principles by improving academic programming, upgrading facilities and boosting school pride for both students and staff.
One of the key strategies during the past year has been in learning how to better assess test results in District 75. Teachers and administrators read and analyze test results to determine what teaching methods are working and the best ways to improve those methods. Based on assessments, overall test scores improved.
Most recently, the District 75 Board adopted a new core math resource following a thorough two-year review process. The new resource, Eureka Math Squared, aligns closely with its match content and practice standards and supports diverse learning needs and linguistic development.
The Board also approved the construction of a new performing arts stage in Carl Sandburg Middle School. The L-shaped addition to the school’s south gym will include a handicapped accessible stage, dressing rooms and storage.
Under the Board’s leadership, individual schools and programs continue to flourish. The Carl Sandburg Middle School Band was named Honor Band at the SuperState Band Festival, putting the band at the top of the list of best middle school bands in the state. Mechanics Grove Elementary School once again earned its designation as a Lighthouse School through the Leader In Me Program. The designation makes MG one of only 600 Lighthouse Schools worldwide.
The Board will be formally recognized at the IASB’s annual conference in November and at the IASB division meetings in the spring of 2026.
IASB’s School Board Governance Recognition program acknowledges local boards of education that practice good governance behaviors as outlined by IASB's Foundational Principles of Effective Governance.