At Freeport School District 145 (FSD145), instructional leadership was once built on informal, inconsistent walkthroughs, manual observations, and generalized feedback. While well-intentioned, these practices lacked the structure and data needed to drive meaningful instructional improvement. That all changed with the adoption of Education Walkthrough.

From Informal to Impactful

Before implementing Education Walkthrough, Georgia Mathis, a key district leader, described the process as reactive: occasional observations, unstructured check-ins, and feedback based largely on memory. Walkthroughs varied widely across buildings, and district-level instructional visibility was minimal.

With Education Walkthrough, FSD145 gained a consistent, data-driven system to support instructional growth. Now, walkthroughs are a routine part of leadership practice, and the platform equips administrators with real-time data that fuels actionable decisions.

Data-Driven Results

Georgia highlighted three game-changing benefits for her team:

• Informed Decision-Making: “Most importantly, I am not spending my time doing data analytics, as the tool does that for me!” Education Walkthrough compiles and organizes data from classroom observations, allowing leaders to act quickly and strategically.
• Targeted Professional Development: With insights from walkthroughs, principals and PLCs can tailor development plans to address specific teaching needs. “We use the data during principal meetings to calibrate and during PLC time so teachers can goal set and improve practice.”
• Enhanced Collaboration: The shared visibility across buildings fosters collaboration, leading to more aligned goals and cohesive instructional practices.

A Direct Impact on Student Learning

The shift to Education Walkthrough has had a profound impact on students across the district. With more focused, personalized feedback loops, teachers refine their practice, resulting in better engagement and academic performance. “The system is now much more structured, consistent, and focused on ongoing improvement,” Georgia shared. “This results in a process for improving Tier 1 instruction, which leads to improved student achievement.”

Built Together, Backed by Support

Beyond the platform itself, Georgia emphasized the power of the partnership:

“You guys are super accessible and you’re always there when I need you… I like how we’re building it together with the feedback because you’ve made a lot of great changes based on what I’ve asked.”

That collaboration, responsiveness, and commitment to customer success is a cornerstone of Education Walkthrough’s approach.