US/Global 
CAN
Evidence of Excellence
Chino Valley Unified School District
Chino, California
Targeted strategies boost EL math proficiency by 
Demographics
25,513 STUDENTS / 51.9% FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH / 10.3% ENGLISH LEARNERS / 12.4% SPECIAL NEEDS
54.5% HISPANIC OR LATINO / 21.4% ASIAN / 11% WHITE / 4.8 FILIPINO / 3.7% BLACK / 3.1% MULTIRACIAL / 0.3% PACIFIC ISLANDER / 0.1% AMERICAN INDIAN
Special report: Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) cites PD support from Solution Tree as central to student achievement gains—Learn more
Chino Valley Unified School District's Challenge
Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) initially adopted the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® process in 2008. Led by Solution Tree PLC expert Austin Buffum, who provided a foundation for the district, educators began to build the culture necessary for continuous school improvement. But despite the strong initial launch, inconsistencies across the district’s 35 school sites ultimately led to a “PLC Lite” approach. By 2017, teachers were expressing dissatisfaction, citing a lack of perceived value in the dedicated time.
Current Superintendent Dr. Norm Enfield recognized the need for revitalization. As a result, district leadership, including then-Assistant Superintendent Dr. Grace Park and the teachers’ association leadership attended the 2017 Summit on PLC at Work in Iowa. It became clear that to drive meaningful change, CVUSD needed expert guidance and a renewed focus. With math scores lagging behind English language arts performance, particularly at the secondary level, leadership identified mathematics as a critical area for improvement, paving the way for targeted support from the Mathematics at Work™ process.
Implementation
In the 2017−2018 school year, CVUSD took a crucial step toward systemic improvement in mathematics instruction by collaboratively identifying 10–12 essential standards per grade and course, aiming to establish a guaranteed and viable curriculum across all 35 school sites. The following year, the district began work with author Sarah Schuhl, who introduced key Mathematics at Work practices.
She introduced key resources, notably the second edition of Mathematics Assessment and Intervention in a PLC at Work® by Sarah Schuhl, Timothy D. Kanold, Mona Toncheff, Bill Barnes, Jessica Kanold-McIntyre, Matthew R. Larson, and Georgina Rivera, which provided a framework for targeted interventions.
Another resource was the second edition of Mathematics Instruction and Tasks in a PLC at Work® by Mona Toncheff, Timothy D. Kanold, Sarah Schuhl, Bill Barnes, Jennifer Deinhart, Jessica Kanold-McIntyre, and Matthew R. Larson, which helped improve instructional delivery. Simultaneously, the district developed Essential Standards Assessments (ESAs), initiating their use in the 2018−2019 school year. These assessments allowed teachers to monitor student progress throughout the year, ensuring alignment with the essential standards.
To enhance instruction, the district adopted the Math CAP framework and provided an online resource hub filled with engagement strategies and instructional materials, accessible to all teachers. During the 2020 pandemic closures, these structures allowed teachers to deliver asynchronous instruction and utilize built-in intervention time, minimizing instructional disruption.
Upon returning to in-person learning in the 2021−2022 school year, the district continued its work with Sarah, focusing on proficiency maps, unit plans, and Common Formative Assessments (CFAs). The district strategically utilized pandemic learning loss funds to extend the school day by 30 minutes, dedicating this time to targeted student support. By 2024–2025, observations of teachers sharing PLC artifacts across all content areas revealed tremendous growth since the program’s inception.
It makes a real difference when you have someone who speaks the language of math teachers. Sarah Schuhl’s background allows her to connect with them on a deeper level. This builds a foundation of respect and trust because they know she’s not just knowledgeable, but truly understands their challenges.
TRACY FREED / ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, INNOVATION, AND SUPPORT
Results
Chino Valley Unified School District’s strategic implementation of Mathematics at Work has driven consistent progress in student achievement. The district’s targeted efforts have resulted in measurable gains, demonstrating a positive trend in mathematics proficiency.
Teachers report a significant shift in classroom dynamics. They observe increased student engagement, with students actively collaborating and critically thinking to solve problems—a departure from the previous “sit-and-get” model. The district has also seen a rise in teacher collaboration, with educators sharing best practices, intervention strategies, and assessment data across school sites. This enhanced collaboration has fostered a unified approach to instruction, ensuring consistent rigor and support for all students.
Chino Valley was recognized on the California Honor Roll, celebrating districts where all students demonstrate growth based on state assessments. The district also earned special recognition for the performance of Hispanic or Latino and Black students, who are outperforming peers across the state. This is a hard-earned, wonderful accomplishment for the district, highlighting years of dedication to continuous improvement.
MATH PROFICIENCY GROWTH (2017−2024):
- Overall: 45% to 48.6%
- Students with special needs: 13.1% to 14.8%
- English learners: 21.5% to 25.6%
- Students from low-income households: 31.2% to 35.6%
ELA PROFICIENCY GROWTH (2017−2024):
- Overall: 51% to 60%
Key Milestones for Collaboration
Math proficiency growth (2017–2024)
District’s commitment to PLC at Work® resulted in higher student achievement
In June 2025, the organization Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) published a study* focused on student achievement results for Chino Valley Unified School District from 2019 through 2023. The PACE evaluation focused on growth in Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) scores in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics as a result of implementing the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® process—upon which Mathematics at Work™ is based.
Key findings:
- Accelerated growth in ELA and mathematics
- Mathematics proficiency increased by 6.5 percentage points from 2018–2019 to 2022–2023 compared to the state’s gain of 1.2 percentage points
- ELA proficiency rose 7.7 points—double the state's gain of 3.6 points—in this timeframe.
- Strong impact for underserved populations
- Students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch gained:
- 9.4 points in mathematics (statewide gains were 2.6 points)
- 9.2 points in ELA (statewide gains were 4.6 points)
- English learners improved by:
- 6.3 points in math (statewide gains were .6 points)
- 10.4 points in ELA (statewide gains were 2.4 points)
- District performance exceeds state benchmarks
- The district's achievement gap narrowed in nearly every subgroup, outperforming state averages in nearly all tested categories.
- These gains reflect a strong return on professional learning investment, particularly in collaboration, data use, and interventions.
*Source: Cottingham, B. W., & Myung, J. (2025, June). Improving the instructional core at scale [Report]. Policy Analysis for California Education.
edpolicyinca.org/publications/improving-instructional-core-scale
Start your success story
You have a vision for change and improvement in your school or district. You want to see results in the classroom for the lifelong betterment of your students.
At Solution Tree, we share your vision to transform education to ensure learning for all, and we can help you make this vision a reality.
OUR PROMISE: No other professional learning company provides our unique blend of research-based, results-driven services that improve learning outcomes for students.
Learn more about Matchematics at Work™ Learn more at AllThingsPLC.info
