D21’s mission is to maximize achievement and honor the uniqueness of every student, everyday. To guide that work, the district has long used Greatness Indicators — superior performance, distinctive impact, and lasting endurance — to assess decisions and progress. Those same indicators will ground the committee’s work.
This is a community-led design process, and does not have a predetermined outcome. True to its name, the Map Design Committee will research, listen, gather feedback, evaluate options, and create solutions informed by data and community voice.
Our community is not the same as it was 22 years ago, when the district map was last redrawn. Families, enrollment patterns, and student needs have shifted — and it’s responsible to pause, reflect, and ask whether our current map still serves students as well as it can.
This is the right time to do that work. All D21 buildings have been recently renovated and offer consistent access to curriculum, programs, and services. That consistency ensures that evaluating the map does not create opportunity gaps for students.
At its core, this work is about balanced schools.
Children benefit when the schools they attend are balanced, with classrooms, programs, and shared spaces functioning as they’re meant to.
Balanced schools help prevent overcrowding that leads to challenges like art or music on a cart, cramped physical activity spaces, and lunch schedules that don’t support learning or development. They help keep class sizes equitable, allow teachers to focus on teaching, and help students focus on learning, rather than working around space limitations.
Effective, efficient schools also show respect for our community. D21 is grateful to its taxpayers for the investment in 13 safe, well-maintained facilities. Using those resources wisely allows the district to continue investing in classrooms, programs, and student support, today and into the future.
The Map Design Committee Application process and the 1st Community Survey closed on March 13. We will be providing updates soon.
UPDATE: April 1, 2026
UPDATE: April 1, 2026
The Map Design Committee Has Been Formed
CCSD21 received more than 100 applicants from community members to serve on the Map Design Committee. This level of engagement speaks to how much this community cares about its schools and its students. Thank you to everyone who applied!
Thirty members have been selected to reflect balanced geographic representation across the district, with members from each school attendance area. Each member was screened to ensure all participants have a shared commitment to thinking district-wide, not just about their individual school or neighborhood.
The committee begins its work on Tuesday, April 8.
In the coming weeks, families and community members will receive results from the first community survey, which the committee will use to guide their decision-making. There will also be additional opportunities for community input through future surveys and engagement touchpoints as the process moves forward.
This is a true design process guided by community participation with no predetermined outcomes. We look forward to sharing updates here as the work progresses.
UPDATE: April 9, 2026
UPDATE: April 9, 2026
Map Design Committee Holds First Meeting
The Map Design Committee met for the first time on April 8. A large part of the first meeting was devoted to the community survey results.
More than 4,000 community members engaged with the survey, and 400 completed it. Responses represented families, staff, former students, and community members from across the district.
The community’s top three priorities were:
- Assign students to their closest school
- Align elementary and middle school feeder patterns
- Keep entire neighborhoods assigned to the same school
Beyond the ranked criteria, open-ended responses highlighted three more consistent desires from the community for the new map design:
- Minimize disruption to students already enrolled
- Align middle school and high school feeder patterns
- Be mindful of bus ride times
In addition to the community survey results, the Map Design Committee reviewed enrollment data, facility information, and planning best practices presented by Woolpert advisors. At upcoming meetings, the committee will begin designing potential maps based on community priorities and expert data.
As the work progresses, there will be additional opportunities for community input. Updates will continue to be shared here.
UPDATE: May 12, 2026
UPDATE: May 12, 2026
Mark Your Calendar: Community Boundary Open House – May 27
The CCSD21 Map Design Committee has been hard at work and is once again asking for your feedback.
Our schools have changed significantly over the past two decades, which was the last time CCSD 21 updated its attendance boundaries. Since then, enrollment has shifted: Kilmer Elementary, Cooper Middle School, and London Middle School are all operating above 100% capacity as neighborhoods on the east side have grown denser, and several schools on the west side have available seats going unfilled.
This past April, CCSD21 convened a community-appointed Map Design Committee to take an honest look at our boundaries. The committee has met three times with experts from Woolpert — a nationally recognized planning firm — to develop thoughtful options for community review and feedback.
You’re Invited: Map Design Committee Community Open House
Wednesday, May 27
6:30–8:30 PM
London Middle School (1001 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling, IL 60090)
This is an open house format; come when you can, leave when you need to. District staff and Woolpert will be on-site to walk residents through the current boundaries, the data behind why change is needed, and the committee’s map designs. You’ll be able to ask questions and see exactly how each option would affect your family.
What you should know going in:
-
The maps will be shared before the meeting. Watch for a link next week so you can review them on your own time before May 27.
-
A recorded presentation will be posted for anyone who cannot attend in person.
-
A feedback survey opens May 27 and will remain open for two weeks. Every response goes directly to the committee.
-
Nothing is final, and no decisions have been made. Any boundary change approved by the board would not take effect until the 2027–28 school year at the earliest.
We’ll share the maps and more information before May 27. In the meantime, mark your calendar and plan to join us.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will the district offer grandfathering so that current students can remain at their current buildings?
Grandfathering will be a consideration at the Board of Education level once the committee reaches consensus and presents its final two recommendations. This discussion requires a complex analytical examination of all affected students, so it is too soon to say what a grandfathering policy could entail, but it will be part of the board’s deliberations.
Will language support programs move with the boundaries?
CCSD21 is proud to offer language support services across the district through our English Second Language (ESL), Bilingual, and Dual Language programs. The Bilingual and Dual Language programs are offered at select schools, as determined by the Board of Education based on student need and capacity. ESL services are offered at every school in the district. The Board of Education will hold further discussions on which schools will house the Bilingual and Dual Language programs once the committee reaches consensus and presents its final two recommendations.
How will I know if my child will receive transportation services in the new map options?
Illinois state regulations govern eligibility for busing. Students who live more than 1.5 miles from their assigned school, or who would cross a designated hazardous route, are eligible for district transportation. These rules apply regardless of which option the board ultimately approves and will be clearly labeled on the maps for feedback.
UPDATE: May 22, 2026
UPDATE: May 22, 2026
Map Design Committee Shares Maps Ahead of May 27 Open House
The CCSD21 Map Design Committee has spent the past several weeks working alongside planning experts from Woolpert to develop three boundary options for community review at the May 27 Open House.
These options came from neighbors, parents, and community members who volunteered their time to the committee and wrestled with a genuinely difficult problem with no perfect solution. Every option involves trade-offs, and the committee considered each carefully.
Here’s the problem they were asked to solve.
CCSD21 hasn’t updated its attendance boundaries in more than 20 years. In that time, the district has changed. Neighborhoods on the east side have grown denser, and Kilmer Elementary, Cooper Middle School, and London Middle School are operating above capacity — meaning they have more students than the buildings were designed to hold. Meanwhile, several schools on the west side have seats going unfilled.
The committee’s job was to find options that bring the district back into balance.
What you’re looking at.
Three options are attached. Each one addresses the same core problem with a different scope of change. As you review them, keep a few things in mind:
These are proposals, not decisions. No option has been selected. The entire purpose of sharing these maps before the open house is to give you time to review them thoughtfully.
Every option moves some students. That is unavoidable when rebalancing enrollment across a district. The committee worked to fulfill the community’s requests in the first feedback survey: maintain neighborhood cohesion and assign students to schools closer to their homes whenever possible.
Join Us Next Wednesday
Map Design Committee Community Open House
Wednesday, May 27
6:30–8:30 PM
London Middle School (1001 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling, IL 60090)
This is an open house — come when you can, leave when you need to. District staff and Woolpert will be there to walk you through the maps, answer your questions, and hear your feedback in person. Your input at this stage directly shapes the committee’s recommendation to the board.
Can’t make it? A recorded presentation will be shared on the evening of May 27, along with a link to the community feedback survey. You do not need to attend to have your voice heard.
UPDATE: May 27, 2026
Map Design Committee Recorded Presentation & Survey Now Available
The CCSD21 Map Design Committee Open House is happening right now at London Middle School from 6:30-8:30 PM to review the committee’s three map designs and offer feedback.
For those who are unable to attend, we ask that you watch the recorded presentation before completing the survey, as it provides important context that will help you give more informed feedback.
- Watch the Recorded Presentation. A full walkthrough of all three options — including the data, the maps, and the committee’s criteria.
- Take the Community Feedback Survey. The survey will take about 5–10 minutes. Please review each option that asks for your preferences. Deadline July 15, 2026.*
English
Spanish
Russian
Ukrainian
*All responses submitted before June 9 will be reviewed by the Map Design Committee at their June 10 meeting. All feedback, including feedback submitted after June 9, will be shared in full with the Board of Education
What Happens Next?
Once the committee reaches consensus on two map designs, they will make their recommendation to the board. The Board of Education will then take a closer look at the top two options, including grandfathering provisions, program locations, and transportation maps.
The feedback we receive at this stage of the process will influence the next steps for both the Map Design Committee and, subsequently, the Board of Education. No decisions have been made. Community input is what moves this process forward.
UPDATE: June 2, 2026
The Map Design Committee wants to hear from you!
View the proposed maps in this recorded presentation* and take the feedback survey in your preferred language using the links below. The survey will take about 5–10 minutes. All responses received prior to June 9 will be considered by the Map Design Committee at its June 10 meeting.
English
Spanish
Russian
Ukrainian
*To translate the recorded YouTube presentation into other languages, click on the “setting” icon and then click on “subtitles/cc,” then, select your language.
- Fast Facts:
- Option A — Most targeted. Addresses Kilmer Elementary overcrowding with the fewest changes. West-side schools unaffected.
- Option B — Moderate scope. Addresses Kilmer Elementary and moves some east-side students closer to their home schools. West-side schools unaffected.
- Option C — Broadest approach. Rebalances enrollment across all schools, including some west-side adjustments.
- Nothing is final, and no decisions have been made. Any boundary change approved by the board would not take effect until the 2027–28 school year at the earliest.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will the district offer grandfathering so that current students can remain at their current buildings?
Grandfathering will be a consideration at the Board of Education level once the committee reaches consensus and presents its final two recommendations. This discussion requires a complex analytical examination of all affected students, so it is too soon to say what a grandfathering policy could entail, but it will be part of the board’s deliberations.
Will language support programs move with the boundaries?
CCSD21 is proud to offer language support services across the district through our English Second Language (ESL), Bilingual, and Dual Language programs. The Bilingual and Dual Language programs are offered at select schools, as determined by the Board of Education based on student need and capacity. ESL services are offered at every school in the district. The Board of Education will hold further discussions on which schools will house the Bilingual and Dual Language programs once the committee reaches consensus and presents its final two recommendations.
How will I know if my child will receive transportation services in the new map options?
Illinois state regulations govern eligibility for busing. Students who live more than 1.5 miles from their assigned school or who would cross a designated hazardous route are eligible for district transportation. These rules apply regardless of which option the board ultimately approves and will be clearly labeled on the maps for feedback.
Your feedback is an important part of this process and helps ensure we make informed decisions that best serve our community. Thank you for taking the time to share your input.
UPDATE: June 12, 2026
Thank you to every member of our community who has taken the time to review the Map Design Committee’s work thus far and provide your candid reactions. Your feedback is very important to shaping this process.
At its June 10 meeting, the Map Design Committee reviewed responses to the community survey — including more than 100 additional responses submitted in the final 24 hours. The volume and depth of that input led the committee to one clear conclusion: this work deserves more time.
So, the survey will remain open to the community for feedback until the end of June. View the proposed maps in this recorded presentation* and take the feedback survey in your preferred language using the links below. The survey will take about 5–10 minutes.
English
Spanish
Russian
Ukrainian
*To translate the recorded YouTube presentation into other languages, click on the “setting” icon and then click on “subtitles/cc,” then, select your language.
The committee will not present its recommendations at next week’s Board of Education meeting. Members will continue meeting this summer to fully consider what the community shared before reaching consensus.
Instead, I will provide a brief update at the June Board of Education meeting. Updates will continue to be shared on the district website as the committee’s work progresses.
Where things stand:
- No boundary decisions have been made
- All survey feedback is being considered in the committee’s continued work
- Any changes require Board of Education approval and would take effect no earlier than the 2027–28 school year
Thank you for your continued engagement in this process.
Resources
Slide Presentation with Notes (PDF)
Board of Education February 19, 2026 Presentation (Video)
Board of Education February 19, 2026 Presentation (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
Maximize the achievement and honor the uniqueness of every student, every day.
