Wilson Elementary School: From Antiquated Feedback Systems to "The Holy Grail"
Learn how Wilson Elementary School implemented authentic feedback cycles that drove measurable instructional growth and improved student outcomes using Bullseye’s Instructional Support System.
THE PARTNER
Wilson Elementary School in Davenport Community School District
School Name: Wilson Elementary School
School District: Davenport Community School District
Principal: Shari Larsen
Grades: K-5
Enrollment: ~520 Students
THE CHALLENGE
Feedback that was well-intentioned but ineffective.
With 37 years in education, Principal Shari Larsen had tried every method available to support teacher growth — Google Forms, Post-it notes, pen & paper walkthroughs, etc. Feedback wasn’t consistent. It wasn’t fluid. And it wasn’t driving real change in classroom practice.
"I was either doing it through a Google form, or on a Post-it note, or on a piece of paper. It was very antiquated. Teachers appreciated it, but it wasn’t impacting what they were doing in the classroom."
What Larsen wanted wasn’t just a tool, she wanted a unified system that could support ongoing feedback cycles, align district, state, and school priorities, and feel teacher-centered rather than intimidating.
THE SOLUTION
After an extensive search, Larsen discovered Bullseye — and immediately recognized it as the missing piece.
“[Bullseye] was the holy grail for me. It brought together everything instructional leaders are responsible for, but in a way that was teacher-friendly, teacher-focused, and not intimidating."
Bullseye’s platform allowed Wilson Elementary to implement:
Consistent walkthroughs with actionable, strengths-based feedback
Teacher-selected personal and instructional goals
Distributed leadership across administrators and instructional coaches
Transparent visibility into coaching practices across the school
Ongoing, formative feedback instead of once-a-year evaluations
THE IMPLEMENTATION
Building sustainable coaching cycles, and embedding Bullseye into daily practice.
With Bullseye, walkthroughs were shared across a leadership team that included principal Larsen and two instructional coaches, ensuring multiple perspectives while maintaining alignment.
Teachers were given voice and choice — selecting personal growth goals alongside schoolwide instructional priorities. Feedback conversations became collaborative, reflective, and ongoing.
"We don't talk about 'fidelity' anymore. We talk about what am I doing well, and where do I need to grow. Bullseye helped remove the stigma around feedback."
The result was a shift in culture — from compliance to confidence.
THE SUCCESSES
Stronger relationships, stronger outcomes.
In Wilson Elementary’s first year as a Bullseye partner (school year 2024–25), the school experienced significant academic gains — while building a deeply embedded culture of feedback.
- +86-Point Increase In Average Standard Test Scores: At a time when performance across the state of Iowa slightly declined (Iowa state: -.22 points in average standard test scores), Wilson Elementary School exceeded the state by +86 point increase in average standard test scores. These gains reflect what Principal Larsen described as the power of consistent, authentic feedback cycles embedded into daily practice
- Consistent Teacher Feedback: Wilson Elementary teachers on average, received 3.6 Bullseye feedback sessions per teacher in school year 24-25. Not only were administrators delivering timely, consistent feedback, but teachers were reading them — 99% of Bullseye feedback sessions were viewed by teachers.
- Coaching Made Actionable: Wilson administrators and teachers collaborated to set 134 next steps in the Bullseye system — of which, 70 next steps were completed.
These numbers reflect more than usage — they demonstrate a shift towards distributed leadership, transparency, and shared ownership of growth.
"The kids know Bullseye too. They'll say, 'Ms. Larsen's here to do a Bullseye.' It's part of our language now, part of our culture — how we do business."
