NIU Illinois CTE Project is Hiring

UPDATE – Apply now for our CTE Educator position. Applications are now open with a priority review date of June 23, 2023.

The NIU Illinois CTE Project Team is excited to announce that we will be hiring a CTE Educator. While the position’s official job vacancy posting is not yet out, as the school year is wrapping up across Illinois, we wanted to share this opportunity as widely as possible, and we want to stress that candidates for this position will be considered from across Illinois.  

This position presents an incredible opportunity to work with educators and school districts across Illinois and to partner closely with the Illinois State Board of Education’s Career and Technical Education team. 

Highlights of the Job Description

The CTE Educator is an instructor in the Northern Illinois University Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development (OERD). Outreach and Engagement Instructors are professionals who conduct the division’s multitude of outreach and engagement activities with customers and partners across the region. This position will be primarily focused on instructional tasks – curriculum development, delivery of instruction, assessment and evaluation. Outreach and Engagement Instructors operate independently with minimal supervision and collaborate intentionally with colleagues across the division and across the university.

Duties and Responsibilities

Curriculum Development

1. Lead development of instructional programs for students and teachers of all ages including, but not limited to new units of activities for students and teachers in both domestic and international settings.
2. Research and develop curriculum and instructional activities, select books and other instructional materials, create videos of experts and authors as needed for the units.
3. Investigate, develop, and promote new and innovative programming opportunities, especially those tailored to the needs of students with disabilities.
4. Recruit and collaborate with NIU faculty, staff, and students to participate in NIU CTE and NIU CTE instructional programs.
5. Write lessons, podcasts and other curricular materials that are aligned to standards and focus on building CTE and CTE skills.

Instructional Delivery – 30%

1. Create proposals to deliver instruction in school classrooms, field, clinics, camps, across campus and online or other learning environments.
2. Deliver high-quality instruction as an individual or part of a team that performs within timelines and within budgets and meets evaluation expectations.
3. Deliver CTE instruction to families and community members in schools and communities on campus and off campus during school days, evenings, weekends, and summers.
4. Monitor regional and national literacy news, research and publications a to identify opportunities for new programs and partners.

Assessment and Evaluation – 20%

1. Study and use best practices for CTE instruction.
2. Conduct a continuous improvement process, identifying metrics that establish accountability for CTE projects.
3. Collect metrics and complete analyses as needed to determine effectiveness.
4. Complete reports on outcomes and others needed or required.
5. Work with faculty and SPA staff to identify opportunities, assist in development of proposals, and provide support as needed to research teams.

Other tasks that impact instructional improvement or innovation – 20%

1. Coordinate with the P-20 Center’s personnel to ensure effective and efficient administration and operations.
2. Work with P-20 Center students in instructional development, delivery and evaluation.
3. Nurture established CTE delivery networks and develop new ones.
4. Identify and cultivate internal and external sponsors of particular instructional programs.
5. Serve as a liaison between NIU CTE and NIU’s many CTE academic departments, cultivating positive relationships with internal individuals and organizations.
6. Work with messaging and media staff to promote CTE programs to targeted audiences.
7. Represent the university, the division and the program to internal and external clients in a multitude of venues.
8. Cultivate positive relationships with external individuals and organizations, including developing and sustaining both new and existing CTE and CTE partnerships.
9. Collaborate across OERD’s networks, integrating NIU CTE activities into other networks, maximizing involvement of faculty, and increasing involvement of external partners.

Requirements of the Position

Minimum Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a CTE field required.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Minimum Experience Requirements

• Two years’ experience as a secondary CTE instructor.
• Professional presentations in a CTE/CTE or educational field.
• Two years’ demonstration of leading a team to produce high quality CTE/CTE programming, curriculum, instruction and/or assessment including creating accommodations for disabilities.

Licensing or Certification Required

• Illinois Professional Educator License – Teacher licensure required in CTE field.
• Administrative licensure preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Critical to Performance of this Position

• Experience with new Perkins V Needs Assessment and Program of Study Process.
• Involved in Illinois Perkins V planning.
• Familiar with EFE/ACC requirements and improvement planning processes and documents.
• Experience with local WIOA connections.
• Experience with successful local business and industry councils.
• In-depth knowledge of at least one CTE discipline.

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Create and deliver professional development according to state and national standards.
• Ability to work successfully as a team leader and as a team member.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently with minimal supervision, initiate new projects, and network across CTE networks, NIU, and the region.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Commitment to accountability for the university’s outreach and engagement mission, presidential goals such as increasing partnerships, and division goals for mutually beneficial engagement with communities across the region.

Registration now open for 2023-2024 Educational Coaching Network Institutes and Workshops

In our previous Newsletter, we announced that the Educational Coaching Network (ECN) is joining the Illinois P-20 Network. The Illinois P-20 Network’s Educational Coaching Network is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2023-2024 institutes and workshops with Jim Knight. These are opportunities to learn directly from the leaders in educational coaching. Through educational coaching, schools and districts and postsecondary institutions can improve all aspects of learning and accelerate and deepen our collective improvement and effectiveness as educators. 

Most sessions will be held at NIU Naperville with two events being held in Rosemont. Additionally, there are discounts for groups of three or more. 

For the 2023-2024 year, ECN is excited to offer the following Institutes. Click on each of the links to learn more about each Institute, including dates and pricing.

• Foundations of Instructional Coaching Institute with Jim Knight – Register
• Advanced Coaching and Leadership workshops with Jim Knight – Register
• Student-Centered Coaching Institutes with Diane Sweeney – Register

Learn more about the Illinois P-20 Network Educational Coaching Network at: p20network.niu.edu/ecn

Welcoming the Educational Coaching Network to the Illinois P-20 Network

Over the past few years, the depth and breadth of the Illinois P-20 Network has grown significantly from 65 organizations just three years ago to well over 250 organizations now that serve over 1.6 million students. The P-20 Network focuses on using research and data to lead to increased opportunities for all students and more equitable outcomes through its efforts taking place to support Career and Technical Education, to improve early college credit through the Dual Credit Think Tank, and to ensure that outstanding educators are serving students through KEEP Illinois, among other work. Today, we expand those efforts further for the 2023-2024 year and beyond with the addition of the Educational Coaching Network to the Illinois P-20 Network. 

Over nearly a decade, the Educational Coaching Network (ECN), which has been based until now at Northwestern University, has served hundreds of educators from Illinois and the Midwest through a variety of professional learning structures. The Educational Coaching Network has served as Jim Knight’s Midwest partner, and ECN will continue to do so as it moves to the Illinois P-20 Network and Northern Illinois University. Additionally, the Educational Coaching Network is able to bring other leaders in educational coaching to our region, such as Diane Sweeney, who will be providing a series of workshops in 2023-2024, and builds a community of learner among instructional coaches and the school and district leaders who support those efforts. 

The Educational Coaching Network will specifically further our efforts around equity and opportunity as well as educator engagement and retention, and the Educational Coaching Network serves as an outstanding addition to further the coaching-centric efforts of the Illinois P-20 Network’s partner organizations at Northern Illinois University, such as NIU STEAM, the Illinois MTSS Network, and the Illinois Migrant Education Program. 

With registration about to open in the coming weeks, today, you can already check out the full slate of ECN workshops coming up on our new Illinois P-20 Network Educational Coaching Network website: p20network.niu.edu/ecn 

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Jeannail Carter – Esports Player

Originally launched during the COVID-19 Pandemic when students could not engage in face-to-face or on-site work-based learning experiences, the Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video series brings people from a wide range of occupations to students remotely to learn about their careers and the competencies necessary for success.

In this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episode, we interview Jeannail Carter, who is a professional esports player. Jeannail is a graduate of Northern Illinois University. Jeannail Carter  became a professional player after pursuing her art degree, and currently travels the world playing Tekken, a video game fighting series that began in 1994.  In addition, Jeannail is also a public speaker, brand ambassador for Red Bull, and mentor.

Carter’s work as a professional esports player crosses multiple Career Pathways, including Arts and Communications, Finance and Business Services, and Information Technology.

In this video, Jeannail shares her journey to becoming a professional player, training, and what many may not know about her career path. She wants to be an inspiration to students, who may have an interest in art and technology. She discusses what a typical day looks like in her competitive world, and also about skills needed to be successful. The Essential Skills of critical thinking, collaboration, organization, time management, communication, and productive struggle are highlighted in this episode. Ms. Carter takes pride in reaching back to help others and to also encourage students.

To keep up-to-date as new Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads videos are released, subscribe to the P-20 Network YouTube Channel.

Updated PaCE Framework Webinar

Learn more about the new Middle School and updated High School PaCE Frameworks and give feedback

As required by HB3296, which was signed into law last May by Governor Pritzker and updated the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act, the state educational agencies led by ISAC and including ISBE, ICCB, and IBHE, have released drafts of an updated High School PaCE Framework and a new Middle School PaCE Framework for public comment. 

On Monday, March 13 at 9 AM, the Illinois P-20 Network will host a webinar providing an overview of the PaCE Framework, the updates to the High School PaCE Framework, and details regarding the Middle School PaCE Framework. This webinar is free and open to all educators across Illinois, yet it will be specifically geared for the elementary and unit school districts that have not begun to consider the PaCE Framework with the new requirements extending to grades 6-8. 

High school districts are encouraged to share this learning and feedback opportunity with their sender elementary school districts. Feedback to the state educational agencies can be provided via this online PaCE Framework feedback form until March 21, 2023.

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Jasmine Carey – STEM Teacher

Originally launched during the COVID-19 Pandemic when students could not engage in face-to-face or on-site work-based learning experiences, the Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video series brings people from a wide range of occupations to students remotely to learn about their careers and the competencies necessary for success.

In this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episode, we interview Jasmine Carey, who is a STEM teacher at an elementary school in Rockford, Illinois. After graduating from Simeon Vocational High School in Chicago Illinois, she obtained her undergraduate degree followed by her master’s degree in Instructional Technology, both from Northern Illinois University. Jasmine became a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) teacher at a charter school 4 years ago. During that time, she has learned the importance of exposing students to STEM. The excitement of her students keeps her thinking of new ways to engage them.

Carey’s work as a STEM Teacher is part of the Human and Public Services Career Pathway.

In this video, Carey shares her journey to becoming a teacher and how STEM instruction is for all students. She discusses overcoming challenges, and learning from failure. The Essential Skills of critical thinking, communication, and offering constructive feedback are highlighted in this episode. There is discussion of the engineering design process and how that can be applied to almost anything. Learning in Ms. Carey’s class is engaging and fun, and sometimes students are not even aware of how much they are learning.

Watch this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video with STEM teacher Jasmine Carey.

To keep up-to-date as new Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads videos are released, subscribe to the P-20 Network YouTube Channel.

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Mondrian Contreras – Veterinarian

Originally launched during the COVID-19 Pandemic when students could not engage in face-to-face or on-site work-based learning experiences, the Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video series brings people from a wide range of occupations to students remotely to learn about their careers and the competencies necessary for success.

In this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episode, we interview Mondrian Contreras, who is a veterinarian, who owns his own practice, Carol Stream Animal Hospital. After graduating from Riverview High School in Sarasota, Florida, he obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and continued his studies at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2010, Mondrian was an intern at the VCA Aurora Animal hospital, and he has worked as the owner of the Carol Stream Animal Hospital since 2015.

Mondrian’s work as a veterinarian is part of the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Pathway.

In this video, Mondrian shares his journey to becoming a veterinarian, the resilience needed to be a successful student and business owner, his daily responsibilities, and how he found his passion. He talks about the importance of customer service skills, overcoming challenges, and the critical connections that he makes with his clients. Mondrian talks about celebrating his successes and critical thinking skills needed in his field. He also emphasizes the importance of having fun and doing what you love as part of your career.

Watch this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video with Veterinarian Mondrian Contreras.

To keep up-to-date as new Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads videos are released, subscribe to the P-20 Network YouTube Channel.

Webinar Recap – HLC Proposed Policy Changes

On February 7, 2023, Rodrigo López, Director of P-20 Initiatives at Northern Illinois University, and Aimee Galvin, Government Affairs Director at Stand for Children Illinois, hosted an informational webinar for educators across Illinois on behalf of the Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank. With attendees from across Illinois and representing school districts, community colleges, universities, and other professional and interest groups, the proposed policy changes recently communicated by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) were shared. While the HLC proposed policy changes were the primary focus of the interview, Rodrigo and Aimee also reviewed the recent amendments to the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act and shared the proposed rule changes to the ICCB System Rules Manual that pertain to dual credit (Section 1501.313).

View the webinar below or on the Illinois P-20 Network’s YouTube channel. Continue reading below the video for next steps.

Action Items

• If you are an HLC member institution, please consider submitting feedback on these proposed changes at this time. Learn more about HLC’s proposed revisions. Feedback by member institutions is due to HLC by February 15, 2023.
• Participate in the Dual Credit Think Tank’s next major task – Collecting and publishing best practices for reviewing the credentials and experiences of high school teachers beyond their earned academic credentials.

For more information on the Dual Credit Think Tank or to get involved, please contact Rodrigo López at rodrigo.lopez@niu.edu

Launching “KEEP Illinois – Keeping Educators Engaged Professionally”

Goal: Help solve the educator shortage by improving educator retention

Significant work is being done across Illinois by a wide variety of stakeholders, including the Northern Illinois University College of Education, to increase both the diversity and the amount of individuals in the career development pipeline to become teachers. Despite these efforts, without addressing issues of educator retention, the teacher shortage cannot be effectively resolved. To this end, the Illinois P-20 Network is taking on a statewide leadership role with regards to educator retention with the launch of KEEP Illinois – Keeping Educators Engaged Professionally.

KEEP Illinois participation is open to anyone with an interest in supporting educator retention in schools and organizations at all levels across Illinois.

Like the Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think, KEEP Illinois seeks to build a strong grassroots base for its work by engaging practitioners from across Illinois. Additionally, over time, KEEP Illinois seeks to build formal partnerships with other organizations to further promote and implement the strategies and solutions that KEEP Illinois participants have seen work locally.

HLC Call for Feedback

Proposed Policy Changes to Assumed Practices (CRRT.B.10.020)

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has announced its proposed policy changes to Assumed Practices – CRRT.B.10.020. As one of six regional accreditors in the United States, these proposed changes, if approved by the Board, will help to “eliminate any restrictive impact of HLC’s requirements on student access to dual credit programs in underserved or rural areas.” Degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions in the State of Illinois, along with those located in the other 18 states, may be in a position to benefit and modify existing practices specific to the review and approval of faculty qualifications.

HLC member institutions have been requested to share feedback on these proposed changes before its formal comment process is initiated. Learn more about HLC’s proposed revisions. Feedback by member institutions is due by February 15, 2023.

The Illinois P-20 Network in collaboration with the Illinois Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (ILACEP) has worked with a diverse group of secondary and postsecondary educators to increase knowledge and support dual credit opportunities. As dual credit has become a critical component of schools’ early college credit programs, the Dual Credit Think Tank has focused its efforts on advocating for policies and practices that lead to an increase in the number of high school instructors teaching dual credit courses.

In June 2022, the HLC’s Board of Trustees extended the deadline for enforcement of faculty qualifications requirements in the context of dual credit education from September 1, 2023, to September 1, 2025. Institutions not in compliance with the requirements of Assumed Practice B.2.a, not only have an additional two years to get their dual credit offerings into compliance but may also have additional options with the approval of the policy changes.

Although recent amendments to the Dual Credit Quality Act have continued to address the challenges faced by dual credit programs to have more high school instructors credentialed to teach dual credit courses, revisions to HLC’s policies would make clear “that an institution can deem its faculty qualified on the basis of academic credentials, equivalent experience or some combination thereof” and that it may also “take into account substantial progress toward academic credentials in addition to achievement of such credentials” to create “parity between teaching assistants and dual credit instructors who are similarly situated in this regard.”

The Illinois P-20 Network Dual Credit Think Tank will be hosting an informational webinar on the HLC proposed policy changes to Assumed Practices – CRRT.B.10.020 on February 7, 2023, at 2 PM (CT) – Register today!

Registration Open – ISBE Career Connections Conference

ISBE Career Connections: Building Community before the IACTE Annual Conference – February 15, 2023

Join the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on February 15, 2023, for a day of networking and collaboration with and among Illinois CTE educators and state administrators before attending the annual IACTE conference.

Morning sessions at the ISBE Career Connections Conference will provide timely information and support for specific groups including:

• Agriculture Grant Recipients
• Career Exploration/Career Development Experience Grant Recipients
• College and Career Pathway Coordinators
• District/School CTE Administrators
• Ed Pathway Grant Recipients
• EFE Directors
• Innovation Grant Recipients
• New or Nearly New CTE Teachers
• Regional Work Experience Career Exploration Programs
• School Counselors

Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend a specialized networking lunch and afternoon breakout sessions providing opportunities for individuals to broaden their knowledge and skillsets related to various CTE topics.

In addition, the ISBE Career Connections Conference is hosting an evening keynote event to help kick-off the IACTE Conference (February 16-17). Dr. Amanda Bastoni, Educational Research Scientist at CAST, as well as former CTE teacher and administrator, will bring her energetic and highly-informative presentation style that will provide significant insights into what schools of all sizes and in all settings across Illinois can do with and through CTE to improve learning and increase student success.

Participants have the opportunity to register for the Day Conference Event, the Keynote Dinner Event, or both events. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow your knowledge and skills while interacting with CTE colleagues from across the state. Register now for the ISBE Career Connections Conference!

And register for the 2023 IACTE Conference on February 16 and 17, 2023. 

P-20 Network Meeting Explores Educator Shortage and Educator Retention

The Illinois P-20 Network hosted its Fall 2022 Meeting at NIU Naperville on Thursday, October 27, with a return to an in-person meeting for the first time since October 2019. Nearly 100 educational leaders from across Illinois were in attendance. Approximately 40% of attendees were school district leaders. 40% of attendees were postsecondary leaders, and the remaining 20% were leaders in state agencies and other professional and advocacy organizations.

The meeting began with NIU President Lisa Freeman, who shared the very personal story of her mother as a career-changing teacher in the 1960s and the impact she had on her students and their families, and Dean of the NIU College of Education Dr. Laurie Elish-Piper, who explored all the ways that educational institutions can engage and support teachers through a career pipeline from their early career exploration as middle school students through their in-service teaching and even how they can continue to support students and schools in retirement.

A series of Ignite presentations followed. Each of these presenters specifically addressed key, unique aspects of the educator shortage and/or solutions to it. The presentations included:

• Alyson Sprehe, a middle school teacher from Community Consolidated School District 21, who described how moving across all three middle schools and teaching at all three middle level grades over the course of her 25-year career has helped keep her fresh and innovating.
• Dr. Laura Hedin, department chair of Special and Early Education in the NIU College of Education, who spoke about NIU’s LEAP program, which is currently in place in both Rockford Public School District 205 and in School District U-46 and which supports practicing paraprofessionals with earning their licensure as a special education teacher while working on an accelerated timeframe.
• Bob Cofield, the director of school partnerships at Waubonsee Community College, who shared about the work that has taken place between Waubonsee, East Aurora, West Aurora, and NIU to create a modified 1+1+2 program that ensures students’ dual credit experiences in twelfth grade transfer into their degree program as education majors while also giving them a strong understanding of their work as future teachers.
• Arturo Senteno, principal at West Leyden High School, whose doctoral research has focused on the keys to teacher retention specifically for Latinx teachers. As part of this presentation Arturo provided specific recommendations for teachers and principals that should broadly help ensure high levels of performance and job satisfaction and that lead to strong retention among Latinx educators.
• Dr. Teresa Lance, assistant superintendent of equity and innovation in School District U-46, communicated six key themes for supporting teachers from diverse backgrounds in helping to lead transformative change in schools and districts. As Dr. Lance stressed, while these themes and their corresponding actions are critical for retaining teachers of color, these are also practices that all educators should employ each day.

Attendees then selected one of the following break-out sessions, in which they explored solutions to different aspects of the educator shortage and engaged in dialogue about those potential solutions. The break-out sessions were:

• Induction and Mentoring, which was led by Dr. Jodi Megerle, superintendent, and Kristy Seifert, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, in River Trails School District 26.
• Diversification of the Teacher Workforce, which was led by Dr. Eric Junco, director of equity for the NIU College of Education.
• Supporting Dual Credit Teacher Credentialing, which was led by Anne Brennan, assistant vice president for academic affairs at Oakton Community College and by Dr. Patrick McGill, director for teaching and learning, curriculum and pathways in Glenbard School District 87.
• Avoiding Chutes out of the Profession; Building Teacher Career Ladders, led by Dr. Jason Klein, senior director of education partnerships and learning solutions at Northern Illinois University.

Finally, everyone came back together for a working lunch that featured table discussions about everything that people had heard and in which the tables identified the top three priorities to support educator retention for each of the following groups in Illinois: state government, postsecondary institutions, school districts, and the Illinois P-20 Network. At this time, the Illinois P-20 Network leadership team is organizing and analyzing the data from this activity, and the team will be publishing an action plan in an upcoming newsletter that will align to our Illinois P-20 Network Areas of Focus and lead to an updated mission statement for the Illinois P-20 Network.

Provide Feedback on CTE Standards to ISBE

ISBE wants your feedback on potential Illinois Career and Technical Education (CTE) Standards. All Illinois educators are encouraged to watch this recorded 15-minute webinar then complete this feedback survey. Links to all of the relevant elements of the webinar are below:

• Slides
• ISBE CTE Industry Feedback Tour Themes

Draft Career Pathway Standards Documents

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
• Arts and Communications
• Finance and Business Services
• Health Sciences and Technology
• Human and Public Services
• Information Technology
• Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, and Trades

The individual feedback survey is available to all educators in Illinois through November 6, 2022.

Register for the In-Person Fall P-20 Network Meeting

Registration is now open for the Fall 2022 P-20 Network Meeting, which will be hosted at the NIU Naperville Conference Center on October 27, 2022, from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. We are looking forward to gathering for a half-day of learning, conversations, and planning. The Fall Meeting will provide leaders from across the State of Illinois an opportunity to explore the root causes of today’s educator shortage as well as to learn about solutions that local institutions are putting in place to develop, recruit, retain, and diversify our educator workforce.

The 2022 Fall Meeting will feature a mix of short Ignite-style keynote speeches, a panel presentation, and breakout sessions to offer both information for leaders to take back to your own organizations as well as opportunities to discuss potential solutions and needed supports that will provide a focus for ongoing Illinois P-20 Network efforts.

The cost to attend is $35 per individual to help defray meeting costs. Lunch will be provided.

Return of the Career Pathways User Group

In collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Innovation team, the Northern Illinois University CTE Project hosts the state-wide Illinois Career Pathways User Group to support the adoption, growth, and ongoing improvement of the Illinois College and Career Pathway Endorsements, with authentic learning, integrated learning, and work-based learning at the heart of these efforts for all students across Illinois.

This video is the September 2022 meeting of the Illinois Career Pathways User Group. During this meeting, updates were provided to all participants about the growth in earned Endorsements across Career Pathways since the start of this policy in 2020, about recently passed HB3296 and its requirements to implement the Endorsements and the PaCE Framework, and with information about the application process for school districts. Watch the video of the meeting below or on the Illinois P-20 Network YouTube Channel.

If you are not already part of the Illinois Career Pathway User Group, register today in order to access the Google Group and meeting invitations.

ISBE CTE Standards – Teacher Feedback Wanted

This summer, CTE educators explored the data from the CTE Industry Feedback Tour and considered it in light of identified best practices nationally in CTE in order to make recommendations regarding our need for CTE standards and supporting professional development in Illinois.

An additional opportunity for educators to provide input will take place in the format of a webinar focused on gathering feedback on options for adopting CTE Standards within the State of Illinois. Sessions will be held from 7.30 until 9 AM and 3.30 until 5 PM on September 29, 2022. Participation is open to all educators, teachers and administrators, who teach or support Career & Technical Education programs in Illinois.

The goal of this work will be to provided teachers, schools, and school districts with the tools necessary to ensure that there are high-quality and equitable CTE opportunities for all students across Illinois and for the ISBE CTE team and its partners to best support educators in meeting those goals.

Sessions will take place via Zoom and are expected to last no more than 60 minutes. Zoom links will be sent to those registered the day before each session.

If you would like to attend both sessions, we do ask that you complete the form separately for each session.

Dual Credit Think Tank Policy Brief Released

Strategies to Support Teachers in Credentialing for Dual Credit

In January 2022, the Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank launched a state-wide survey to gather examples from school districts of contract language, policies, procedures, and practices that support dual credit teacher licensure. Particularly in the face of the teacher shortage, school districts must identify new strategies to address these credentialing issues. While the recent amendment to the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act includes an extension for teachers to secure a professional development plan which allows them to start teaching dual credit courses while they finish the minimum teaching qualifications as prescribed by the Higher Learning Commission, school districts continue to face significant challenges in supporting the necessary number of teachers in becoming credentialed to teach dual credit classes.

Additional support and resources are necessary to increase the number of teachers with dual credit credentials. Understanding school districts’ need for guidance on how they can leverage existing mechanisms, the Dual Credit Think Tank has published Strategies to Support Dual Credit Teacher Credentialing, a policy brief for educators and advocates that highlights best practices for schools to adopt in their aim to further support teachers’ journey towards meeting the minimum qualifications to teach dual credit courses. Specifically, the brief offers recommendations, based on the responses to the survey from earlier this year, on how school districts can collaborate with teachers via their collective bargaining agreements to implement financial assistance and incentives.

Summer Speaker Series Videos Online

Today, the final educator panel in this year’s Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) CTE Summer Speaker Series was held, and now, we are pleased to share all three keynotes and all three educator panels online as resources for professional learning moving forward for educators across Illinois in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and beyond. The theme for the ISBE CTE Summer Speaker Series was CTE for ALL students and for EACH student, with a clear focus on equity and inclusion and providing support to schools to overcome barriers in order to give all students access to high quality CTE and Career and College Readiness instruction.

Each of the events listed below is linked to the corresponding YouTube video for that event. All of the YouTube videos are also organized into a single ISBE CTE Summer Speaker Series 2022 YouTube Playlist.

Family & Community Engagement and Postsecondary Placement

• Keynote – Dr. Ayanna Brown, Elmhurst University & Thought Spectrum, LLC
• Educator Panel

Active Recruitment of Special Populations into CTE Programs and Nontraditional Careers

• Keynote – Dr. Amanda Bastoni, CAST
• Educator Panel

Elimination of Barriers for Individual CTE Students

• Keynote – Dr. Valerie Milton, Michigan Department of Education
• Educator Panel

Free Administrator Academy Workshops to Kick-Off 2022-2023

As part of our Career ConneCTEd Illinois professional learning efforts, we are excited to host three online, half-day workshops at the beginning of August. Participants in these workshops can earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs) or Administrator Academy credit. Registration is free, and will close 48 hours prior to each workshop. A Zoom link and other information about each workshop will be sent to participants 48 hours ahead of each workshop. Each workshop will take place from 9 AM until noon. 

• August 3 – Social and Emotional Learning Leads to College and Career Readiness – Register 
• August 4 – PaCE Framework Overview – Register 
• August 5 – Illinois Career Pathways Overview – Register 

CTE Professional Learning Opportunities – 2022-2023

We are pleased to announce the initial ISBE CTE Professional Development calendar for the 2022-2023 school year. This calendar is considered an initial calendar because we are already adding additional events to it. We are also excited to share that there is no cost to participate in any of the events being run solely by ISBE and the NIU Illinois CTE Project. 

All sessions are open free of charge to all Illinois educators, including teachers, clinicians, counselors, and administrators from Early Childhood through twelfth grade settings as well as postsecondary educators. For example, Administrator Academy workshops are not only open to school administrators, but to all educators. Participants who complete workshops will earn Illinois Professional Development Hours or, when applicable based on the workshop and one’s position, Administrator Academy credit. 

Check out the full (and growing!) ISBE CTE Professional Development calendar – Registration links are continually being added over the coming weeks. 

Introducing the NIU Illinois CTE Project Team

Earlier this school year, the Illinois State Board of Education and Northern Illinois University’s Illinois P-20 Network and NIU STEAM entered into a multi-year partnership to further develop and implement Career & Technical Education (CTE) solutions and strategies with regards to:

• Professional Learning
• Teacher Recruitment and Retention
• Instructional Materials and Strategies

Given the nature of the 2021-2022 school year, additional new staff members for the NIU Illinois CTE Project Team were hired during the spring for Summer 2022 start dates so as not to pull educators from schools and districts during a complex and challenging school year. The NIU Illinois CTE Project is excited to add the following team members beginning July 1, 2022:

CTE Educator – Ben Owen, who has served as a business and technology teacher as well as a Multi-Tier Systems of Support (MTSS) Coordinator, Dean of Students and Athletic Director at Genoa-Kingston and Hiawatha High School. During his tenure as a teacher, among the courses he taught, Ben implemented INCubator successfully and saw enrollment in the course increase year-over-year, and this work is just one example of Ben’s focus of providing project-based and authentic learning experiences for all students. Prior to becoming an educator, Ben used his original Bachelor’s Degree in Business and his MBA as he worked in the private sector in human resources and operations management roles.

CTE Educator – Bill Rose, who has served in various teaching and leadership roles in the Rockford area. Bill has taught both Business and Social Science courses. Bill also holds a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a Master’s Certificate in Reading. In addition to his  strong CTE background, which has included serving in a CTE leadership role at Rockford East High School, Bill has also been deeply involved curriculum and professional development work related to Project-Based and Problem-Based Learning, career-ready certifications and credentials for students, and Competency-Based Instruction.

DEI Educator – Shavina Baker (Pierre), who has served as a teacher, RTI specialist, athletic director, after-school program director, as a director of operations, and most recently as a principal in Rockford. Prior to becoming an educator, Shavina worked in the insurance industry, bringing additional workplace experience to her work on this state-wide CTE initiative. Shavina has extensive experience in her school leadership roles in implementing strategies that promote and developing a culture that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. Additionally, in those same school leadership roles, she has developed and led professional learning as well as having worked extensively with curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

In addition to these team members, the NIU Illinois CTE Project team is being led by Jason Klein and Rodrigo López, who facilitate the Illinois P-20 Network, and the team includes key members of the NIU STEAM team, including Dr. Kristin Brynteson, the Director of NIU STEAM, Debbie Kerman, the Assistant Director of NIU STEAM, NIU STEAM Program Coordinator Lise Schlosser, and NIU STEAM Instructor Kerri Sosnowski.

Over the coming weeks and months, each of these new team members will be out and about and look forward to meeting and working with educators from across Illinois as well as learning in and with schools and districts across the state.

High-Quality CTE – White Paper & Webinar

ISBE’s Career ConneCTEd Illinois and the NIU Illinois CTE Project, under the leadership of NIU STEAM and Illinois P-20 Network, have released High-Quality CTE: What the Literature Says About Standards, Curriculum, Instruction, and Partnerships. The white paper provides an overview of the most effective and inclusive practices related to curriculum, instructional resources, instructional strategies, and business and community partnerships specifically in the context of secondary school CTE. 

In addition to the full written report, an overview of the white paper was provided via a webinar on June 15, 2022. Watch the recording of the webinar presentation, and learn more about the key takeaways from the analysis! 

Expansion of Leadership for the Illinois P-20 Network

In recent weeks, a new, integrated collaborative structure between Northern Illinois University’s Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development (OERD) and the College of Education has been launched to support the Illinois P-20 Network. This internal change is designed to only have positive impacts on all of the partners that comprise the Illinois P-20 Network, and we are excited to announce a new key member of the team.

While the goals and values of the Illinois P-20 Network will not change, we are excited to announce that over the coming the months the Illinois P-20 Network will benefit from additional resources and an even closer partnership internally at Northern Illinois University with the NIU College of Education. For nearly three years, Dean of the College of Education Dr. Laurie Elish Piper has officially served in a co-leadership role for the Illinois P-20 Network, and now, as a result of an innovative partnership between NIU’s Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development and NIU’s College of Education, the Illinois P-20 Network will have even more resources and support moving forward.

Beginning this summer, Rodrigo López will serve as the Director of P-20 Initiatives as part of the Center for P-20 Engagement at Northern Illinois University. Rodrigo will serve alongside Jason Klein, who has started in a new collaborative joint appointment.

Rodrigo brings over a decade of experience in student and academic affairs in both high school and postsecondary settings, and throughout his career, he has led key college and career readiness initiatives across secondary and postsecondary education.

As a member of the College Advising Corps, he spent considerable time building partnerships between school districts, postsecondary institutions, and community-based organizations on behalf of Round Lake High School. Most recently, Rodrigo has served as Assistant Dean of College in High School Programs at Elgin Community College (ECC) where he managed the college’s dual credit partnerships and co-chaired the region’s college-career pathway committee. Rodrigo has provided state-wide leadership in early college experiences and policy as part of his roles as the government relations chair and president of the Illinois Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (ILACEP), the state’s chapter of the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). He brings strong leadership and administrative experience in research, policy analysis, strategic planning, and program implementation. He received his B.A. and Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is completing his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Illinois State University.

ISBE CTE Summer Speaker Series 2022

CTE for ALL students & for EACH student

As part of the Career ConneCTEd Illinois efforts to support high-level Career and Technical Education (CTE) for all students throughout the state, this year, we are launching a Summer Speaker Series that will focus on ensuring access to and success in CTE classrooms. With a focus on the “special populations” and “nontraditional careers” of the Perkins V Act, the following three topics were identified by analyzing statewide CTE student data as well as through engaging CTE leaders from across Illinois.

For each topic, we will host a keynote presentation in June, and then, there will also be a corresponding educator panel for each topic that will be held in late July and early August prior to the start of the 2022-2023 school year. All of these events will be held online, and links will be sent to those who have registered the day before each event.

Family & Community Engagement and Postsecondary Placement

• Keynote – June 28, 10:30 AM – Dr. Ayanna Brown, Elmhurst University & Thought Spectrum, LLC
• Educator Panel – July 27, 9 AM

Active Recruitment of Special Populations into CTE Programs and Nontraditional Careers

• Keynote – June 21, 9 AM – Dr. Amanda Bastoni, CAST
• Educator Panel – July 28, 9 AM

Elimination of Barriers for Individual CTE Students

• Keynote – June 23, 9 AM – Dr. Valerie Milton, Michigan Department of Education
• Educator Panel – August 2, 9 AM

High Quality CTE Practices Webinar

Over the course of the spring, a national landscape analysis of best practices in Career and Technical Education (CTE) has been conducted in order to inform curriculum, instructional, and policy decisions related to CTE. As part of the ISBE CTE Project that is being facilitated by NIU STEAM and the Illinois P-20 Network, we are excited to launch a whitepaper with this analysis, and we will be hosting a free summary webinar at 1 PM on June 15, 2022.

ISBE CTE Educator Plan Time

Join us this summer to reflect on thoughts for schools from industry and to help provide direction regarding CTE Standards!

This summer, through the CTE Educator Plan Time series of events, educators from across Illinois will help plan next steps for state CTE standards. CTE educators will explore the data from the CTE Industry Feedback Tour and consider it in light of identified best practices nationally in CTE in order to make recommendations regarding our need for CTE standards and supporting professional development in Illinois. The outcome of this work will be to provide teachers, schools, and school districts with the tools necessary to ensure that there are high-quality and equitable CTE opportunities for all students across Illinois.

Participation is open to all educators, teachers and administrators, who teach or support Career & Technical Education programs in Illinois. Educators may chose from the following sessions:

• Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources – June 14 – 9 AM
• Arts & Communications – June 14 – 1 PM
• Finance & Business Services – June 22 – 9 AM
• Health Sciences & Technology – June 22 – 1 PM
• Human & Public Services – July 19 – 9 AM
• Information Technology – July 19 – 1 PM
• Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology & Trades – July 26 – 9 AM
• General/All Career Pathways – July 26 – 1 PM

Sessions will take place via Zoom and are expected to last two hours. Zoom links will be sent to those registered the day before each session.

Dynamic Enhancements Coming to Illinois P-20 Network

While the goals and values of the Illinois P-20 Network will not change, we are excited to announce that over the coming the months, the Illinois P-20 Network will benefit from additional resources and an even closer partnership internally at Northern Illinois University with the NIU College of Education. For nearly three years, Dean of the College of Education Dr. Laurie Elish Piper, has officially served in a co-leadership role for the Illinois P-20 Network, and now, as a result of an innovative partnership between NIU’s Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development and NIU’s College of Education, the Illinois P-20 Network will have even more resources and support moving forward. More details will be shared in the coming weeks on the Illinois P-20 Network website, newsletters, and social media, but you can read more about this new partnership on the NIU College of Education’s website right now. 

State of Illinois Survey for HS Seniors – What’s next and why?

The Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC), in cooperation with the State of Illinois, wants high school seniors to fill out a survey to tell us about their decisions after high school. The survey focuses on the following questions:

• What are the factors influencing your decisions to pursue education after high school?
• What options are you weighing?
• Will you be attending college or a trade school?
• Will you stay in-state or go out of state?
• How are you making your decision?

Students can complete the survey here. It will take about 15 minutes.

Students’ survey results will be collected and analyzed by IWERC, a research unit at University of Illinois. The survey will not ask students for their name, and their responses will not be connected to themselves. Survey responses will be used to inform how we improve postsecondary options, access, equity, and enrollment in Illinois. Findings from the survey will be shared in research publications and with the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Governor’s office.

Please share this survey with your current high school seniors!

Dual Credit and Weighted Grades

As a result of conversations with a number of high school administrators in different school districts who wanted to understand the landscape of how school districts are weighting grades for dual credit coursework within their high school grade point average systems, the Dual Credit Think Tank conducted a survey asking school districts the question of if (and, if so, how) dual credit courses are weighted in their school district.

Based on each district’s answer to this single question and knowing what district each answer was coming from, deeper analysis was also able to take place based on a number of other demographic factors regarding students and teachers in each school district. The results of this survey, and policy recommendations from the Dual Credit Think Tank are contained in this slide deck, which was presented as part of a Dual Credit Think Tank Update webinar to ILACEP in March 2022. In short, the Dual Credit Think Tank recommends:

If you have weighted classes, ALL early college credit coursework should be weighted the same as advanced/accelerated classes.

Illinois P-20 Network Dual Credit Think Tank, March 2022

ISBE to host meetings about CTE Standards with professionals from across careers

Among educational leaders at all levels, the advancement of Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a high priority for students in middle school, high school, and in the full range of postsecondary institutions. As part of these efforts, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is developing Illinois’ first set of statewide student learning standards for CTE instruction. The CTE standards will provide broad targets on which school districts can develop their local CTE curriculum and which will provide a focus to teachers in creating student learning opportunities.

ISBE is planning regional meetings (north, central, and south) to gather feedback from professionals across a wide range of industries on the knowledge and skills that students need to be successful as they move into our current and future workplaces.

• April 15 – 9 AM – Mt. Vernon Airport
• April 18 – 1 PM – Heartland Community College
• April 19 – 10.30 AM – Elgin Community College
• April 22 – 9 AM – Online via Zoom
  (Zoom information will be sent to registered participants on April 21.)

Registration is free to these events, which are open to individuals from across all industries and professions. Please click here to register.

The results of these regional meetings will be used by educators from across Illinois in June to engage in similar activities around the CTE Standards. In partnership with ISBE, we hope to have a large turnout to support these efforts and ensure that our educational outcomes are on-target for our students, so please share this information with colleagues.

Dual Credit Think Tank Survey – Graduate coursework needs for dual credit teacher credentialing

The Illinois P-20 Network and ILACEP, the Illinois chapter of NACEP, know that there continue to be significant needs for secondary teachers to complete graduate coursework in order to be credentialed to teach dual credit classes in the high school setting. Both organizations also understand that it is critical that such graduate coursework is offered at times and in formats that work with teachers’ busy daily and annual schedules. This survey seeks to understand those areas which present the most pressing needs for additional graduate coursework in Illinois at this time. With a pair of redundant questions, we are asking for your five most critical areas for graduate coursework followed by a few quick, final questions about your school district.

Currently, graduate coursework in the content area is the key element necessary for most teachers to be credentialed to teach dual credit classes in line with the requirements on postsecondary institutions from the Higher Learning Commission.

This survey is designed to be completed at the school-district level by a district leader. Please share this survey widely with colleagues as data from across a wide range of school districts throughout Illinois will be critical to taking action to support teachers and school districts with the necessary coursework. This survey may be repeatedly regularly in the future.

Illinois Postsecondary Profiles Launches Equity Profiles

Last week, the Illinois Postsecondary Profiles (IPP) website launched its newest major component, Equity Profiles. The Equity Profiles will shine a light on the success of diverse populations in postsecondary institutions in Illinois. The Equity Profiles joins the site’s other major components: 

• Institutional Profiles, which allows users to discover the basics about postsecondary institutions, such as different types of schools, tuition, and what credentials are offered.
• Occupational Profiles, which lets users see the available majors, key employment data, and programs of study for the career pathways in which you are interested. 
• Regional Profiles, which presents metrics on a map by Illinois Community College district.

The IPP website is a joint effort of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission that presents a wide range of postsecondary data from multiple state agencies through a single interface.

Middle School and High School Social and Emotional Learning Programs Landscape Analysis Survey

Along with our partners at RTI and IWERC, the NIU P-20 Research & Data Collaborative is pursuing a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to do a rigorous study of SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) programs in middle schools and high schools in Illinois.

As the research team begins its work, having a strong understanding of the types of programs Illinois school districts are currently using will help guide our research. Voluntary responses from as many school districts as possible across Illinois will help the team gather this data. A summary of the results of this survey will be shared state-wide via the Illinois P-20 Network and other partner organizations.

This survey will remain open through February 10, 2022. Thank you for your participation.

Early Childhood Staff Simulation Health & Safety Trainings Needs Survey

Please pass this information along to Early Childhood program leaders in your communities, community colleges, and school districts!

An inter-disciplinary team at Northern Illinois University, including the Illinois P-20 Network, is working in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago Rockford Medical School on a project to design and implement community-based simulation trainings on health, safety, and well-being for early childhood education teachers and staff. The goal is to support early childhood education professional development in maintaining healthy and safe environments for children.

The Gateways competencies model and ECE HSW (Health, Safety, and Well-Being) were used as a guide for this work.

2 Important Dual Credit Think Tank Surveys

The Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank is focused on collaborating with school districts and postsecondary to help continue refining practices to ensure that students across Illinois can access high-quality dual credit and dual enrollment offerings.

1-Question Survey about Dual Credit Classes & Weighted GPA

The Dual Credit Think Tank is also seeking information on this 1-question survey regarding how dual credit classes are weighted in GPA calculations in school districts. Please pass this 1-question survey on dual credit and GPA weighting on to as many school districts as possible – It should take less than 30 seconds to complete, and we will share the results through both ILACEP and the Illinois P-20 Network.

Survey about Contract Language, Policies, and Practices to Support Dual Credit Teacher Licensure

The Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank identified teacher licensure as the most important of a number of significant areas for additional work to further enhance and expand dual credit and dual enrollment early college offerings in Illinois high schools. A number of school districts have inquired about example collective bargaining contract language, school district policies, and school district practices (including administrative procedures) that are in place in districts across Illinois that are designed to support and encourage teachers with completing the additional requirements to teach dual credit courses. The Illinois P-20 Network Dual Credit Think Tank has put together this survey to gather examples of contract language, policies, and practices that support dual credit teacher licensure.

If you are able to offer any examples, those will be most welcome to other school districts!

Fall Meeting 2021 Panels – Available Now on YouTube

The Illinois P-20 Network’s Fall Meeting in 2021 consisted of a series of individual panel discussions over a series of weeks addressing the following three topics:

Developing, Recruiting, and Retaining Diverse High-Quality Teachers – The shortage of teachers and other school staff continues to draw widespread attention, predating the start of the wider “Great Resignation” that is impacting the workforce. This diverse panel of educators representing school districts, community colleges, and universities discusses the innovative ways that they are seeking to address the teacher shortage with programs that engage potential future teachers beginning as early as high school. Panelists include:

• Brian Giovanini & Katie Popp, Indian Prairie School District 204
• Janis Jones, Sauk Valley Community College
• Ron McCord, Rock Falls Township High School District 301
• Jenny Johnson & Danielle Lauritzen, Northern Illinois University
• Stacy Thompson, Grow Your Own Illinois, Southern Illinois University

Equity in Practice: Connecting Learners with their Schools-Colleges-Universities – Illinois closely resembles the demographic composition of the United States as a whole, and communities across Illinois have become increasingly diverse in recent decades. Along with this diversity, schools, colleges, and universities across Illinois have prioritized the importance of equity and inclusion, both as a way of honoring all learners and staff members and as a way to ensure deeper and increased learning outcomes. This unique panel explores specific attitudes and actions that must be prevalent in learning organizations in order to most likely ensure strong interpersonal connections as the foundation for teaching and learning. Panelists include:

• Jocelyn Santana, Northern Illinois University
• Cherry G & Sam J, Palatine High School

Career Pathway Endorsements: A Strategy for Improving Learning School-Wide – In only its third year of state-wide implementation, the Illinois Career Pathway Endorsements provide great opportunities for students to learn, practice, and demonstrate both the Technical Competencies and the Essential Skills (Cross-Sector Essential Employability Competencies). The Career Pathway Endorsements, with their focus on Authentic Learning both in the classroom and beyond, also provide opportunities for schools to shift the nature of learning significantly in their schools. This session includes representatives from two school districts: Ridgewood High School, which has had students graduate with Career Pathway Endorsements in each of the first two years that they were able to be offered, and Lake Zurich High School, which is on-track to have its first students earn Career Pathway Endorsements at the conclusion of this academic year. Panelists include:

• Lisa Balata, Ridgewood High School
• Zach Gimm, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95
• Eric Lasky, Ridgewood High School
• Susie Wagner, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 9

ISBE Partners with the Illinois P-20 Network & NIU STEAM to Support CTE

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has recently signed a multi-year contract with Northern Illinois University that sees the Illinois P-20 Network and NIU STEAM partner withISBE’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) team to support efforts around:

• The implementation of CTE standards.
• Instructional resources aligned with the CTE standards.
• Professional learning opportunities aligned with the CTE standards and to make use of the instructional resources, including a statewide annual conference.
• Recruitment and retention of diverse, high-quality CTE teachers across Illinois.

Career & Technical Education has been closely aligned with the work of both the Illinois P-20 Network and NIU STEAM for many years. Instructionally, a critical core of this work is ensuring that all students benefit from authentic learning environments. Likewise, equity and inclusion for both working with students and in identifying and hiring CTE teachers will be embedded in all aspects of this collaborative effort.

The Fall Meeting – A Series of Learning Events

Each year, the Illinois P-20 Network hosts a Fall and a Spring Meeting for organizations throughout the Network. This year, our Fall Meeting is an online event using Zoom. Unlike previous meetings, this year’s Fall Meeting will offer learning events over four successive Fridays. You can participate in as few or as many of these as you would like (Note that you can register for the October 22, November 5 and November 12 events using one online registration form. The October 29 workshop has a standalone registration form.): 

• October 22 – 9-10 AM – Developing, Recruiting & Retaining Diverse High-Quality Teachers – Register 
• October 29 – 9 AM-Noon – Social & Emotional Learning Leads to College & Career Readiness Administrator Academy Workshop – Register 
• November 5 – 9-10 AM – Equity in Practice: Connecting Learners with their Schools & Colleges/Universities – Register 
• November 12 – 9-10 AM – Career Pathway Endorsements: A Strategy for Improving Learning School-Wide – Register  

In each of these events, educators from school districts and postsecondary institutions will be sharing their experiences and expertise.  While these sessions (other than the Administrator Academy Workshop) will be recorded and shared via the P-20 Network YouTube channel, participating live and in real-time will allow for questions, comments, and discussions. 

Join our team! 2 new positions!

In partnership with NIU STEAM, we are excited to announce two new positions:

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) Educator
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Educator

Both of these positions will provide leadership in work with teachers and administrators in school districts across Illinois on a range of topics focused on improving Career and Technical Education (CTE) across Illinois. Details regarding each of the above positions can be found by clicking on the links, which will redirect you to the official Northern Illinois University job posting.

In both cases, NIU STEAM and the Illinois P-20 Network are seeking dynamic, enthusiastic, and highly knowledgeable educators who are committed to collaboration and problem solving alongside educators ranging from local school districts to regional organizations such as Regional Offices of Education, Education for Employment system offices, and Area Career Centers to leaders at the Illinois State Board of Education.

For questions or more information about either position, please reach out to either Kristin Brynteson, Director of NIU STEAM, or Jason Klein, Director of P-20 Initiatives.

Administrator Academies – 2021-2022

We are pleased to announce dates and topics for our half-day, online Administrator Academies that will be offered during the 2021-2022 school year. These sessions are not only open to school administrators but also to teachers, counselors, postsecondary faculty and leaders, and anyone else who is interested in learning more. 

• October 29 – Career Pathways & Social and Emotional Learning 
• December 8 – PaCE Framework Overview 
• February 16 – Illinois Career Pathways 
• June 7 – Illinois Career Pathways 

Each workshop runs from 9 AM until noon, online via Zoom, and earns participants full Administrator Academy credit. Registration is only $124 per person. Additionally, when a school district registers 4 or more participants for a single workshop, we also offer 2 hours of free follow-up professional time that can be used for strategic planning with district leaders, for the facilitation of professional learning with teachers and administrators, or even for presentations to the school board and/or families. 

Additional Administrator Academies Coming…
Not only are we offering the Administrator Academies listed above, but we are currently in the process of developing new Administrator Academies, and we look forward to sharing more information on those this fall. 

Customized, Local Administrator Academies
Finally, any of these Administrator Academies can be delivered locally and customized to meet the needs of your Regional Office of Education, Education for Employment (EFE) region, school district, or other group. For more information, contact us at p20network@niu.edu. 

A New Resource for Teachers & Counselors – The Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads Essential Skills Guide

One of the most critical components of Illinois’ work around the College and Career Pathways are the Cross-Sector Essential Employability Skills (See page 6 of the Illinois CCPE Competencies Guide). Referred to as the “Essential Skills” in shorthand and commonly referred to as “soft skills” in the business community, these competencies are critical for all of our students across all Career Pathways. Additionally, through a year’s worth of Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episodes, we’ve found that the Essential Skills are a consistent and detailed component of each interview. 

To help teachers, counselors, and others incorporate the Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episodes as another instructional resource in their classrooms, we are in the process of developing The Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads Essential Skills Guide. While the content is up-to-date in this draft mapping of the Essential Skills across the Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episodes, we are still working to develop a finalized web solution. Knowing that both school leaders and teachers will begin planning instruction for the 2021-2022 school year over the summer, we wanted to share this resource now, even in its current work-in-progress form. 

Announcing a New Partner – Illinois P-20 Network & Midwest Principals’ Center

For decades, Midwest Principals’ Center has brought together school leaders to learn with one another and from experts in topics ranging from curriculum and instruction to school law. Midwest Principals’ Center provides a wide range of learning opportunities each year, from bringing the most well-respected and in-demand speakers to local audiences to ongoing learning opportunities such as their Legal Breakfasts.

Now, the Illinois P-20 Network is proud to partner with Midwest Principals’ Center. As part of this partnership, Midwest Principals’ Center will promote the Illinois P-20 Network’s College and Career Readiness series of Administrator Academy workshops, which will allow even more school leaders to learn about these critical topics. Additionally, like the aforementioned Legal Breakfasts, the Illinois P-20 Network will offer a series of online introductory presentations on key College and Career Readiness topics for school leaders of all levels. These presentations will be free to all Midwest Principals’ Center members.

If your organization is not already a member of the Midwest Principals’ Center (MPC), learn more about MPC organizational or individual membership. 

Recap of the Spring 2021 Network Meeting

The Illinois P-20 Network hosted its Spring 2021 Meeting online on Thursday, April 29, 2021. The Spring 2021 Meeting, Lessons for our journey forward: Putting lessons from COVID-19 into practice for all students, was free and open to educators across Illinois. The purpose of this year’s Spring 2021 Illinois P-20 Network Meeting was to bring educational leaders together from all levels of education across Illinois and to identify the most effective practices and strategies that have been implemented over the past year.

While this was the third consecutive Illinois P-20 Network Meeting that was held online, this was the first meeting that was held live (synchronously) rather than as an asynchronous series of videos posted as a YouTube Playlist (Check out the Fall 2020 Meeting Playlist and the Spring 2020 Meeting Playlist). Taking advantage of the meeting’s online format, a wide range of attendees participated, stretching geographically across Illinois from north to south and from east to west, and representing the full range of organizations that make-up the Illinois P-20 Network.

Following introductions and remarks from Northern Illinois University President Lisa Freeman and Dean of the NIU College of Education Laurie Elish-Piper, the Spring Meeting featured a keynote presentation from Stephanie Malia Krauss, who has authored the newly published book, Making It: What Today’s Kids Need for Tomorrow’s World. Stephanie has served as a Senior Advisor at JFF as well as a former teacher and school leader. Today, she is also the parent of school-age children. Learn more about Stephanie, including being able to purchase her book, on her website. In her keynote presentation, Stephanie describes the environment in which today’s school-age learners have lived throughout their lives, including everything from current events to modern technology, and how these factors have influenced students’ lives and learning. Stephanie also discusses the changing nature of the workplace and careers, and Stephanie challenges schools to consider specific changes that must take place in order to meet these different realities than those on which modern schools were originally built.

One key feature of the Spring 2021 Illinois P-20 Network Meeting was our Student Panel, which included students ranging from middle school through undergraduates and from one end of Illinois to the other. The students on the panel shared their reflections about their experiences during this unique 2020-2021 school year and what suggestions they have for schools and learning moving forward. As is always the case with listening to our students, nothing can replace watching the full video below, but key elements highlighted by students included:

• Remote learning had key benefits including increased participation among a wider range of students and a greater ability to focus on learning rather than the performative social aspects of schooling
• Flexible approaches to scheduling are important
• Relationships between and among students and teachers remain important regardless of the format of the learning environment

Following the Student Panel, participants had the opportunity to engage in two different Breakout Room discussions from among five different categorical topics:

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Learning & Time & Space
• Teacher Workforce
• Assessment & Data
• Community Engagement

Each of these was facilitated by a leader in the particular space, and discussion focused around the following questions:

• What were the lessons we’ve learned over the past year during COVID-19 related to (The Breakout Room Topic)?
• Based on this year’s experiences, what practices and/or structures should we implement to improve learning for all students moving forward?
• What resources and policies do we need to be in place in order to make these changes effective, lasting, and sustainable?

During each Breakout Room discussion, NIU STEAM team members assisted by taking detailed notes. These notes are currently being coded and analyzed and will be used in conjunction with the exit slip survey data in order to determine priority areas of focus for the Illinois P-20 Network and for us collectively as a state in order to further improve learning for all students and for each student across Illinois from early childhood through ongoing adult education. The results of this work will, of course, be shared broadly with the Illinois P-20 Network, the state agencies, and beyond.

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – GCAMP Manufacturing Panel

Since students cannot be engaging in face-to-face or on-site work-based learning experiences, we’re bringing people from a wide range of occupations to students remotely. These videos will allow students to learn about their work, the skills that are most important in their work, and to benefit from the advice that these professionals have to offer students.

In this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episode, we meet with a panel of manufacturing experts from GCAMP, an organization in Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs that seeks to promote careers in manufacturing and connections between schools and manufacturing companies. In this episode, our panelists discuss their own careers, the work that their companies do, the different roles in which they have served, and the type of skills necessary for success in the manufacturing industry.

This wide-ranging Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads panel conversation provides countless examples of the importance of ensuring that all students have strongly developed the essential skills by the time that they graduate from high school. With high needs for employees in the manufacturing sector in locations across Illinois, manufacturing companies are confident that they can provide quality on-the-job training to new employees provided that those employees already exhibit strengths with each of the cross-sector essential employability skills.

Watch this special edition, panel discussion Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video focused on manufacturing featuring Kathleen Burley (GCAMP Executive Director), Chris Kaiser from Big Kaiser, and Paul Rimington from The Diemasters.

To keep up-to-date as new Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads videos are released:

• Follow the P-20 Network on Twitter
• Subscribe to the P-20 Network YouTube Channel

Information about applying for Career Pathway Endorsements for the 2021-2022 school year!

The ISBE College & Career Pathways Endorsement website has been updated and includes a variety of resources that will assist those with their plans to implement/offer pathway endorsements to students. Included among these resources are an updated ISBE College and Career Pathway Endorsement Framework and the ISBE Pathway Endorsement Infographic.

Should schools wish to begin building plans within the online web tool, they would need to contact Heather Strom at the Illinois State Board of Education so that she can provide the school district with a link to the web tool (Email: pathwayendorsements@isbe.net​). Please note that first, the school district would want to gather the necessary information using the Excel spreadsheet. This will make data entry easier and more accurate.

Also, if you are planning on issuing any Career Pathway Endorsements for FY21, you will need to complete the FY21 application and district projections that are found on the ISBE CCPE website.

In corresponding about this important announcement, Heather said, “I’m very excited to be working with schools and applaud their efforts to offer pathway endorsements to their students!” Obviously, the Illinois P-20 Network echoes this sentiment. If you have questions, please reach out to Heather at the email address included above, but please feel free to contact us as well as the team at Education Systems Center as we can continue to work collaboratively to support both ISBE and all of you working in school districts.

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Trishna Singh and Octave Rouege – Business Analysts

Since students cannot be engaging in face-to-face or on-site work-based learning experiences, we’re bringing people from a wide range of occupations to students remotely. These videos will allow students to learn about their work, the skills that are most important in their work, and to benefit from the advice that these professionals have to offer students.

In this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episode, Trishna Singh and Octave Rouege, both Senior Contract Analysts at Premier Inc, a healthcare technology company, share information about their careers and the workplace. With Trishna’s background in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, and Octave’s background in Marketing and Accounting, they provide great examples of the very different paths one can follow into this career as well as providing insightful examples of the essential skills necessary for success. Trishna studied at Emory University, and Octave earned degrees at the University of Southern Mississippi and Lakeland University.

In their roles as Business Analysts, they combine both clinical and purchasing data to help health systems make the best choices both in terms of medical purchases and general maintenance of the facility. While Trishna and Octave have very different academic backgrounds, the fact that they are doing the same job is proof that the essential skills are the foundation for landing any type of job and excelling at the position.  

Trishna and Octave’s work as Business Analysts is part of both the Health Sciences and Technology Career Pathway and the Finance and Business Services Career Pathway.  

In this video, Octave and Trishna share how their interest in health care and helping communities around them has contributed to making them successful in this role. They also talk about the importance of being willing to learn and understanding what a job entails before taking up a position. Both guests emphasize that being detail-oriented, having the ability to delegate when necessary, being able to communicate effectively with others, and adapting to a wide variety of different situations are critical to having a successful career in data analysis. Trishna stresses the need to be able to advocate for yourself and having basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel as crucial for getting an internship position in the world of data analysis. She also encourages students who are interested in working in a role like theirs to explore learning about data tools such as spreadsheets, to apply for internships, and to volunteer in hospitals or healthcare systems around their communities. Octave encourages students to shadow a professional in the position they aspire to hold as this will help paint a clear picture of what the role entails and what one will need to do in order to be successful.

Watch this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video with Business Analysts Trishna Singh and Octave Rouege.

To keep up-to-date as new Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads videos are released:

• Follow the P-20 Network on Twitter
• Subscribe to the P-20 Network YouTube Channel

More Draft Model Programs of Study Guides Released

This week, drafts of four new Model Programs of Study Guides were released in the following areas: 

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources 
• Architecture, Construction, and Energy 
• Arts and Communication 
• Finance and Business Services 

Public comments are encouraged and should be made through this Public Comment Form through June 5, 2021. There will also be an introductory webinar held on April 16, 2021 at 11 AM. Click here to register for the webinar. 

These Model Programs of Study Guides were developed through a process that was sponsored by the Illinois Community College Board and implemented in collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education. Education Systems Center led this process. The first four Model Programs of Study Guides were published during the Summer of 2020, and they are: 

• Education 
• Health Sciences and Technology 
• Information Technology 
• Manufacturing and Engineering 

P-20 Network Spring Meeting Keynote – Making It Author Stephanie Malia Krauss

The Illinois P-20 Network is hosting its Spring 2021 Meeting online on Thursday, April 29th at 9 AM. The Spring 2021 Meeting, Lessons for our journey forward: Putting lessons from COVID-19 into practice for all students, is free and open to educators across Illinois. To join us, complete this short online Spring 2021 Meeting registration form.

Today, we are excited to announce that the Spring Meeting will feature a keynote presentation from Stephanie Malia Krauss, who has authored the newly published book, Making It: What Today’s Kids Need for Tomorrow’s World. Stephanie is a Senior Advisor at JFF. Stephanie is also a former teacher, school leader, and a Metro East parent of children who are in school today on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River in the St. Louis area. Learn more about Stephanie on her website, stephaniemaliakrauss.com.

The purpose of this year’s Spring 2021 Illinois P-20 Network Meeting is to bring educational leaders together from all levels of education across Illinois and to identify the most effective practices and strategies that have been implemented over the past year.

Then, together, the Illinois P-20 Network will answer these questions, among others:

• Which of these strategies have demonstrated new ways of serving students and/or collaborating as educators to have a greater impact than what we have traditionally done?
• How has what we have learned this year broadened our vision of what the possible range of approaches to nurturing and supporting all learners?
• What policies and resources are necessary to move these practices into sustainable components of our educational structures and systems?

Stephanie’s book and keynote address will provide the perfect foundation on which we can collectively imagine schools that maximize learning for all students. To join us at the Illinois P-20 Network Spring 2021 Meeting, complete this short online Spring 2021 Meeting registration form.

Announcing the Live Online Spring 2021 P-20 Network Meeting

We are excited to announce plans for our Spring 2021 P-20 Network Meeting, which is titled Lessons for our journey forward: Putting lessons from COVID-19 into practice for all students.

The meeting will be held online on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 9 AM. There is no cost to participate in the meeting. To sign-up, simply complete this P-20 Network Spring 2021 Meeting Registration Form.

At the Spring 2021 Meeting, the P-20 Network will facilitate an opportunity for educational leaders at all levels to come together to share, listen, and plan to innovate for all students moving forward based on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial that this time is used to identify the specific supports and obstacles that face educators at all levels in implementing these innovations in order for the P-20 Network to actively lead in addressing those issues moving forward.

To gain access to the meeting, please complete this short registration form. We do ask that the form is completed for each individual attending.

Occupational Profiles launch on Illinois Postsecondary Profiles website

The Illinois Postsecondary Profiles (IPP) website originally launched in October 2019 with the first of three major elements available to the public at the time of its launch – Institutional Profiles. Learn more about the original phase of the IPP website from October 2019.

Today, the Illinois Postsecondary Profiles website rolls out a number of major features as the second major phase of the site’s development.

• Occupational Profiles, which provides users with opportunities to explore occupations and/or postsecondary areas of study (i.e., topics in which students major in college) by the 7 Illinois Career Pathways or by a keyword search or area of interest. Data about occupations is linked with both data regarding related areas of study and the postsecondary institutions in Illinois that offer these areas of study. Together, this provides a rich set of easy-to-access data that is unique among tools of this kind.

• Regional Profiles, which utilizes an interactive map (also known as a choropleth) that is currently organized by Illinois’ community college district boundaries, to display completion, enrollment, and population data. In the future, additional data sets and geographic boundary regions will be available for website visitors.

• IPP Data Center – A centerpiece of the IPP website since its debut has been the ability to download data presented on the website in its entirety. Given that this data comes directly from Illinois’ state agencies responsible for postsecondary education, being able to easily access these complete data sets is a great benefit to researchers in Illinois and around the world. With this release, the IPP Data Center has been significantly expanded with additional data available for download.

In a future release, the final major originally planned component of the Illinois Postsecondary Profiles will launch – Equity Profiles, which will support the exploration of data from postsecondary education across Illinois based on student demographic information.