Sprinting toward new priorities

Following the Illinois P-20 Network Meeting, held on November 29, 2023, the leadership team of the P-20 Network has spent time organizing, coding, and analyzing the feedback about short- and medium-term priorities from participants in the Meeting. 

A new approach to project management to accomplish tasks and be agile

Based on that feedback, first, the Illinois P-20 Network will be adopting a modified sprint planning approach to project management. In this approach, short-term goals are identified and set-up for accomplishment over an equally short period of time. This approach to project management is most frequently used in software development, in which 6-week sprints are often the norm. Following each sprint, a project team typically takes the following week for bug fixes in the software as well as for identifying the goal of the next 6-week sprint and laying out a corresponding project plan for that sprint. 

Educational organizations typically organize around 1-year goals and plans (e.g., School Improvement Plans) and longer 3- to 5-year strategic plans. Schools, school districts, and postsecondary institutions benefit from the long-term focus over time that is tied to sticking with a consistent small set of goals over many years to move the entire organization forward in deep and lasting ways. For the Illinois P-20 Network, on the other hand, sprint planning is beneficial because it allows Network members to quickly see tangible benefits from the Network’s work on an ongoing basis and because it allows the Illinois P-20 Network to be nimble and adjust to changes in policy and/or the needs of its constituent member organizations. 

To this end, each of the workgroups has set targeted goals for the third quarter of the 2023-2024 academic year. We will update all Illinois P-20 Network members on our progress toward each of these targets this spring. 

Next steps for Illinois P-20 Network Workgroups

Dual Credit Think TankWith the successful and large in-person gathering at the Fall P-20 Network Meeting, the Dual Credit Think has continued to provide direct opportunities for practitioners at both the school district and postsecondary levels to offer feedback on Stand for Children Illinois’ proposed amendment to the Dual Credit Quality Act. In the weeks to come, the Dual Credit Think Tank will focus on facilitating conversations for practitioners to continue to influence the legislative process as it unfolds in Springfield with their on-the-ground experiences. A second priority that the Dual Credit Think Tank will undertake alongside this effort, a series of professional learning opportunities regarding developing a common understanding of the 2022 amendment to the Dual Credit Quality Act will take place in February, March, and April. If you are not already in the Dual Credit Think Tank and would like to be, please contact Rodrigo López.  

IPIE – Based on feedback from the Fall P-20 Network Meeting and the ongoing work of IPIE, over the next three months IPIE will offer monthly online sessions focused on supporting districts with analyzing district and school data for the planning and implementation of their work around the ISBE Equity Journey Continuum. To become involved in IPIE and/or attend upcoming meetings, please complete this short IPIE interest form

KEEP Illinois – Over the next few months, KEEP Illinois will publish three white papers based on the existing literature on the following topics: educator retention broadly, instructional coaching and its impact on educator retention, and the impact of wellness policies and practices on educator retention. Each of these will also be presented as a practitioner-focused webinar as they are completed. During this period, KEEP Illinois will also commence a regular pattern of monthly meetings to discuss research, best practices, and additional action steps. If you are not already a part of KEEP Illinois and would like to be, please contact Tim Dohrer

December 2023

Workgroup details for the Fall 2023 Network Meeting

With educators who serve students of all ages coming to Naperville on November 29, 2023, from across the state, you do not want to miss this important event. Colleagues from school districts, community colleges, and universities, as well as state agencies and professional organizations, will be attending to help move our educational systems forward together.

The majority of our time will be spent in three workgroups. Participants can join a workgroup even if they have not previously participated with that group in-person or online. All are truly welcome to roll-up their sleeves, attend, and participate!

IPIE – Illinois Partnership for Inclusion and Equity – This transformative data-driven equity workshop is the culmination of insights garnered from IPIE’s expansive membership. This workshop will first review annual trends in DEI before teaching participants to pinpoint and dissect achievement, opportunity, and racial discipline gaps with the precision of the Illinois Report Card. Join us and engage in rich discussions around local district data, sparking innovative strategies to amplify equity initiatives. This workshop concludes by bridging Illinois Report Card equity gap data with actionable steps; guiding districts in enhancing their Equity Journey Continuum. Elevate your district’s commitment to equity!

KEEP Illinois – Keeping Educators Engaged Professionally – The goal of KEEP Illinois is to keep educators engaged in learning and growing as professionals throughout their career. If we are successful with this effort, we will impact the ongoing educator shortage by stopping (or significantly decreasing) the flow of educators out of the profession and improve the daily lives of educators–and, as a result, their students. This work session will focus on developing action plans we will implement in the coming months to improve the conditions for teachers and administrators across Illinois.

Dual Credit Think Tank – The Dual Credit Think Tank will bring members of the dual credit community together to discuss how the recent policy changes that the Higher Learning Commission made to its faculty qualifications will affect policy and practice in Illinois. Participants will learn from secondary, postsecondary, and policy experts about dual credit teacher credentialing practices in Illinois. Members will work to outline the most pressing challenges faced by dual credit partnerships and aim to identify policy-driven solutions. Topics will include course selection, minimum qualifications to teach, partnership agreements, student services/development, and class size/caps.

November 2023

Doing the Work: Illinois P-20 Network Fall 2023 Meeting

This year, the Fall Meeting of the Illinois P-20 Network will be held on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, from 9.30 AM until 1.30 PM at NIU Naperville. While we will spend a short period of time together at the beginning of the day to set the stage and to frame our work, the majority of the Meeting will be spent as dedicated, in-person worktime for each of the following Illinois P-20 Network workgroups: 

  • Dual Credit Think Tank
  • Illinois Partnership for Inclusion and Equity
  • KEEP Illinois – Keeping Educators Engaged Professionally

For those that have been a part of these groups, we hope you can join us in-person in Naperville on November 29. For those that have not, please join us on November 29 and lend your voice to one or more of the workgroups – Everyone is not only welcome but encouraged to join us!

The day will conclude with a short sharing session and lunch. To help offset the costs of the in-person event, we are asking participants for a small registration fee of $30. Thank you for your understanding!

September 2023

An Overview Webinar of HLC’s Proposed Policy Changes

On September 6, 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 representing secondary and postsecondary institutions, Rodrigo and Aimee reviewed the Higher Learning Commission’s (HLC) proposed policy changes to Faculty Qualifications, resulting from the HLC’s Board of Trustees’ first reading of the policy this past summer. The Board is expected to vote on the proposed Faculty Qualifications policy during their upcoming meeting this November.

The webinar provided background context to these proposed policy changes, and the webinar also provided information on the current policy and guidelines (Determining Qualified Faculty Through HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices) as noted in the Assumed Practices – CRRT.B.10.020. Aimee from Stand for Children Illinois offered an overview of their organization’s philosophy on dual credit and shared some thoughts on potential implications for both school districts and postsecondary institutions in Illinois, which are included in the Stand for Children Illinois HLC Proposed Rule Change Comment Letter.

Next Steps for Practitioners to Consider (and for Action)

The proposed policy changes and the information shared by the Dual Credit Think Tank present a time-sensitive opportunity for both school districts and postsecondary institutions to engage in a conversation about how these changes may impact their goals and their directions moving forward. For example, the HLC is seeking to adopt Progress toward academic credentials as an alternative to approve instructors to teach college courses. In the context of dual credit, this allows dual credit partnerships to construct a framework to explore the use of Professional Development Plans as a means to be credentialed to teach dual credit courses, similar to what is described in the Dual Credit Quality Act. Additionally, Illinois P-20 Network partners might find value in learning more about implementing a local policy that uses Equivalent Experience to increase dual credit instructors within career and technical education.

Understanding that dual credit partnerships from across Illinois face their own unique challenges, the Dual Credit Think Tank encourages all members to critically analyze the proposed policy changes and participate in the open comment period.

Please note that comments to HLC regarding this proposed policy change remain open through September 18, 2023. Comments can be provided to HLC via email: policycomments@hlcommission.org

The full webinar can be viewed on YouTube or below.

September 2023

The Higher Learning Commission’s Proposed Policy Changes to Faculty Qualifications

On June 22, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Board of Trustees had the first reading of the changes to its Faculty Qualifications policy. The HLC Board is expected to vote on this proposal at its November 2023 meeting following the proposal’s second reading.

Aimee Galvin from Stand for Children Illinois and Rodrigo Lopez from the Illinois P-20 Network will host an informational webinar on the HLC’s proposed policy changes and share comments submitted to the HLC as part of their open comment period. They will also share a range of perspectives on the potential implications as gathered from the field.

The webinar will be hosted on September 6th from 3-4 PM. We invite you to attend by registering using this online Google form.

Please note that comments to HLC regarding this proposed policy change remain open through September 18, 2023. Comments can be provided to HLC via email (policycomments@hlcommission.org).

Please continue reading below for additional background and details about these proposed HLC policy changes.


Background

The HLC is one of the six regional accreditors in the United States. The proposed changes, if approved, apply to all postsecondary education institutions accredited by the Commission in the State of Illinois, along with 18 other states. These changes would revise “the faculty qualification provision in HLC’s Assumed Practices (B.2) to emphasize that an institution must establish and maintain processes for determining that instructors are qualified.”

The proposed policy changes are based on the feedback that the HLC has compiled over the past several years. More recently, the HLC held conversations with leadership from the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) and the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), two of the most critical and knowledgeable organizations on dual credit.

Faculty Qualifications: Proposed Policy Changes

The proposed HLC changes would give postsecondary educational institutions flexibility to establish local procedures that determine qualified faculty based on “the achievement of academic credentials, progress toward academic credentials, equivalent experience, or some combination thereof.”

Furthermore, the HLC has drafted “Institutional Policies and Procedures for Determining Faculty Qualifications Guidelines” to support colleges/universities determined “reasonable” procedures in accordance with the newly proposed changes.

  • Achievement of academic credentials – “An instructor possesses an academic degree relevant to the discipline and at least one level above the level they intend to teach.”
  • Progress toward academic credentials – “Demonstrable, current, and consistent progress toward the academic credential(s) deemed relevant by the institution for an instructor to be qualified.”
  • Equivalent experience* – “Experience commensurate with achievement of academic credentials such that it qualifies an instructor for the instruction (e.g., a minimum threshold of experience; research and/or scholarship; recognized achievement; and/or other activities and factors).” (Experience with classroom instruction as a teacher cannot alone constitute equivalent experience.)
August 2023

Expanding the NIU Illinois CTE Project Team

The NIU Illinois CTE Project, one key component of the larger Illinois P-20 Network Team, is contracted by the Illinois State Board of Education’s CTE & Innovation Team to collaborate with ISBE and educators across Illinois in leading CTE-related professional learning; evaluating, identifying, creating, and sharing instructional resources; supporting the goal of having high-quality and diverse CTE educators in classrooms across Illinois; and implementing ISBE’s annual Career Connections Conference.

As schools across Illinois begin the 2023-2024 school year, we are excited to announce two new members of our NIU Illinois CTE Project Team: 

Brian Rick – Brian joins the team with a background having served as a high school CTE teacher as well as having worked in CTE at the community college-level and in the Regional Office of Education setting. Brian has extensive experience in construction and engineering classrooms, with Perkins V and its related processes, in implementing and leading Skills USA within a school district, and with leading efforts to close opportunity gaps for all students. Most recently, Brian has served as the CTE Navigator at Southeastern Illinois Community College having also previously worked at Vienna High School, ROE 20, Shawnee Community College, and at Carbondale High School. Brian has been involved in IACTE, and this past year, Brian was also part of ACTE’s IAED Diversity Cohort. 

Betsy Westergreen – Elizabeth (Betsy) Westergreen joins the team having most recently served as the Career and Community Services Coordinator at Pontiac Township High School. In addition to teaching in this role, she was actively involved in leading schoolwide efforts to implement the PaCE Framework and the Work-Based Learning Continuum as well as serving as a liaison with community and business partners and the community college. Prior to her most recent role, Betsy also worked on the Innovative Curriculum Resource Project at Illinois State University under contract with ISBE, and Betsy served for many years as a CTE teacher in Flanagan-Cornell Unit School District 74 in which she taught classes across the Arts and Communications, Finance and Business Services, and Information Technology Career Pathways as well as leading a range of student activities. 

Over the coming weeks and months, we look forward to the opportunities that teachers, counselors, and administrators across Illinois will have to collaborate with Brian and Betsy alongside current NIU Illinois CTE Project Team members Shavina Baker and Bill Rose. 

August 2023

2023-2024 Professional Learning Calendars

ISBE and the NIU Illinois CTE Project Team, part of the Illinois P-20 Network, invite you to participate in a variety of professional development opportunities this school year, including: 

  • Online Professional Learning Courses 
  • CTE & Equity Promising Practices 
  • Administrator Academies – Open to All 
    • Illinois Career Pathways Overview 
    • Social & Emotional Learning Leads to College & Career Readiness 
    • PaCE Framework Overview 
    • Forming Relationships with Community and Business Partners 
  • Teaching & Assessing the Essential Skills in CTE 
  • Writing Team-Based Challenges
  • Career Pathway User Group
  • ISBE Career Connections Conference – June 18, 2024 – Tinley Park Convention Center

For more information and to register, please visit the ISBE CTE Professional Learning Calendar – 2023-2024. Additional workshops will be added to the calendar moving forward!

July 2023

Expanding our P-20 Network Team

The Illinois P-20 Network is excited to announce that Tim Dohrer, currently the Director of Teacher Leadership at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy, will be joining Northern Illinois University beginning on September 1, 2023. Tim will be serving as our new Director of Educator Leadership and Partnerships, and his role is an appointment across the Northern Illinois University College of Education and the Illinois P-20 Network in the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development. 

Prior to his role at Northwestern, Tim served as a teacher, instructional leader, and as the principal at New Trier High School. Tim brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience with him as well as continued work alongside educators in schools in his current role.  

At NIU, Tim will continue to lead the Educational Coaching Network (ECN) as well as provide leadership for KEEP Illinois, engage across Illinois P-20 Network efforts, and partner with school districts, community colleges, and other organizations on the creation and implementation of degree and licensure programs through the NIU College of Education.  Please join us in welcoming Tim to NIU and the Illinois P-20 Network! 

July 2023

NIU Illinois CTE Project is Hiring

UPDATEApply 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.
May 2023

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.

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

May 2023

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. 

Tim Dohrer kicks off the Educational Coaching Network’s Spring 2023 Conference.

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 

April 2023

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.

February 2023

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

    February 2023

    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.

    February 2023

    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!

    January 2023

    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

    November 2022

    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.

    October 2022

    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:

    Draft Career Pathway Standards Documents

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

    October 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.

    September 2022

    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.

    September 2022

    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.

    August 2022

    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

    Active Recruitment of Special Populations into CTE Programs and Nontraditional Careers

    Elimination of Barriers for Individual CTE Students

    August 2022

    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 ReadinessRegister 
    • August 4 – PaCE Framework OverviewRegister 
    • August 5 – Illinois Career Pathways OverviewRegister 
    July 2022

    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. 

    July 2022

    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.

    June 2022

    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! 

    June 2022

    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.

    May 2022

    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

    May 2022

    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.

    May 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.

    May 2022

    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. 

    May 2022

    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!

    May 2022

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

    Educators, please share with your business and industry and community partners and encourage them to join us!

    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.

    March 2022

    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.

    March 2022

    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.

    February 2022

    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.

    January 2022

    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.

    January 2022

    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!

    January 2022

    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.

    November 2021

    Join our team! 2 new positions!

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

    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.

    September 2021

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

    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

    May 2021