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

Taking Steps to Address the Full Range of Dual Credit Challenges Together 

The Fall 2023 Illinois P-20 Network meeting consisted primarily of worktime for each of three key Illinois P-20 Network workgroups: Dual Credit Think Tank, IPIE, and KEEP Illinois. A summary of the Dual Credit Think Tank workgroup worktime follows below. 

The Dual Credit Think Tank brought together its membership while also welcoming educators new to the group from across Illinois. The primary task for the Dual Credit Think Tank at this meeting was to synthesize the recent policy changes adopted by the Higher Learning Commission’s (HLC) Board of Trustees at its November 2023 meeting. Over the past year, the group has worked on studying these now-approved changes and collecting feedback from practitioners on the potential impact of this policy change

With a significant representation from both school districts and postsecondary institutions and with participation from organizations like Stand for Children Illinois, the Think Tank started its workgroup session with a special message from Alex Perry from the College in High School Alliance, a national policy leader in early college credit. In his address to the group, Alex shared up-to-date information about student participation and the urgent need for states to affirm a clear, structured framework that appropriately considers the continued rise of dual credit enrollment.

Along with NIU’s Director of P-20 Initiatives Rodrigo López, Patrick McGill (Glenbard Township High School District 87) and Whitney Martino (West Aurora School District 129) led the group through a series of presentations and discussions that provided a deeper context and specific examples of the dual credit environment in Illinois. Aimee Galvin from Stand for Children Illinois also shared a series of key topics and questions for the group to consider in response to HLC’s policy changes. The expertise and unique experiences of the very diverse participants from across organizations and across Illinois identified the following next steps for the Dual Credit Think Tank.

1 – Amendments to the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act should prioritize the following: 

  • Instructor qualifications – Increased clarity and consistency 
  • Equivalent experience – Guidance that differentiates between Career and Technical Education courses and General Education courses 
  • Multiple measures – Development of a statewide framework that addresses dual credit programs’ unique needs

2 – Development of an Illinois Statewide Dual Credit Practices Guidance Framework that provides direction on the key components of dual credit operations, including but not limited to: 

  • Course selection and implementation 
  • Curriculum and instruction 
  • Student eligibility and services 
  • Registration and enrollment 
  • Financial structures and budgeting 

The final portion of the Illinois P-20 Network meeting included each workgroup providing a summary of their work to all participants. Then, small group discussions considered what the 1-year and 3-year specific task priorities should be for the Illinois P-20 Network. As a next step, the Network’s leadership team will compile all of those suggested priorities, analyze them, and may then solicit additional feedback from across the Illinois P-20 Network. Ultimately, the goal will be that there are specific, actionable, and sustainable next steps for each of the workgroups. 

November 2023

Advancing Positive, Engaging Environments for All Educators 

The Fall 2023 Illinois P-20 Network meeting consisted primarily of worktime for each of three key Illinois P-20 Network workgroups: Dual Credit Think Tank, IPIE, and KEEP Illinois. A summary of the KEEP Illinois workgroup worktime follows below. 

KEEP Illinois continued its work on several topics related to educator engagement and retention during the Illinois P-20 Network Fall 2023 Meeting. Arturo Senteno, Principal at West Leyden High School, provided important context and his own research on teacher and administrator engagement which reverberated throughout the remaining work session. Participants then broke into three groups based on topics identified in previous meetings as both important and achievable: research, wellness, coaching.   

While research on retention and engagement exists, it is not collected or synthesized in ways that can be easily used in decision-making. Creating a research “hub” and lit review could be a potential next step to help. Educator wellness is another critical topic that needs to first be carefully defined and understood.  KEEP Illinois members suggest creating a resource guide for teachers, administrators, and school board members to use in creating mental and physical wellness initiatives in their districts. There also should be exploration of how local and state policies can include a greater focus on adult wellness. Coaching for both teachers and administrators is another potentially powerful intervention to support engagement. Next steps include broadly sharing research with teachers, administrators, and professors on coaching, as well as best practices on how to create a culture of coaching in schools.

In the end, participants strongly endorsed continuing these efforts to improve retention and engagement across the state. Starting in January, KEEP Illinois will begin hosting monthly online forums and email updates to keep everyone connected and moving forward. Work will also proceed on an accessible platform with research on educator engagement, an educator wellness resource guide for organizations, and additional resources on instructional and leadership coaching. 

The final portion of the Illinois P-20 Network meeting included each workgroup providing a summary of their work to all participants. Then, small group discussions considered what the 1-year and 3-year specific task priorities should be for the Illinois P-20 Network. As a next step, the Network’s leadership team will compile all of those suggested priorities, analyze them, and may then solicit additional feedback from across the Illinois P-20 Network. Ultimately, the goal will be that there are specific, actionable, and sustainable next steps for each of the workgroups. 

November 2023

Exploring the ISBE Equity Journey Continuum

The Fall 2023 Illinois P-20 Network meeting consisted primarily of worktime for each of three key Illinois P-20 Network workgroups: Dual Credit Think Tank, IPIE, and KEEP Illinois. A summary of the IPIE workgroup worktime follows below. 

The Illinois Partnership of Educators for Inclusion and Equity (IPIE) focused its workgroup time on engaging in a data-driven equity workshop. IPIE is dedicated to connecting DEI leaders from school districts, community colleges, and universities across Illinois and to share resources across the group on a consistent basis. This workshop, led by Shavina Baker and Eric Junco, unveiled a treasure trove of resources including the group’s listserv using Google Groups, an online chat space using Discord, a web-based resource bank, and details about NIU’s Social Justice Summer Camp. These resources are intended to support equity leaders in their efforts to create positive changes and to support personal and professional learning in their communities. 

This workshop gave participants an overview of how to incorporate data into their conversations around equity within their school districts using key features from the Illinois Report Card, specifically the Data Library and the Custom Report Card Builder. Participants engaged in rich discussions on student achievement, opportunity gaps, and student discipline data. The workshop also gave participants examples on how these data points could assist in writing an action plan for addressing these gaps within their Equity Journey Continuum narratives. 

IPIE participants expressed appreciation for the session through their feedback. Attendees described the session as “very powerful and practical,” appreciating the “fresh perspectives on opportunity gaps and best practices.” Another view of the disparities that participants found between groups of students in their district’s data fostered a newfound awareness and created a sense of urgency to address these issues. As part of the session’s focus on the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) Illinois Report Card website, the ISBE Equity Journey Continuum was central to the workshop’s activities. As a result of the discussions, participants advocated for the inclusion of specific achievement and opportunity gap data within their districts’ Equity Journey Continuum text to foster transparency. Additionally, given the public nature of the Equity Journey Continuum statements, these cannot only be used to inform community members but as a way for districts to find partners working towards the same goals and/or with similar strategies and action plans. This workshop provided a strong foundation for continued collective action and encouraged new participants to join IPIE in an effort to bridge existing gaps and to achieve equitable outcomes in education. 

The final portion of the Illinois P-20 Network meeting included each workgroup providing a summary of their work to all participants. Then, small group discussions considered what the 1-year and 3-year specific task priorities should be for the Illinois P-20 Network. As a next step, the Network’s leadership team will compile all of those suggested priorities, analyze them, and may then solicit additional feedback from across the Illinois P-20 Network. Ultimately, the goal will be that there are specific, actionable, and sustainable next steps for each of the workgroups. 

November 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

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

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Sophie Dieckhaus – Attorney

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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 Sophie Dieckhaus, who is a workers’ compensation and personal injury attorney. After graduating from high school in Rockford, Illinois, Sophie earned her bachelor’s degree followed by attending law school. In the video, Sophie explains that, as a high school student, she wanted to be an author and pursue her love of writing. However, when it was recommended that she join the debate team, she found her love for defending her ideas that were backed by evidence.

Dieckhaus’s career as a workers’ compensation and personal injury attorney is part of the Human and Public Service Career Pathway.

In this video, Dieckhaus shares her journey to becoming an attorney along with the education and testing that is required in order to pass the bar and practice law. Sophie comments on the importance of women going into law and making a difference through their work as attorneys. Sophie feels that time management, self-regulation, self-awareness, and active listening are all critical Essential Skills for one to be successful as an attorney, and she also stresses the importance of being able to write, research and counsel others.

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

June 2023

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Michelle Carlson – Electrician

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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 Michelle Carlson, who is an industrial electrician and journeyman. After graduating from high school, Michelle worked at an automotive shop as a receptionist. That auto shop is where she expanded upon her love for hands-on learning. While working as a receptionist, Michelle would often go into the shop to observe, shadow, and learn from the mechanics. She later took an interest in being an electrician, and she was fortunate enough to then get a job with Chrysler and earn her certification as an electrician. She recounts that the road was not easy in a male dominated field, but her talents and her grit helped her overcome her obstacles.

Carlson’s work as an industrial electrician and journeyman is part of the Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, and Trades Career Pathway.

In this video, Carlson shares her journey to becoming an electrician and journeyman. Specifically, she highlights the resilience needed to be successful in a nontraditional career pathway, some of the advantages of being a woman in the industry, and her desire to inspire others to go into the skilled trades. She talks about the importance of teamwork, problem solving, and critical thinking skills, all of which are very important Essential Skills. Carlson also stresses the importance of more young people entering the skilled trades and the opportunities available to young people as there is a significant need for more workers as more older people retire. Carlson also assures those viewing this video that you can still earn a great living without a college degree, especially for those who take an interest in the skilled trades.

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

June 2023

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Ammi Fisher – Esthetician and Entrepreneur

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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 Ammi Fisher, who is an Esthetician and Entrepreneur. After graduating from Educators of Beauty Cosmetology School in Rockford, she began her career as an eyebrow technician. She is currently the owner of Eden Beauty Salon and Lounge in Rockford.

Fisher’s work as an esthetician and business owner is part of both the Human and Public Service and Finance and Business Services Career Pathways.

In this video, Ammi shares her path to first becoming an esthetician and then continuing on to become a business owner. She wants to inspire students to have faith in their passions and take a leap of faith into the unknown as part of the step to owning one’s own business. Ammi wants to promote her career field for all students who may be interested in pursuing work in cosmetology and related fields, and, in particular, she wants to help provide direction to students who may not be sure of how to take their first steps into this field. Ammi discusses what a typical day looks like with her clients, and she also explains the skills needed to be successful. There are multiple Essential Skills highlighted in this episode, including: having great communication, strong time management skills, and being effective at ongoing self-reflection. Ms. Fisher takes pride in reaching out to help others, and she plans to instruct classes in the future.

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

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

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Jasmine Carey – STEM Teacher

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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.

February 2023

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Mondrian Contreras – Veterinarian

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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.

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

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.

Illinois Career Pathway User Group – September 2022

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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
November 2021

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. 

October 2021

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. 

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

July 2021

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.

Breakdown of attendees by organization type

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.

Making It - Book Cover - Header

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.

Stephanie Malia Krauss Keynote Presentation

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
P-20 Network Meeting Student Panel

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.

May 2021

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

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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:

April 2021

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.

Making It Book Cover

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.

March 2021

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.

February 2021

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Yvonne Boose – Radio Journalist

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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 interview Yvonne Boose, who today is a radio journalist at WNIJ, a public radio station that is based at Northern Illinois University. During her senior year at Bogan High School, Yvonne took her grandfather’s advice. She went on to study Speech Communication at Chicago State University, where she learned radio and television production.

After graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree, Yvonne began working in customer service for Ameritech, a large telecommunications company in the Midwest at that time that was formerly part of AT&T and remain connected to AT&T in a number of ways. While Yvonne continued to earn promotions for her work, she also continued to desire a career in journalism. During this time period, she was able to begin an internship with AT&T Cable where she covered local stories on a television show called Hometown Edition. This internship confirmed for Yvonne that she did want to pursue journalism, so she went to Roosevelt University and earned a Master’s Degree in journalism. With her Master’s Degree, she obtained another internship at Beacon News in Aurora before moving into her current role at WNIJ.

Yvonne’s work as a journalist is part of the Arts & Communication Career Pathway.

In this video, Yvonne shares how her customer service skills have helped her make connections as a journalist with sources that are critical to telling honest and complete stories. She also talks about the need for students to be willing to take up volunteer and internship positions in order to build their experiences. Yvonne emphasizes that the following skills are critical to have success as a journalist: integrity, the ability to build honest and positive relationships with others, strong listening skills, robust organizational skills, the ability to accept feedback with a positive attitude, and having a hunger for new knowledge.

Watch this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episode with journalist Yvonne Boose.

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

January 2021

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Cora Pauli – Electrical Engineer

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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 interview Cora Pauli, who is an electrical engineer at HBK Engineering. HBK Engineering is regarded as one of COMED’s three most preferred companies to work with for project design. At an early age, Cora realized her love for mathematics and science and took the advice of her high school swimming coach at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School to study engineering in college. While in college, she interned with an engineering company where she learned about designing electrical distribution systems as well as learning AutoCAD. This experience contributed to her career choice as an electrical engineer.  In her current role at HBK Engineering, Cora works in the power sector and handles projects that focus on the design of electrical distribution systems, specifically Cora’s work focuses on what takes place between the electrical substation and the customer’s business or home.

The work that Cora does on a daily basis is a part of the Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, and Trades Career Pathway.

In this video, Cora shares with us some interesting facts about being a woman in the STEM field. She also talks about the need for young graduates who are interested in this field to love numbers and understand the basics of electrical engineering but to also possess a strong willingness to learn and ask questions. In addition to being forthcoming with questions, other essential skills for new electrical engineers to have include strong problem solving and communication skills. From crawling through manhole covers under streets in Downtown Chicago to projects that take place in Illinois’ corn and soybean fields, Cora is pleased to help provide people with consistent, reliable electricity using modern tools, like connected gear.

Watch this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video with electrical engineer Cora Pauli.

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

December 2020

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Audrey Romito – Domestic Violence Program Coordinator

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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 interview Audrey Romito, who is a Domestic Violence Program Coordinator at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Audrey continued her education after high school focused on the world of cosmetology. She became a licensed hair stylist, and for a time, she worked as a hair stylist. In looking for a change, she found a position with Kane County, where she began working on issues related to domestic violence, and from there, her interest for working with victims of domestic violence grew into a career. In her current role, Audrey engages in a wide range of tasks and responsibilities with regards to supporting victims of domestic violence from coordinating services to providing counseling.

The work that Audrey does as a Domestic Violence Program Coordinator is part of the Human and Public Services Career Pathway, though Audrey’s work, particularly in the context of the hospital setting in which she works can also be viewed as part of the Health and Technology Career Pathway.

In this episode, Audrey discusses her unique experiences between her graduation from Kaneland High School and her career that she loves so much today. Audrey highlights the fact that her work is unpredictable from one day to the next, and there is a danger of experiencing professional burn-out for those working with victims of domestic violence as is the case in many occupations in the Human and Public Services Career Pathway. To minimize this risk for herself, Audrey focuses on both meeting people where they are at and the little victories toward helping those with whom she is working become more independent. Audrey also stresses that the following essential skills are critical to success in her work: active listening, setting and reflecting on realistic goals, and being respectful of other people.

Watch this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video with Domestic Violence Program Coordinator Audrey Romito.

We apologize about the audio issues in the closing minutes of this episode. We decided to leave Audrey’s important answers in the video despite the audio issues that resulted from our video conference software solution.

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

November 2020

Amplifying Solutions – Tips for New Administrators

Amplifying-Solutions-Series-Logo-Only-with-Border

Each episode of Amplifying Solutions focuses on questions and challenges from practitioners, primarily current graduate students earning their degrees to become the next generation of principals, school business leaders, and superintendents, as well as those students who are earning their doctoral degrees. In response to these questions, experts are brought together to discuss solutions and strategies. The complete video conversation is included below.


In this episode of Amplifying Solutions, Dr. Susan Homes from the Illinois Principals’ Association and Dr. Courtney Orzel from the Illinois Association of School Administrators discuss tips to help new school leaders, as well as veteran administrators, be successful. While the context is specifically geared toward the COVID-19 pandemic, as is discussed in the video, these tips are relevant and applicable at any time.

The same keys to success

While the COVID-19 Pandemic presents unique challenges that have placed tremendous stress on school systems and all of the individuals in them, from students and families to teachers and staff to school administrators, Dr. Homes and Dr. Orzel point out that the keys to being successful during the Pandemic are the same keys to being successful at any time. These include:

  • Build relationships first – Be certain to know people as individuals, to understand and appreciate the community (or in many cases, the various communities that make up a school or district), learn the politics and dynamics of decision-making, and establish trust, respect, and fairness.
  • Be genuine – People, including students, see through ego and falsehoods. Identify your core values and stick to them. (One tip is to ask your immediate family what they think your core values are, and you can check their answers against your own. Their answers are likely to reveal patterns in your daily actions.)
  • Personalize the work – Students and staff members alike will learn more and do better when work has been personalized according to their needs and interests. Ask students and staff members directly about their needs and interests, and then follow-through to make adjustments based on what they have told you.
Taking care of yourself

It has become a common refrain to tell leaders to take care of themselves and to remind leaders that they cannot be successful for others if they are not staying well. At the same time, for many school administrators knowing that this is true is one thing while putting it into practice on a consistent, ongoing basis is much more difficult. Some tips include:

  • Take advantage of professional resources focused on wellness – For example, IASA has launched its Mindfulness Matters series for its members.
  • Find your group – Connect with colleagues who face the same challenges and pressures and be there to support one another. Text each other to simply see how others are doing. Call a colleague to check-in on the way to or from work. Make these routine parts of your day.
  • Hold each other accountable for being well – Take a few minutes and eat your lunch. Drink water throughout the day. Exercise and know that the time you are spending doing so will help you be more productive and more positive (and more likely to stay well physically, too). Along with the colleagues in the aforementioned group, remind one another to take these steps each day. Ask each other if you did. If not, help brainstorm how to do so tomorrow.
Get important things done – and done well

With the busy competing demands that school leaders face, prioritizing is always important, and during the Pandemic, it is more important than ever. Schools and districts must continually ask themselves, “What are our most important goals and needs for students?” Then, when faced with new or additional requests, it is critical to ask, “Will this new task still allow me to focus on successfully accomplishing the priorities that we set?”

To help ensure that you follow through with the priorities, some of the suggestions in the video include the following:

  • Use your calendar – Block out the time in your calendar to complete the tasks that are your priorities. If being in classrooms (in-person or remote/online) is an important part of your plan to improve student learning, time to be in classrooms must be blocked out in your calendar and maintained as a priority.
  • Work with your colleagues – Most schools and districts are full of dedicated, smart people. As a school or district leader, you do not have to know or do everything. Share work with your colleagues wherever and whenever it is appropriate with their jobs. At the same time, you have to balance this by also protecting their time as the leader to ensure that they can maintain their focus on completing the tasks that align with the organization’s priorities for students.
  • Follow-through – The work does not get done if you do not follow-through and complete it. This also includes being sure to close communication loops, so teachers and staff, families, and students know that the work is complete.
Looking to the future

In thinking about the long-term lessons from COVID-19 and the changes that schools can and should implement, Dr. Homes and Dr. Orzel identified the following key points:

  • Identify what is most important and focus on those priorities
  • Doing less will result in doing more
  • Focus on equity and ensuring that real opportunities are available for all students and for each student
  • Emphasize personalization to make learning meaningful and to ensure that everyone feels connected and part of their school community
  • Identify the strengths of the school or district, and then work hard to do those things even better
  • Focus on supporting teachers–They have the biggest impact on student learning
  • Trust that educators can do great work regardless of where they are in their career journey – from their first year to their last year
  • Emphasize the importance of adaptability for all educators
Resources
November 2020

Amplifying Solutions – Creativity in staffing with COVID-19

Each episode of Amplifying Solutions focuses on questions and challenges from practitioners, primarily current graduate students earning their degrees to become the next generation of principals, school business leaders, and superintendents, as well as those students who are earning their doctoral degrees. In response to these questions, experts are brought together to discuss solutions and strategies. The complete video conversation is included below.


In this episode of Amplifying Solutions, Monica Schroeder from North Shore School District 112 and Matt Zediker from Rockford Public School District 205 discuss their organization’s approaches to staffing during the very dynamic COVID-19 Pandemic. When schools initially moved to remote learning in March 2020, staffing plans for the 2020-2021 school year were nearly complete. Over the next five months leading up to the start of this school year, school districts continued to face changing guidelines and a wide range of expectations, opinions, and pressures from various stakeholder groups.

Each school district offered teachers the opportunity to apply to serve as remote learning teachers.

Planning for Multiple Schedules

Like districts throughout Illinois, both NSSD112 and RPS205 had to plan for students who would be learning remotely and for students who would be learning in-person at times as part of a hybrid model.

Both districts were going to require a significant number of teachers that would be assigned to remote teaching positions as a result of surveys of families during the summer of 2020, and this resulted in the need to move staff members into positions different from those in which they had originally been assigned.

From these initial experiences, the following keys to successfully navigating this COVID-19 environment emerged:

  • Listening – Having relationships already in place prior to the crisis provides a strong foundation for success. Then, it is critical for leaders to intentionally build time in their schedules to be in schools listening to staff members concerns and challenges and questions.
  • Empathy – School leaders must put themselves in the shoes of others from staff members to students to parents. When a leader can deeply understand the challenges (and feelings) that others face, they are able to craft solutions that better address a wider range of issues, and they are better able to communicate those solutions to stakeholders.
  • Collaboration – Collaboration among and with union leaders, board members, and administrators on a consistent and ongoing basis is critical to creating solutions that will meet the needs of each school district as well as successfully implementing those solutions.
  • Articulate why – While specific people may not always like certain decisions, if they understand the rationale behind the decision, how it benefits students, and why it is a fair decision and/or a good use of limited resources, they will typically accept, and even support, the decision.
  • Know the law – The pandemic has brought with it unique scenarios related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Additionally, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act resulted in additional, important legal parameters for school leaders to know. As is mentioned in the discussion, school law firms have provided a significant amount of ongoing, free professional development to support school leaders since the start of the pandemic.

In thinking about the long-term take-aways for the future of education, the following items were identified as being important areas of emphasis in a post-COVID-19 world of learning:

  • Emphasize learning and de-emphasize seat time; Focus on supporting all students with achieving outcomes
  • Continue focusing on the importance of social and emotional learning
  • Be flexible
  • Be creative
  • Continue to foster an “all-hands on-deck” culture, including having families be integrated into our learning processes
  • Remind teachers and staff that they won’t be able to be everything to everyone and support them in being the best that they can be right now.
November 2020

Launching Amplifying Solutions

The Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations (LEPF) in the Northern Illinois University College of Education has joined forces with the Illinois P-20 Network to launch a series of videos, web-based events, and blog posts on important topics that have been identified by current teachers and administrators who are also graduate students in and alumni of LEPF programs.

The videos, events and blog posts that result from this partnership will be available publicly, and educators are encouraged to share this content throughout their professional networks.

Initial episodes are being recorded at this time, and content will begin being posted this week both in the Newsfeed of the P-20 Network website and on the P-20 Network YouTube Channel.

November 2020

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Denise Hoth – Surgical Instrument Specialist Management

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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 interview Denise Hoth, who is a surgical instrument specialist that has now also become the manager of a team of surgical instrument specialists. As is discussed in the episode, surgical instrument specialists maintain and repair a wide range of tools used in surgery. Denise became a surgical tech after attending school at Triton College, and as a result of her work in that field, she had the opportunity to move into becoming a surgical instrument specialist. In this episode, Denise explains that her pathway to her current role is one of many potential avenues is as evidenced by the range of background experiences of her team of surgical instrument specialists.

The work that Denise does as a surgical instrument specialist. is part of both the Health & Technology and the Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, and Trades Career Pathways. Given the time she spends managing financial, operational, and human resources issues, her work is also part of the Business & Finance Career Pathway.

In this episode, Denise explains the nature of the work that surgical instrument specialists do each day, including their working environment in the mobile service labs in the box truck that each surgical instrument specialist on her team drives. Denise explains how it is important that everyone in this role has strong mechanical skills, and that it is important to have integrity, strong verbal communication skills, and be able to work independently. Denise also stresses that this is a field with quite a bit of opportunity, and that a focus on customer service is the number one priority for each employee in her company.

Watch this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video with surgical instrument specialist and manager Denise Hoth.

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

November 2020

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads – Miles Robinson – VR QA Analyst

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads logo

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 interview Miles Robinson, who is a Quality Assurance (QA) Analyst on Facebook’s Oculus team. Oculus has been widely regarded as the leading virtual reality (VR) headset technology, and the QA team plays an incredibly important role in trying to minimize the bugs that are released in the complex combination of hardware and software. Miles grew up in Chicago and attended Whitney Young High School and studied pre-law as an undergraduate while also learning coding and software development, building on a long-time interest in computers and information technology (and video games). After earning his Bachelor’s Degree, Miles engaged in a submersive experience to learn software development in great detail that led to his career in IT and ultimately to his current role at Facebook.

The work Miles does on a daily basis is part of the Information Technology Career Pathway.

In this video, Miles stresses the importance of being adaptable and a team player. Miles also emphasizes that coding is not easy. It is complex work that requires a significant amount of study and a high degree of perseverance. At the same time, Miles strongly suggests that if you believe in yourself and do the hard work, you can be successful with this type of job.

Watch this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads video with Virtual Reality Quality Assurance Analyst Miles Robinson.

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

October 2020

P-20 Network Fall Virtual Meeting

Like the Spring 2020 P-20 Network Meeting, the Fall 2020 Meeting has also been moved to an online asynchronous event. Despite again missing out on face-to-face, real-time interactions, we are excited to bring you the relevant presentations that have been requested.

Each of the presentations below links to a video on the P-20 Network YouTube Channel.

Welcome – Thinking about Engagement Networks
Dr. Rena Cotsones, Chief Engagement Officer & Senior Associate Vice President, Northern Illinois University

College & Career Readiness – College & Career Pathways

An Overview of Career & Technical Education and Perkins V from ISBE & ICCB – Natasha Allan, Director for Career & Technical Education, Illinois Community College Board; Marci Johnson, Director of Career & Technical Education and Innovation, Illinois State Board of Education

Bringing Work Home: A Framework for Virtual Work-Based Learning (Also presented for the Forum for Excellence 2020) – Heather Penczak, Policy & Program Manager, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University; Carl Schneider, Fellow, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University; Nikki James, Practera at Northeastern University

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads
Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads YouTube Playlist
Suggest a Guest

College & Career Readiness – Dual Credit

“How does a teacher get a dual credit endorsement in Illinois?” – Dr. Jenny Parker, Associate Vice Provost for Educator Licensure and Preparation, Northern Illinois University

Dual Credit Teacher Professional Development Plans – Alauna McGee, Director of Early College Opportunities, Heartland Community College

Equity & Opportunity

Parent University: Key Components and Getting Started – Susana Das Neves, Director of Illinois Migrant Education Services, Northern Illinois University

Research & Data

Illinois Postsecondary Profiles – Launch of Path 2 – Occupational Profiles – Charlie Rosemond, Data & Outcomes Manager, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University; Dr. Jason Klein, Director of P-20 Initiatives, Northern Illinois University

P-20 Research & Data Collaborative – Overview + State/Federal Projects – Dr. Alan Clemens, Director, NIU P-20 Research & Data Collaborative; Dr. Ben Creed, Assistant Professor, College of Education-Northern Illinois University; Dr. Kelly Summers, Associate Professor, College of Education-Northern Illinois University

P-20 Research & Data Collaborative – Working with Local Organizations: Perspectives from Superintendents – Dr. Steve Epperson, Superintendent, Paw Paw CUSD271; Dr. Lynn Gibson, Superintendent, Paw Paw CUSD271

For more information and to be part of the conversation of the P-20 Network:

October 2020

Administrator Academies 2020-2021

For this school year, the Illinois P-20 Network & NIU STEAM have added new Administrator Academies and are bringing back other important Administrator Academies.

UPDATE – 02 October 2020 – The DeKalb ROE registration link is now live.

Each year, school administrators in Illinois are required to participate in at least one Administrator Academy professional learning workshop. The Illinois P-20 Network is pleased to offer these workshops in conjunction with the DeKalb County Regional Office of Education and registration links for each online workshop will be posted on the DeKalb County ROE Professional Development website under the correct month. Of course, teachers and postsecondary staff and faculty members are also invited to these professional learning sessions. Professional Development Hours (PDHs) will also be provided to those attending who are not administrators. Each workshop costs only $124 per participant, and they are all online and available to educators across Illinois and beyond.

  • October 30 — How Data Demands Dual Credit for Everyone – Expanding Early College Options
    Dr. Jason Klein (Administrator Academy #1895)
  • November 10 — Social and Emotional Learning Leads to College & Career Readiness
    Dr. Jason Klein (Administrator Academy #3753)
  • November 18 – STEAMing it Up! Integrate science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) in-person and online in conjunction with NIU STEAM
    Dr. Kristin Brynteson (Administrator Academy #3697)
  • December 9 – Finding High Quality, Standards-Aligned Illinois Resources – iOER in conjunction with NIU STEAM
    Dr. Kristin Brynteson (Administrator Academy #3758)
  • December 11 — College and Career Pathways
    Dr. Jason Klein (Administrator Academy #3749)
  • January 22 – Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework: Are Your Students On PaCE to Thrive?
    Dr. Jason Klein (Administrator Academy #1890)
  • April 14 — College and Career Pathways
    Dr. Jason Klein (Administrator Academy #3749)
  • June 8 – Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework: Are Your Students On PaCE to Thrive?
    Dr. Jason Klein (Administrator Academy #1890)
  • June 9 — Social and Emotional Learning Leads to College & Career Readiness
    Dr. Jason Klein (Administrator Academy #3753)

The Illinois P-20 Network is also happy to work with individual school districts, Regional Offices of Education, and other educational organizations to bring Administrator Academies to you. If you have questions or need more information, please contact Jason Klein.

September 2020

Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads continues expanding

From Broadway to the lab and from the courtroom to the construction site, we are excited to bring work-based learning activities to our students as they learn at home and to provide relevant, ready-to-use resources for teachers to use with students. Share the Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads series with your teachers and students! 

As we start the 2020-2021 school year, we are creating and publishing new episodes. If you have a suggestion for a potential guest for a Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads episode, please share that with us using this Career Pathways Virtual Trailheads Guest Recommendation Form. 

September 2020