Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems) is a mission-driven policy development and program implementation center. Through collaborative partnerships, we design, implement, and evaluate policies and practices that ensure successful transitions to and through postsecondary and career opportunities for students.
Register by January 9, 2026
Register by January 14, 2026
As we complete the target year of the state’s postsecondary attainment goal, what have we achieved, what have we learned, and what should come next?
How can community colleges better support students to access and succeed in pathways-aligned dual credit? Working with College of Lake County and Jobs for the Future, we’re testing an innovative “hub” model that centralizes dual enrollment operations through community colleges to improve outcomes for high-need students.
How do we gather and utilize the right data and tools to ensure our systems are driving the student outcomes that matter the most? That’s the prompt behind the third pillar of our Policy Agenda: Policy Evaluation and Continuous Improvement. Learn more about our aims to address the question.
Access our new report on the Academic Progress Indicator, a student progress measure developed by Chicago Public Schools that represents a significant step forward in how schools and communities can use data to understand and support student learning.
The new release of 2025 school year data in the Illinois Report Card highlights notable progress in some high school indicators, but also identifies ongoing areas of concern in postsecondary transitions and success.
Across Illinois, community colleges are strengthening their commitment to student success by offering new scholarships and supports for high school graduates who complete a College and Career Pathway Endorsement.
