Education Systems Center (EdSystems) at Northern Illinois University works to deepen the impact of evidence-based policy and implementation practices in communities to ensure that students from historically marginalized communities have a clear, unambiguous path to college and high-quality career opportunities.
Advancing college and career readiness and success
Connector, strategist, implementer, and intermediary
Equitable: We prioritize the success of historically marginalized students and communities.
Systems-Centric: We align across secondary and postsecondary education and workforce systems for seamless transitions.
Evidence-Based: Our work is grounded in data and research, including stakeholder engagements, to inform continuous evaluation and improvement.
Bi-Directional: We work simultaneously with state and local partners, aligning local efforts to state policy while elevating local experiences to state tables. This approach allows us to scale innovative practices informed by local exemplars while ensuring local efforts align with statewide priorities and drive measurable impact.
EdSystems’ pillars of work ensure that policies are grounded in practice, practices are informed by evidence, and impact is measured and sustained across Illinois and beyond.
We support the development and implementation of policies that remove barriers for learners and increase college and career access and success.
We partner with communities to design, pilot, and scale evidence-based, innovative practices that center student needs and drive meaningful short- and long-term outcomes.
We generate and analyze critical data while leading networks and building field capacity to ensure that research translates into coordinated action and lasting change.