Celebrating the Illinois Education and Career Success Network’s tenth anniversary, the annual conference equipped and inspired attendees to advance equitable postsecondary attainment across Illinois.
Themed Accelerating Equitable Success, the 2023 conference delivered an array of high-quality content and interactive, hands-on opportunities centered on advancing equitable postsecondary attainment. In celebration of the Success Network’s first decade, Network Organizers honored the work that Leadership Communities have accomplished and shared a vision for the future.
Sessions Archive
Playlist
Success Network Director Edith Njuguna opened the conference with highlights from the Network’s first ten years.
Keynote speaker Dr. Amy Loyd, Assistant Secretary in the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) at the U.S. Department of Education shared OCTAE’s vision for college and career success and information on new federal supports and resources available to support states as they implement and enhance these efforts. Following her remarks, she joined Jonathan Furr, Executive Director at Education Systems Center at NIU, to discuss equity-centered practices to support college and career success and how the work of the Success Network aligns with federal priorities.
Speakers:
- Amy Loyd, EdLD, Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education
- Jonathan Furr, Executive Director, Education Systems Center at NIU
- Edith Njuguna, Director, Illinois Education and Career Success Network
Four Leadership Communities share their accomplishments, lessons learned, and vision for the future as they have worked with diverse stakeholders to advance equitable postsecondary attainment as we honor the work that all Leadership Communities have accomplished this past decade.
Speakers:
- Sydney Stigge-Kaufman, Executive Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, East St Louis School District 189
- Darryl Hogue, EdD, Superintendent, River Bend CUSD #2
- Nancy Awdziejczyk, Executive Director, Northwest Educational Council for Student Success (NECSS)
- Kari Rauh, Director of Workforce Solutions, Greater Peoria Economic Development Council
- Edith Njuguna, Director, Illinois Education and Career Success Network
A conversation with state education and workforce leaders to learn about ongoing collaboration across the two systems to ensure all Illinoisans can realize educational, economic, and social success.
Speakers:
- Brian Durham, EdD, Executive Director, Illinois Community College Board
- Mackenzie Eisen, Senior Assistant to Deputy Governor Martin Torres, Office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
- Cherita Ellens, President and CEO, Women Employed
- Robin Steans, President, Advance Illinois
Equitable dual credit outcomes require the awareness, energy, and support of multiple different stakeholders. To better understand stakeholders’ perspectives and support of dual credit in Illinois, several organizations collaborated to conduct a survey of students, parents, policymakers, and high school and postsecondary faculty and staff. Hear what we learned from the nearly 1,000 survey responses and how we are using the data to increase equitable access to high-quality dual credit programs for Illinois students.
Speakers:
- Sarah Stashkiw, EdD, Director of P-20 Educational Partnerships, College of Lake County
- Meagan Mitchell, PhD, Pathways Manager, Education Systems Center
Two communities will share their learnings, innovations, and best practices on how they are intentionally designing and implementing work-based learning experiences with access and equity at the center. Attendees will spend time in small groups to reflect on the community models and consider how we might move forward in our own spaces to enhance and expand work-based learning in a manner that addresses inequities in who is and isn’t accessing these experiences, builds social capital, and prepares young people for their futures.
Speakers:
- Frank Holthouse, Director of Careers, Leyden High School
- Michael Kuhn, EdD, Director, DesPlaines Valley Region EFE
- Jazlyn Stanciel, Career Pathways Supervisor, East St. Louis Senior High School
This session will provide an overview of state policies and practices aimed at increasing the transition from high school to higher education in Illinois while increasing the likelihood of student persistence and completion to credential. Policy discussions will include minimizing remediation through transition courses in English and math, diversifying access to early college opportunities, and career pathways influence on early employment with a discussion of current statewide data on community college persistence and completion.
Speakers:
- Laz Lopez, EdD, Interim Superintendent, High School District 214 and Chair, Illinois Community College Board
- Marcus Brown, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs & Student Success, Illinois Community College Board
With an increase in dual credit and college and career pathways in Illinois, regional administrators need to understand what are the most strategic courses for students to pursue in order to maximize their success at the university level. This includes seeking transferable courses in both general education and their intended major. Learn from the Illinois Articulation Initiative about the transferability of major courses in Illinois and how those courses can be applied to secondary-to-postsecondary pathways and emphases. Also, hear an update on recent efforts to increase the transferability of education major courses in Illinois.
Speakers:
- Malinda Aiello, State Director, Illinois Articulation Initiative
- Juan Jose Gonzalez, Pathways Director, Education Systems Center
The Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) was created to address a shortage of skilled early educators and a need for equitable access to seamless higher education pathways designed to support adults working in the field of early childhood education. Key to the success of this highly collaborative, statewide initiative is intentional partnerships among stakeholders such as two- and four-year institutions, state agencies, employers (child care centers and schools), and local organizations in communities like the Quad Cities. This session will provide an opportunity to hear from state and local leaders who will discuss how the cross-sector work of ECACE is accelerating access, persistence, and completion of degrees and credentials for working adults.
Speakers:
- Pat Allison, Director, Rock Island Skip-a-Long Center
- Rolando Gonzalez, Higher Education Navigator, Child Care Resource and Referral of Midwestern Illinois, SAL Community Services
- Lindsay Meeker, EdD, Director of the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education, Western Illinois University
- Eduardo Perez, Spanish Bilingual Learning and Support Specialist, Western Illinois University
- Jodi Becker, Associate Professor & Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator, Black Hawk College
- Audrie Aden, Early Childhood Education Support Specialist, Black Hawk College
- Christi Chadwick, Project Director, Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity, Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Jennifer Hernandez, Assistant Project Director, Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity, Illinois Board of Higher Education
The recording is of the introductory presentation and does not include the panel discussion.
Key to accelerating equitable success is effective policy that can drive improved access to quality college and career preparation opportunities throughout the P-20 and workforce spectrum. This session highlights recent policy changes and emerging priorities that shape how partners across Illinois can work to serve their communities to achieve more equitable outcomes in secondary, postsecondary, and beyond.
Speakers:
- Emily Rusca, Director of State Policy & Practice, Education Systems Center at NIU
- Laura Monteagudo, Policy & Program Manager, Education Systems Center at NIU
Community colleges will discuss their participation in a funding program managed by EdSystems, that supports early implementers of college and career pathways within their regions. Both community colleges will discuss their Pathway Equity plans, which incorporate secondary and postsecondary data, including quantitative and qualitative resources, to identify inequities in pathway metrics around race, gender, etc., and strategies to address those inequities. In this session, learn about the institutions’ specific equity challenges, and the steps leaders are taking to address them.
Speakers:
- Nancy Sutton, EdD, Vice President for Academic Services, Parkland College
- Richard Bush, PhD, Associate Vice President Economic and Workforce Development, Black Hawk College
Recognizing the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students and educators, state agencies, practitioners, and stakeholders are working to address near-term challenges and find ways to build to a better future for students, families, educators, and communities. This session will highlight learning renewal efforts and other student-centric initiatives taking place across the state and the resources available to help engage and support students.
Speakers:
- Mackenzie Eisen, Senior Assistant to Deputy Governor Martin Torres, Office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
- Deana Schenk, Senior Director for Learning Renewal, Illinois Community College Board
- Jacqueline Moreno, Chief Service Officer, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Stephanie Bernoteit, Executive Deputy Director, Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Nehemiah Ankoor, Learning Renewal Lead, Illinois State Board of Education
Illinois is experiencing a teacher shortage, and it is especially impacting our students of color and low-income backgrounds. Research shows that while all students benefit, having teachers of color improves test scores and attendance while reducing suspension rates for students of color. Join us to learn the background of the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship, a scholarship aiming to expand college affordability for aspiring teachers of color. Learn about the history of advocacy and opportunities to join Advance Illinois’ efforts to advocate for increased funding and access to the scholarship.
Speakers:
- Miguel Saucedo, PhD, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Special Populations, Chicago Public Schools, and MTI Recipient
- Jessica Ramos, Project Director, Advance Illinois
- Mercedes Wentworth-Nice, Senior Policy Associate, Advance Illinois
The recording is of the introductory presentation and does not include the panel discussion.
The last year has brought new and exciting changes and opportunities in the world of PaCE, which includes Public Act 102-0917, the first annual PaCE Symposium, new implementation supports, and the continuation of virtual PaCE Framework Development workshops. As schools prepare to adopt a college and career framework as part of Public Act 102-0917, join us to help you be prepared for the adoption and implementation of a framework.
Speakers:
- Jill Hlavacek, Director of Innovation and Learning, Naperville CUSD 203
- Sue J. Striedl, Project Manager for Learning Services, Naperville CUSD 203
- Ana Moya, Professional Development Specialist, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
