Thought Leadership Archives

Thought Leadership

New Career & Technical Education Rules Build from Years of College & Career Readiness Innovation

New rules ensure alignment of CTE to existing policy frameworks such as the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act and that implementation embodies the spirit and intent of the articulated State Plan components. This clarified focus on college and career, with an emphasis on quality and equity, will ensure that Illinois’ students are empowered to succeed.

Emily Rusca October 21, 2021

Advancing Racial Equity

Advancing Racial Equity: Year One Review

What has advancing racial equity tangibly meant this last year? While we are still listening, learning, and reflecting, we share an overview of our nascent efforts to serve Black and Latinx students in Illinois.

Jonathan Furr October 14, 2021

Thought Leadership

Preparing Students for College and Careers Post-COVID-19: Public Comments to the USEd

We applaud the US Department of Education for acknowledging the pandemic’s impacts on schools and build from innovative practices. We join USEd in seeking to re-envision how we educate young people and dismantle barriers that stand in the way of success for students of color for far too long.

Emily Rusca August 11, 2021

Thought Leadership

Fostering Relationships for Recovery: Lessons from Benito Juarez Community Academy

Competency-based education means different things at different schools, but at Benito Juarez Community Academy, a Chicago neighborhood public high school, it means a focus on equity—and that means prioritizing social-emotional skills, or developmental/adaptive competencies, as well as academics.

Ginger M. Reynolds, PhD August 9, 2021

Advancing Racial Equity

Advancing Racial Equity: Six Month Update

Since October, our team has individually and collectively worked to deepen our understanding of how we can make racial equity more central to our work, internally and externally.

Jonathan Furr April 22, 2021

Thought Leadership

How HB 2170 Will Advance Racial Equity for Student Success in College and Careers

The Education Omnibus Bill results in sweeping changes to Illinois’ P-20 education and workforce systems, spanning from home visiting programs serving Illinois’ youngest children to expectations for community colleges and universities.

Emily Rusca March 8, 2021

Young female adult, smiling, seated in a wheelchair and using digital tablet. Behind is a group of professionals working at a conference table.

Thought Leadership

EdSystems Contributes Public Comment on Work-Based Learning to U.S. Department of Education

In response to the U.S. Department of Education’s RFI on Expanding Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Youth, the EdSystems team offered public comments based on the PWR Act and community interests, examples, and concerns gathered from our I-WIN members.

Emily Rusca February 1, 2021

A diverse group of college-age students walking together on campus

Thought Leadership

Making Good on the Promise of Dual Credit in Illinois

New reports highlight opportunities to enhance dual credit policy for equity and quality.

Heather Penczak January 4, 2021

Thought Leadership

The 2019–20 Illinois Report Card and College and Career Readiness

The Illinois State Board of Education recently released the 2019–20 Illinois Report Card, and student readiness for postsecondary appears to be rising overall across the State—dual credit enrollment is rising, remediation rates are falling, and graduation rates are growing.

Charlie Rosemond, Jonathan Furr , Emily Rusca November 13, 2020

Advancing Racial Equity

The EdSystems team is taking active steps to reflect, learn, and make racial equity even more tangible in our work.

Jonathan Furr October 19, 2020

Thought Leadership

Five Takeaways from COVID and Remote Learning

How quarantine proved personalized, project-based learning and competency concepts can provide frameworks for doing school better.

Ginger M. Reynolds, PhD June 12, 2020

Thought Leadership

It’s Time to Elevate the Leadership of Our Competency-Based Education Districts in the Shift to Remote Learning

Learn more about the need to elevate competency-based education districts with the shift to remote learning.

Ginger M. Reynolds, PhD , Jonathan Furr May 7, 2020

Thought Leadership

The 2018–19 Illinois Report Card and College and Career Readiness: Cause for Celebration and Concern

With EdSystems’ focus on key metrics of college and career readiness, the release of new Illinois Report Card data provides us with an opportunity to both celebrate progress and identify areas needing attention.

Charlie Rosemond, Jonathan Furr , Emily Rusca November 8, 2019

Thought Leadership

Endorsements: Illinois Has a New Tool for Creating Paths from High School to Effective College and Career Experiences

The new College and Career Placement Endorsements address the disconnect between what’s taught in the classroom and what employers need.

Jonathan Furr August 22, 2018

New Career & Technical Education Rules Build from Years of College & Career Readiness Innovation

Advancing Racial Equity: Year One Review

Preparing Students for College and Careers Post-COVID-19: Public Comments to the USEd

Fostering Relationships for Recovery: Lessons from Benito Juarez Community Academy

Advancing Racial Equity: Six Month Update

How HB 2170 Will Advance Racial Equity for Student Success in College and Careers

EdSystems Contributes Public Comment on Work-Based Learning to U.S. Department of Education

Making Good on the Promise of Dual Credit in Illinois

The 2019–20 Illinois Report Card and College and Career Readiness

Advancing Racial Equity

Five Takeaways from COVID and Remote Learning

It’s Time to Elevate the Leadership of Our Competency-Based Education Districts in the Shift to Remote Learning

The 2018–19 Illinois Report Card and College and Career Readiness: Cause for Celebration and Concern

Endorsements: Illinois Has a New Tool for Creating Paths from High School to Effective College and Career Experiences

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