School districts across Illinois zip codes must be empowered and supported to shift the way students learn: away from antiquated time- and place-based systems and toward a modern, future-forward, student-centered, “learn everywhere” system.
Our Role
The Future of Learning Coalition is an alliance working to advance an innovation ecosystem for equitable, student-centered education in Illinois to better prepare future-ready young people and empower them to realize their greatest potential. Together the Future of Learning Coalition will help Illinois build the groundwork for encouraging and supporting districts interested in using innovative, equity-focused teaching and learning strategies.
Through a shared lens of racial and socioeconomic equity, with a whole-child focus, Future of Learning Coalition members are pursuing four specific areas.
1. Advancing Innovative Models
The Future of Learning Coalition will advocate to expand innovative models, such as the current Competency-Based Education pilot program, and seek to eliminate barriers to new education models. We will promote new and emerging education practices, publicize existing flexibility, and support districts in implementation. As one of our initial efforts, we are pleased to partner with LUDA as it engages the CBE pilots and other interested districts in a community of practice.
2. A Balanced System of Student Assessment
The Future of Learning Coalition will work to shift the Illinois accountability assessment culture from one that relies solely on standardized tests to one that more broadly integrates high-quality interim and formative assessments that provide teachers with actionable data to improve teaching and learning, in comprehensive areas, including academic competency, social-emotional development, and 21st-century skills.
3. Borderless Learning
The Future of Learning Coalition will increase opportunities for students to engage in learning outside of traditional school building and seat-time constraints, including community-based and workplace settings.
4. Teacher Advancement
The Future of Learning Coalition will support pre-service and current teachers in building capacity to both engage in innovative practices themselves and lead systemic change that encourages innovation.
Together we have joined forces to bring innovative perspectives to advance these focal areas. Under the banner of the Future of Learning Coalition, we will share and promote research, initiatives, programs, and innovative school and educator case studies.
