College & Career Pathways

News

Highlights from Governor Pritzker’s Proposed Budget

Governor JB Pritzker presented his proposed 2024–25 budget on February 21, which maintains largely stable funding for K-12 and higher education with notable increases for Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the Monetary Award Program (MAP), building on the past several years of progress and extending several impactful initiatives.

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News

Community Models for Essential Skill Development

Through the scaling of the GPEAK badging system, a growing number of communities are preparing students for productive lives and careers by developing innovative training programs aligned to Illinois’ essential employability competencies.

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News

Illinois Education and Career Success Network: 2023 In Review

In 2023, the Illinois Education and Career Success Network continued to expand its reach and impact through thoughtful convenings, growing the Network, engagement with students, new supports and funding opportunities for Leadership Communities, re-launching the data dashboard, and exploring policy and practice with the Policy Committee.

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Project

Youth Apprenticeship

Youth apprenticeships at EdSystems offer a unique blend of hands-on experience, networking with industry professionals, and postsecondary planning.

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Thought Leadership

Navigating Progress: College and Career Readiness in 2023

We dive into the latest release of the Illinois Report Card, revealing dynamic shifts in CTE outcomes and a wave of opportunity in dual credit enrollment. We share our perspective on the data shaping the future of college and career readiness for Illinois students.

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Project

Extended Model Pathways in Chicago

In fall 2023, EdSystems began work with Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges of Chicago to develop five extended model pathways starting from early college through associate and bachelor degree completion for the following industry sectors: health sciences, information technology, advanced manufacturing, IT, and construction.

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News

Assessing the Utilization of the Illinois Model Program of Study Guides

How are the Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides being utilized statewide by community colleges and their high school partners? Are the guides useful in helping regions design high-quality college and career pathways? What additional information and support do regions need to better align with the guides? EdSystems and the Illinois Community College Board seek to answer those questions through our new State of Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides: Utilization Report.

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News

Exponential Growth: New Data and Draft Rules Released for College and Career Pathway Endorsements

The number of school districts implementing College & Career Pathway Endorsements is increasing exponentially. To support statewide scaling, the Illinois State Board of Education has drafted a set of administrative rules that will soon be open for public comment. In this post, we examine the growth of the endorsement system and share our review of the pending rules, which point to a significant level of momentum in Illinois regarding college and career pathways.

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News

Unlocking Potential: Empowering Young Women in Manufacturing

Manufacturing has long been a male-dominated field, but the future of this industry depends on inclusivity and fresh perspectives. We gathered insights from manufacturing experts on supporting young women in manufacturing pathways. This collaborative effort has resulted in a resource that offers practical guidance for students at any stage of their career journey.

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Thought Leadership

Launch-ing Into Policy Innovation for Postsecondary Access and Success

Alongside state and local leaders from across Illinois, we have been engaging in a design thinking process as innovation cohort participants of the Launch initiative. Through this process, we are working to identify systems-level barriers to equitable access and outcomes and develop innovative solutions for pressing challenges in postsecondary transitions and success.

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Project

Analysis of College and Career Pathways

To understand the potential impact of the College and Career Pathway Endorsement, EdSystems is engaging in two pathways-related data and evaluation activities: a pathways evaluation framework and an ROI analysis framework.

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News

Scaling Accelerated IT Pathways: Lessons Learned in Year One

To support the scaling of high-quality IT pathways in response to employer demand, collaborators in our Accelerated Model Pathways for Information Technology initiative designed a three-tier model giving students the potential to earn 30+ early college credits. Check out our blueprint, what we’ve learned, and how we are engaging student voices in the process.

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Project

Community College Pathway Equity and Currency

To help encourage learners to complete the rigorous requirements and earn a College and Career Pathways Endorsement and matriculate into postsecondary, EdSystems is supporting the development of equity-centered strategies and incentives for students.

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News

Introducing Launch: Equitable and Accelerated Pathways for All

EdSystems is excited to announce our selection as one of 11 states participating in Launch: Equitable & Accelerated Pathways for All. Launch is a national college and career pathways initiative that strives for every learner to have access to and succeed in high-quality and equitable pathways.

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Project

Lake County: Support for Career Pathways

In 2023, EdSystems began supporting Waukegan CUSD 60 and its regional partners with targeted support for alignment to the Illinois College and Career Pathway Endorsement and systems for career exploration.

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News

EdSystems Joins Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Accelerate ED, Launches Accelerated Model Pathways for Information Technology

EdSystems is proud to announce our participation in Accelerate ED: Seamless Pathways to Degrees and Careers, an initiative that seeks to blur the lines between high school and higher education and career learning experiences, allowing students to earn a career-aligned credential or degree by the end of one additional year after high school.

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Project

Postsecondary Leadership Series

In support of the OneGoal team and their Postsecondary Leadership Series, the EdSystems team is providing two primary services: capacity-building for OneGoal staff and advising for partner-facing content relating to college and career pathways, early college credit, transitional instruction, work-based learning, and data.

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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.

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News

An Initial Analysis of Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois

An analysis of the initial implementation of the Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois initiative, with input from the first cohort of collaboratives. It was undertaken to understand how the components of the education pathway were being executed in practice and to collect promising practices and lessons learned.

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