To help encourage learners to complete the rigorous requirements and earn the College and Career Pathway Endorsement (CCPE) opportunity, as well as matriculate into postsecondary pathways, EdSystems is supporting the development of equity-centered strategies alongside incentives or currency that will help students and their families.
On Tuesday, May 23, 10–11 a.m., learn about best practices, community models, and resources for supporting young women to pursue experiences in manufacturing. This session will also share insights and feedback gathered from female high school and college students on what they want to see in these efforts.
What are college and career pathways, and why should employers get involved in training the next generation? In their March 27 edition, Crain’s Chicago Business tackled that question through two articles.
Find out how your school district or college can support manufacturing pathway students in applying for a new scholarship.
For the first time, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association Education Foundation, in partnership with EdSystems, is offering a scholarship to Illinois students who graduate high school having earned the College and Career Pathway Endorsement in Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, and Trades. The scholarship application is now open!
Throughout Illinois, community colleges, alongside their high school counterparts, are creating unique incentives to increase the rate of students earning the College and Career Pathway Endorsement.
EdSystems is proud to announce it has received a three-year, $165,000 grant to strengthen work-based learning and launch an education research collaborative in the Belvidere and Rockford region. The grant was awarded by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois’ Community Grants Program.
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.
An overview of resources in the work-based learning continuum for manufacturing pathway students.
As organizations return to hosting in-person events, how do we acknowledge and design around the challenges communities have faced in recent years while inspiring more people of all ages to pursue high-quality occupations in in-demand fields? EdSystems worked with three Illinois communities to address that question.
Quick Takes is based on results from the Student Voices Evaluation of Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois (SEPI), released in October 2022, which focuses on the perspective of students participating in education pathways.
An overview of resources in the work-based learning continuum for health sciences pathway students.
2022 marked the tenth anniversary of Education Systems Center at NIU. Our portfolio–and the team supporting the work–has expanded significantly in the past decade, and more growth is on the horizon.
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.
Celebrating the Illinois Education and Career Success Network’s tenth anniversary, join us at the annual conference to be equipped and inspired to advance equitable postsecondary attainment across Illinois.
This study, conducted by the P-20 Research and Data Collaborative at Northern Illinois University for Education Systems Center, focuses on understanding the perspectives of high school students who were currently enrolled in education pathways as part of the Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois initiative.
Education Systems Center is excited to announce our two newest Model Programs of Study Guides in Human & Public Service and Culinary & Hospitality. The guides were finalized in October 2022.
Together with the Illinois Community College Board, we are supporting a cohort of community colleges to develop competency-based education programs in both welding and industrial maintenance.
As part of the Middle Skills Pathways in Chicago project, we’re releasing six new analyses for the sectors of Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources; Architecture, Construction, & Energy; Arts & Communications; Culinary & Hospitality; Finance & Business Services; and Human & Public Services.
An overview of resources in the work-based learning continuum for education pathway students.
On August 15, 2022, EdSystems and more than 160 partners from across the state delivered a letter to IBHE, ICCB, and Illinois Articulation Initiative to request increased transferability of major coursework for future educators seeking to teach in elementary and secondary settings.
The Facilitation Guide supports communities through the process of creating and maintaining successful Career Development Experiences.
An brief on HB3296/Public Act 102-0917, signed into law on May 27, 2022, that advances the Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework and the College and Career Pathway Endorsements.
A statewide resource bank featuring models and related resource from the ISBE Career Exploration or Career Development Experience pilot.
Download drafts for the Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides in Culinary Arts and Hospitality and Human and Public Services plus a newly revised Education Guide.
As part of EdSystems’ Health Sciences Career Exploration and Career Development Experience Pilot, Rush Education and Career Hub and Chicago Public Schools piloted a new Career Exploration event designed with inclusion in mind.
The Health Sciences Career Exploration and Career Development Experience Pilot project is designed to support healthcare workforce development in the State of Illinois.
Resources to orient educators to the College and Career Pathway Endorsement (CCPE) system and its implementation.
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.
The AMP-IT initiative is engaging school districts and their community college and employer partners to design and launch an accelerated IT pathway.
Through a community of practice and technical assistance to regional teams, STAMP serves secondary students enrolled in manufacturing pathways that articulate to community college programs and employment opportunities, with a particular focus on under-represented students with one or more barriers to education, training, and employment.
This master metrics list includes data metrics recommended or employed by members of the Northern Illinois University P-20 Research & Data Collaborative (RDC) across their portfolio of collaborative, college-and-career-readiness-related (CCR) projects.
Executive Director Jon Furr shared on the journey of Illinois’ pathway systems at the 2022 Hawai’i P-20 Summit plenary session.
JFF’s podcast welcomed Jon Furr as a special guest to discuss addressing equity barriers in college and career pathways.
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.
From Senior Fellow Ginger M. Reynolds, PhD: I admit that the phrase “college and career ready” gives me pause, particularly with respect to students who aren’t well served through our current system. I like the analogy of Monopoly…”
Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois (SEPI) introduces a third cohort of communities, a new mentor model, and expanded research into student perspectives and experiences in education pathways.
View the webinar recording for the Model Programs of Study Guide in Arts and Communications, sponsored by ICCB.
View the webinar recording for the Model Programs of Study Guide in Finance and Business Services, sponsored by ICCB.
On February 28–March 3, 2022, the Illinois Education and Career Success Network delivered high-quality content to a record-setting attendance of 767 educators, administrators, policymakers, students, and leaders.
Illinois’ leading postsecondary attainment network announces a new name, the Illinois Education and Career Success Network.
This convening focused on experiences along the work-based learning continuum in the manufacturing sector, with guest presenters from Ridgewood High School and the Illinois Manufacturer’s Association.
View the webinar recording for an overview the Model Programs of Study Guide in IT, sponsored by ICCB.
View the webinar recording for the Model Programs of Study Guide in Architecture, Construction, and Energy, sponsored by ICCB.
View the webinar recording for the Model Programs of Study Guide in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, sponsored by ICCB.
As we look back on 2021, we remain hopeful that change is possible and is, indeed, happening here in Illinois.
I-WIN’s November community of practice on November 16 focused on experiences along the work-based learning continuum in the Education sector.
In collaboration with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Education Systems Center has released a new Career Development Experience Toolkit Companion Piece to address the needs of stakeholders outside of a traditional high school setting.
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.
View a webinar overview of the Model Programs of Study Guide in Manufacturing & Engineering, sponsored by ICCB.
EdSystems is working with the East St. Louis community to engage community, school district, and higher education stakeholders in deep racial equity work in the context of college and career pathways
View the webinar overview of the Model Programs of Study Guide in Education, sponsored by ICCB.
On September 28, 2021, the Illinois 60 by 25 Network Organizers and partners discussed strategies to engage adult learners to increase postsecondary attainment equity in Illinois.
View the webinar recording for the Model Programs of Study Guide in Health Sciences and Technology, sponsored by ICCB.
I-WIN’s September 2021 convening focused on experiences along the work-based learning continuum in the Health Sciences sector. View the recording.
Learn how Illinois students earning a College and Career Pathway Endorsement in education can access a unique Golden Apple Scholar opportunity.
EdSystems supports the Plainfield community to engage community, school district, and higher education stakeholders in college and career pathways design.
We are proud to announce that we are a partner in Building Equitable Pathways, a national coalition of leading intermediaries to unlock more equitable postsecondary and career outcomes for Black and Latinx youth and young people who are experiencing poverty.
Through the launch of the Illinois 60 by 25 Network Student Advisory Council, the EdSystems team is learning first-hand the importance of lifting up student voices as we design and refine resources and policies that support student success.
EdSystems’ Pathways School Readiness Framework and accompanying Tracker are designed to support school districts, intermediary organizations, and school leaders to develop action plans for implementing college and career pathways in a deliberate and sustainable manner.
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.
EdSystems developed this analysis of the initial implementation of SEPI 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.
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.
The Chicago Equity-Centered Innovation Forum promotes models of personalized instruction, competency-based approaches, performance assessments, project-based learning, and other emerging innovations that provide promising education frameworks.
Review recordings from the I-WIN Design Workshops for Career Exploration, Team-Based Challenges, and Career Development Experiences.
Designed for district, intermediary, and school teams to identify the status, responsibility parties, and timelines for various aspects of pathway implementation.
In this second episode in our Systems Sessions podcast series, Designing College and Career Pathways, hear lessons learned from CPS.
Beginning in 2020, EdSystems is conducting a deep landscape analysis of middle-skills pathways in Chicago that lead to priority occupations.
Explore EdSystems’ deep landscape analysis of existing middle-skills pathways in Chicago that lead to industry credentials and degrees associated with priority occupations. To date, we have completed five analyses in the sectors of Education/Childcare, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Manufacturing, and Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics.
In this first episode in our Systems Sessions podcast series, Designing College and Career Pathways, hear lessons learned from D214.
EdSystems applauds the adoption of the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s new 10-year strategic plan, A Thriving Illinois: Higher Education Paths to Equity, Sustainability, and Growth.
The purpose of this extension is to explore career development experiences and provide resources to address the needs of stakeholders outside of a traditional high school setting including workforce development organizations, community-based organizations, and alternative high schools. This companion piece targets these organizations and employers in order to serve youth more inclusively.
High school intern Edith Lizardo compares in-person and virtual networking events and shares the importance of teaching students to network.
The support Rockford Public Schools receives from Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University, thanks to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, is helping to drive aligned college and career pathways forward, including the Law and Public Safety pathway.
Through a partnership between EdSystems and Practera, Illinois communities have free access to pilot the platform through SY21-22. Practera is a customizable, web-based application that
To help combat the teacher shortage, Sauk Valley Community College is offering every student entering the college with a College and Career Pathway Endorsement (CCPE) a $100 credit. Sauk Valley is the first community college in the State to offer an award based on the CCPE.
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.
Join us February 22–25, 2021, for “Forward Together – Navigating Uncertainty and Advancing to 60% by 2025,” a free, virtual conference.
Northern Illinois University’s College of Education and Education Systems Center at NIU are proud to announce new incentives for Illinois students graduating with the College and Career Pathway Endorsement (CCPE) in 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.
EdSystems is excited to announce an additional six collaboratives to be funded through SEPI, representing 16 school districts, 25 high schools, and 12 colleges/universities throughout Illinois.
The 2020 GLCCPP By the Numbers report examines community capacity as well as student experiences and outcomes. This report also reflects on process learnings as we conclude the GLCCPP.
The 2020 GLCCPP By the Numbers report examines community capacity as well as student experiences and outcomes. This report also reflects on process learnings as we conclude the GLCCPP.
With the support of Crown Family Philanthropies, CPS brought in EdSystems to provide strategic counsel and support of the OCCS pathways vision framework and Student Success Roadmap.
Elgin’s Alliance for College Readiness engaged EdSystems to support alignment to the new College and Career Pathway Endorsement system and the State’s new Perkins V plan.
EdSystems staff and their partners led a multi-year process to develop and enact the PWR Act in close collaboration with a broad range of education and workforce stakeholders.
For the first time, Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois and EdSystems are partnering to offer a unique advantage for students earning a College and Career Pathway Endorsement in education.
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.
A guide for the development of information gathering systems in remote and blended learning environments. Facilitated by EdSystems, A Framework and Resources for Measuring Student Needs and Development During Remote and Blended Learning is a project of the Data, Assessment, and Accountability Committee of the Illinois P-20 Council.
As schools across Illinois continue to navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EdSystems team is pleased to share a new resource for guiding the development of information gathering systems in remote and blended learning environments.
The Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides provide guidance and exemplars for local districts to adopt or customize as they develop programs of study; establish a framework for State agencies; identify priority dual credit courses; define the competencies that should be sequenced across the course sequence; and identify entry points for employers to support coursework and related experiences.
The first four Model Programs of Study Guides focus on the following industry sectors: Education, Health Sciences and Technology, Information Technology, and Manufacturing and Engineering.
I-WIN supports employers, educators, and students to leverage innovative and equitable models for scaling high-quality work-based learning in school districts and community colleges across the State.
Explore resources to support innovative and equitable work-based learning opportunities, including a statewide resource bank of team-based challenges.
As students across the state return to school, many high school students are now working towards earning a College and Career Pathway Endorsement. Ridgewood High School, located in the Chicago suburbs and a leader in the pathways approach, was the first in Illinois to award the College and Career Pathway Endorsements to Class of 2020 graduates who successfully completed the Education and Manufacturing and Engineering pathways.
The Greater Peoria Essential Abilities and Knowledge (GPEAK) is a regional essential skills program to provide work-based learning opportunities.
The new Illinois Work-Based Learning Innovation Network (I-WIN) will support work-based learning educators in school districts and community colleges across Illinois.
Since 2015, EdSystems has provided strategic counsel and technical assistance to RPS 205 and RVC and their partners as they build and expand their college and career pathway systems.
In the first year of Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois, Education Systems Center launched 9 collaboratives representing 22 school districts.
This report captures the impact of the Illinois 60 by 25 Network from 2013–2020. Communities in the Network are driving State policy implementation, deepening and validating collaboration by using the organizing principles of collective impact, increasing cross-sector collaboration, and enhancing leadership and governance structures within their communities.
Receive EdSystems’ newsletter and event invitations
© 2023 Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois University. All rights reserved.