New data shows a significant increase in Illinois students earning College and Career Pathway Endorsements, demonstrating the program’s growing success while highlighting areas for continued improvement.
The Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) framework, which empowers districts and students by guiding quality college and career advising and development, is a model for the nation. Here’s why.
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.
Recordings of professional learning sessions for administrators, teachers and counselors to help prepare for implementation of transitional math and state portability submission.
The redesigned site features key resources, guidance and implementation supports, and exemplars for the PWR Act’s four aligned strategies: the Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework, College and Career Pathway Endorsements, Transitional Instruction, and Competency-Based Education 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.
Governor Pritzker signed Public Act 102-0917 (HB3296) into law on May 27, 2022. HB3296 builds from the 2016 Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act and many years of dedicated work by communities statewide to develop and implement high-quality college and career pathways systems that ensure students are prepared for whatever comes after high school.
This resource shows Illinois universities’ current participation status and related placement processes for transitional math courses in two of these pathways – STEM and QL / Stats.
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.
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.
Looking at ISBE’s 2020-21 Illinois Report Card, the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted learning for students of all ages across Illinois, the impacts of which are reflected in several critical measures. However, increasing dual credit enrollment and declining postsecondary remediation enrollment rates are cause for celebration.
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.
View the webinar overview of the Model Programs of Study Guide in Education, sponsored by ICCB.
View the webinar recording for the Model Programs of Study Guide in Health Sciences and Technology, sponsored by ICCB.
Learn how Illinois students earning a College and Career Pathway Endorsement in education can access a unique Golden Apple Scholar opportunity.
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.
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.
Our conversations with five established Transitional Math Local Advisory Panels across Illinois have resulted in a document that is intended to provide guidance at all phases of establishing and running a Local Advisory Panel.
The Career Development Experience Toolkit Companion Piece is designed for stakeholders outside of a traditional high school setting including workforce development organizations, community-based organizations, and alternative high schools.
To increase the number of high school graduates placed into college-level reading and communications courses without the need for remediation, the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Community College Board, and Illinois Board of Higher Education have adopted the Statewide Transitional English Course Parameters, Competencies, and Policies.
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 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.
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.
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.
As communities move to remote learning, we can also continue developing valuable employability skills through virtual work-based learning.
How quarantine proved personalized, project-based learning and competency concepts can provide frameworks for doing school better.
The Postsecondary Workforce Readiness Act’s Transitional English Course Parameters and Competencies are now available for public review.
Learn more about the need to elevate competency-based education districts with the shift to remote learning.
Through collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Education Systems Center has released a Career Development Experience Toolkit aligned to the frameworks established in the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act and embedded within Illinois’ broader strategies around scaling high-quality career pathways and work-based learning.
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.
Released in 2019, the Career Development Experience Toolkit adheres to the framework of the PWR Act for College and Career Pathway Endorsements. These materials serve any organization that seeks to provide rigorous work-based learning opportunities to youth.
How District 100 aligned its CTE programs with career-focused course sequences in partnership with Rock Valley College, as part of the College and Career Pathway Endorsement framework.
The Illinois Career Pathways Dictionary includes terms that pertain to—or deeply impact—multiple programs across state agencies and apply to programming with funding from multiple federal agencies.
To support the implementation of College and Career Pathway Endorsements at the local level, EdSystems has awarded funding to sixteen 60 by 25 Network Leadership Communities.
A new report details College and Career Pathway Endorsement competencies in health sciences, IT, manufacturing engineering, and finance and business services.
One of the PWR Act’s four components is the College and Career Pathway Endorsement, an innovative way for school districts to validate the hard work of students preparing for life after high school.
The new College and Career Placement Endorsements address the disconnect between what’s taught in the classroom and what employers need.
On behalf of the Illinois 60 by 25 Network, EdSystems has awarded ten Leadership Communities grants of up to $14,000 each over two years to support implementation of the PWR Act.
To support the implementation of the PWR Act at the local level, Education Systems Center, on behalf of the Illinois 60 by 25 Network, awarded six Leadership Communities grants of $7,500 each.
Receive EdSystems’ newsletter and event invitations
© 2025 Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois University. All rights reserved.
