May 19, 2010

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Illinois is in the bottom half of states on national tests (NAEP)

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Too many students drop out

228STUDENTS228STUDENTS

41,000STUDENTS= 100 STUDENTS

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Too few students earn degrees

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U.S. is falling behind

Percent of Adult Population with Some Post-Secondary Degree

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Illinois’ achievement gaps are among the largest in the U.S.

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Unrealized Economic Potential

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Who Are We?

Independent Statewide Education Reform Advocacy Group

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Board of Directors

Jim Edgar, Co-chairFormer Governor, State of Illinois

William M. Daley, Co-chairChairman of the Midwest Region, JP Morgan Chase

Ellen AlberdingPresident, The Joyce Foundation

James BellPresident & CFO, Boeing Company

Lew Collens President Emeritus, Illinois Institute of Technology

Miguel del Valle City Clerk of Chicago and former Chair of Illinois Senate

Education Committee

John EdwardsonChairman & CEO, CDW Computer Centers, Inc.

Joseph FathereeIllinois “Teacher of the Year”, Effingham High School

James C. Franczek, Jr.President, Franczek Radelet P.C.

Speaker Dennis HastertFormer Speaker, United States House of Representatives

Dr. Timothy Knowles Lewis-Sebring Director, The Urban Education Institute, University of Chicago

Sylvia Puente Executive Director, Latino Policy Forum

Ed RustChairman and CEO, State Farm Insurance Co.

Patricia Watkins Executive Director, TARGET Area Community Development Corporation

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Community Conversations & Town Hall Meetings

Promote local reform by sharing information and sparking local collaboration

Link Local Leaders with State Efforts

Community Listening

Carbondale

LaSalle Peru

Decatur

Champaign

EffinghamE. St. Louis

Quincy

Quad Cities Aurora

BelvidereRockford

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Community Concerns

Student engagement Parent engagement Real-world skills Time Innovation Technology

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Our ISAT scores have been going up

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But NAEP scores tell a different story

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Good Teachers Help Close Achievement Gap

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Poorer schools get fewer effective teachers

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We Can Do Better

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The System We’re In

Inadequate teacher and principal preparation

Inadequate statewide infrastructure

No strategy and limited resources for student support

Incomplete and Inaccessible Data

Dysfunction

al

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Low standards and expectations for students and teachers

Funding and accountability based on compliance, not results

Inadequate resources, little support, little flexibility at the school level

The System

Unclear goals for system and schools

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No “Silver Bullets”

Longer School Day

Vouchers

Early Childhood

Loosen Mandates

Class Size Charters

Uniforms

Alternative Certification

Mentoring and induction

Graduation Requirements

Parents

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A Healthy System

We need System Reform, not

Program Reform

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NAEP Scores Flat

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While Spending Goes Up

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$4,060

Per Pupil Spending in 2006-2007 dollars

$6,219

$7,504

$9,266

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New Challenges Increase Costs

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$4,060

Per Pupil Spending in 2006-2007 dollars

$6,219

$7,504

$9,266Special ed

Low Support

Mandates

counselingSafety

English-Language Learners

Assessments

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More Flexibility to Confront Those Challenges

Greater Local Control• Staffing• Budget• Program• Schedule

Fewer Mandates

Better Outcome Measures• More nimble and nuanced assessments• “Readiness” benchmarks• School climate

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