Illinois State Board of Education met Sept. 20.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
ROLL CALL
Vice Chair of the Board Donna Leak called the meeting to order at 12:01 p.m.
Dr. Leak announced that the Board meeting was being audio-cast live over the internet and video recorded.
Board Secretary Jaime Guzman was absent. Dr. Leak appointed Dr. Benson to serve as secretary pro tempore.
Dr. Leak asked the clerk to call the roll. A quorum was present with six members attending and physically present in the Springfield office. State Superintendent Dr. Carmen I. Ayala was also in attendance.
Members Present (in person):
Dr. Steven Isoye, Chair of the Board (after Swearing-In)
Dr. Donna Leak, Vice Chair
Dr. Christine Benson
Roger Eddy
Dr. David Lett
Susie Morrison
Dr. Nike Vieille
Members Absent:
Jaime Guzman, Secretary
SWEARING-IN OF BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Leak introduced the newly appointed State Board chairman, Dr. Steven Isoye.
Legal Officer Jeremy Duffy administered the ceremonial oath of office. Dr. Isoye swore to uphold the duties of a member of the Illinois State Board of Education.
Chair Isoye asked the clerk to call the roll. A quorum was present with seven members physically present in the Springfield office.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Chair Isoye reminded those in attendance of the Public Participation Policy and the sign-up procedures for today’s meeting.
Kaitlyn Feriante, CEO of Redwood Literacy, spoke on dyslexia legislation. She shared stories of individuals with dyslexia facing difficulties in the public education system, and the successes they experienced with more direct intervention. She advocated for ISBE to assist in creating legislation that promotes access to literacy for students across Illinois schools.
Meredith Kroot, co-coordinator of Chicago Public Schools Family Dyslexia Collaborative, spoke on literacy. She believes that many Illinois students are graduating without proper reading preparation, and that ISBE can do more to intervene. She invited Board members to come to panels and discussions on literacy.
Michelle Trager, a parent, spoke on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month. She shared that many organizations have recognized FASD awareness days, and that individuals with FASD are particularly prone to struggles in education. She advocated for ISBE to ensure increased FASD awareness and accommodation in schooling.
RETREAT OPENING ACTIVITY
Dr. Ayala led Board and staff members in a team building activity.
Board and staff members shared their reflections on the experience.
Dr. Ayala concluded the activity, appreciating the opportunity to engage with members and leaders in a different way.
PRESENTATIONS | ANNUAL PLANNING
Dr. Ayala shared current plans for discussions and presentations to the Board.
Mr. Eddy said that tracking updates in legislation and considering timing of legislative sessions could help the Board.
Dr. Leak noted that the Legislative Breakfast was a valuable opportunity. She also asked to provide an update on IL-EMPOWER after partners were approved and some time for implementation to take effect.
Mr. Eddy asked about planning a meeting further south in the state, and members discussed meeting locations and the potential for adjustments.
Mr. Eddy asked to clarify current virtual participation regulations for Board members. Dr. Ayala and Mr. Duffy said that there are exceptions that allow participation virtually, but that they are more limited. Dr. Lett asked if committee meetings were subject to the same virtual participation restrictions. Mr. Duffy confirmed that they were not.
Dr. Lett asked about ending of term dates as it relates to participation in the January meeting. Staff confirmed that members could potentially continue to serve after their end of term date until a replacement is appointed.
Ms. Morrison expressed an interest in reports on ISBE’s accountability systems, and generally for updates on projects started over the past three years.
Mr. Eddy discussed including a legislative update as a presentation and discussion, and for the Board to consider developing recommendations around educational mandates. Ms. Morrison agreed. Mr. Eddy discussed an interest in finding ways to eliminate overlaps in legislation. Dr. Ayala noted that there had been some bills that addressed these concerns, and Mr. Eddy said that an ISBE report of these changes could be useful to the public.
Ms. Morrison expressed an interest in a report on post-high school student outcomes and more information on potential collaboration with community colleges and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
PRESENTATIONS | EQUITY PORTFOLIO
Dr. Ayala and Project Lead for Equity Sergio Hernandez presented on the agency’s work for the Equity Project Portfolio.
Mr. Hernandez discussed the role of the portfolio in tracking the impacts of equity work at ISBE. The portfolio contains information on agency efforts to implement Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access work at ISBE and in community-facing projects. He shared that this project allowed for consideration of multiple questions about the implementation of equity efforts, including how to increase staff and community awareness of these efforts. He discussed the function of the Equity Impact Analysis Tool at various levels in the agency.
Dr. Ayala shared updates to the structure of the team working to address equity. She shared her hopes of preparing all ISBE staff to provide information on equity work and emphasized the urgency of inclusivity for the agency internally and in its work in the field.
Mr. Eddy asked about incorporating equity in grant processes. Dr. Ayala noted that outreach was done with rural and lower-income communities, and Dr. Matias noted prioritization of districts in these areas to ensure that they have access to grant opportunities. Mr. Eddy noted that limited professional experience with grants might limit districts’ access and that making additional resources and training available could work toward equity. Dr. Ayala noted that work with formula-based funding was part of a shift toward a more widely accessible process. Dr. Matias said that competitive grants had been putting rural districts at a disadvantage, and Finance Officer Robert Wolfe discussed the implementation of formula-based grants more in depth.
Mr. Eddy discussed further incorporation of formula-based funding. Dr. Ayala noted that some grants are mandated to be competitive, and Mr. Wolfe discussed working with flexibility as a requirement for grant transparency to maximize equity efforts in this area. Dr. Leak asked about working with Regional Offices of Education (ROEs) to focus support efforts with grant opportunities.
Chair Isoye discussed the cultural shift needed for equity tools to be fully utilized in practice and expressed an interest in seeing progress with implementation. Dr. Ayala shared the orientation efforts for new members, and Operations Officer Melissa Oller shared more information about these efforts.
Mr. Hernandez expressed his appreciation for discussion on this topic.
PRESENTATIONS | ELEVATING EDUCATORS
Education Officer Dr. Ernesto Matias introduced a presentation on ISBE’s Elevating Educators Program and the team members presenting on each topic. Dr. Jennifer Kirmes, executive director of Teaching and Learning, thanked the Board for the opportunity to share on this topic and emphasized that she was interested in Board discussion.
Leadership Preparation
Martin McGreal, director of District/School Leadership, discussed efforts in leadership recruitment in line with ISBE Strategic Plan Goal 3.2. Original research found that some had been through principal preparation but were not pursuing leadership positions, and that fewer people of color had pursued preparation programs.
He discussed the work of the Department of District/School Leadership over the past two years and the recruitment and structures for the principal preparation programs. He shared statistics of candidates in different principal preparation programs, as well as information about the cohort overall.
Catrice Johnson, a principal candidate currently working in East St. Louis SD 189, shared her experiences and achievements in education as a school social worker and in collaboration with community organizations. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to pursue principal preparation as part of this program.
Ms. Morrison congratulated Ms. Johnson on her work and asked her about her experience with the program; Ms. Johnson shared information about the courses and program structure. Ms. Morrison asked about who was responsible for program structure in partnerships with the Illinois Principals Association (IPA). Mr. McGreal responded that the IPA helps coordinate between preparation programs, districts, and candidates and there is a third-party evaluation of programs set to occur to determine best practices.
Mr. Eddy asked about target metrics connected to Strategic Plan Goal 3.2. Mr. McGreal responded that at the end of 2020, 255 participants identified themselves as candidates of color. There is work being done to assess what impact recruitment programs have had, but Mr. McGreal believes that they are on track to meet fiscal year 2023 recruitment goals.
Educator Recruitment
Dr. Kirmes discussed the emphasis of equity in Elevating Educators, by ensuring that educators are comprehensively prepared for the role. She shared data on current unfilled positions aggregated by Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) tier assignments, noting that significant gaps in districts not classified by EBF tier assignments largely contributed to vacancies for special education positions.
Dr. Leak asked if charter schools were included in the set of districts without tier assignments; Dr Kirmes said that state-authorized schools did not have tier assignments, but district authorized schools were included with their districts’ tier assignments.
Dr. Kirmes noted that the project was focused more on simply filling those gaps – instead trying to create a workforce that can serve student needs by addressing equity gaps. She said that current teacher demographics differ from the student population and shared that current teacher preparation programs are more representative of students.
Dr. Kirmes detailed some of the grants and partner programs for targeting teacher recruitment.
Mr. Eddy asked about funding for materials with Educators Rising. Dr. Kirmes shared that ISBE has purchased statewide access to its materials, and that schools could make use of them to customize their own curriculum. She clarified that local chapters of Educators Rising were separate. Mr. Eddy asked about how these materials had been promoted. Dr. Kirmes noted that webinars had been done on this topic but plans for renewed communications were underway.
Ms. Morrison asked about the geographic elements behind teacher gaps. Dr. Kirmes confirmed that ISBE had more data in the full report, and that vacancy rates had been higher for rural districts in 2021. She noted that 2022 data suggests that rural and urban vacancy rates were similar, but that future data would be necessary to see if it was a trend. She said that ISBE was considering how to implement preparation programs in areas where partner organizations were not located.
Ms. Morrison asked about how recruitment for World Language educator vacancy numbers might be affected by new mandates. Dr. Kirmes noted that the implementation of relevant updates is delayed for multiple years. Ms. Morrison expressed interest in pro-active efforts to address potential impacts. Dr. Kirmes said that many schools have begun to prepare for the new requirements, but that ISBE is considering potential ways of providing support.
Ms. Morrison asked how shortages were being communicated with postsecondary teacher preparation programs. Dr. Kirmes said that part of the efforts involved having partner campuses look at their data and see where equity gaps were present. Ms. Morrison discussed the importance of gender equity in teaching positions at the elementary level.
Dr. Leak asked about the number of teachers coming from Teach for America and the possibility of expanding programs beyond the current two regions. Dr. Kirmes noted that the program’s alumni work across the state in education and discussed the interest of ISBE in collaborating in the future with the organization to expand their coverage.
Dr. Leak suggested the inclusion of questions around consolidating positions in response to shortages, wondering if vacancies in this light could be underreported. Dr. Kirmes noted that ISBE has worked on including this issue in information collection as accurately as possible.
Mr. Eddy asked for more data on pathway programs and endorsements. Dr. Kirmes provided some information and said she could follow up with more in detail. Ms. Morrison asked if students in the programs graduated high school with associate degrees; Dr. Kirmes confirmed that some students did. Board members asked more about certifications through pathway programs, and Dr. Kirmes clarified the structure of the program. Chair Isoye asked if districts with pathways programs outside of the grant were in this data. Dr. Kirmes confirmed they were not, but that ISBE is working on identifying all programs in the state.
Educator Hiring
Emily Fox, director of Educator Effectiveness, presented on efforts targeting vacancies via hiring requirements. She discussed legislative changes to increase access for teaching and paraprofessional positions to a wider range of individuals. She shared opportunities for short term approvals for current educators lacking the full range of requirements for long-term approval.
She highlighted resources on ISBE’s website to help identify new requirements for various positions and for individuals to determine the positions for which they are qualified. She said that ISBE is investigating ways to further connect districts with potential candidates.
Dr. Lett complimented the agency on its efforts in creating these opportunities and urged the team to investigate more ways to market the opportunities to prospective candidates.
Ms. Morrison asked if data suggested that changes to licensure requirements had affected candidate availability. Ms. Fox said this could be researched, and Dr. Kirmes affirmed that upcoming data collection could inform this further.
Dr. Vieille asked to confirm that ROEs had centralized information about open positions, and Ms. Fox confirmed that they did.
Mr. Eddy asked about how effective flexibility in these areas would be in a long term, or if an easing of requirements for full approvals would be necessary. Ms. Fox said these flexibilities were targeting individuals with content expertise to meet current district needs, while also allowing an avenue to pursue full approval. Mr. Eddy asked about the expiration of flexibilities. Ms. Fox said that approvals are due by June 30, 2023, but that this window could likely be renewed for another three years.
Board members discussed balancing interests of ensuring teacher quality and filling positions. Dr. Lett commended the flexibilities as an entry point for younger professionals, and Mr. Eddy suggested the temporary approval may not provide enough security for interested individuals.
Dr. Vieille asked about data on outcomes for individuals receiving short-term approvals. Ms. Fox said that teacher evaluation data could be a source of information. Mr. Eddy asked for data on how many positions are filled by individuals with temporary approvals. Dr. Kirmes said these individuals are tracked, including how many then convert to full licensure, and that information can be shared.
Chair Isoye asked staff to assess which approvals were tied to the disaster proclamation and how they might be affected when it ends, and also to ensure that these programs are also working toward equity goals.
Educator Retention
Dr. Kirmes shared demographic data on teacher retention and highlighted a persistently lower retention rate for teachers in special education. She noted that previously discussed vacancy rates in this area might be driven by retention more than recruitment concerns. She shared information on the Bilingual Teacher Grant, which provides support for individuals currently working in schools to obtain full licensure while continuing to work.
Ms. Fox shared information on statewide affinity groups, which are meant to provide some community, particularly for teachers in schools where they may be one of few teachers of color. She also discussed PD+, an ISBE system that will host information about all available professional development opportunities and allow for ease in tracking certified experiences.
Mr. Eddy asked if information might be shared with principals’ and superintendents’ associations in their meetings. Ms. Fox said that she could reach out about participating. Mr. Eddy suggested highlighting development offerings that were grant-funded offerings, and Dr. Ayala suggested finding ways to connect interested individuals with open slots already sponsored by districts or ROEs.
Dr. Benson asked about potentially directing grants more directly toward special education cooperatives. Dr. Kirmes responded that special education grants included cooperatives and reported that those organizations appreciated their access to these opportunities. Ms. Morrison asked if the districts in the grant were organizations that were representative of the state overall, and Dr. Kirmes said they were.
Dr. Leak expressed an interest in ensuring PD+ providers were properly reviewed and asked about the structure of affinity groups. Ms. Fox responded that there would be multiple different groups, and individuals would engage with the one most local to them. Dr. Kirmes discussed the intended content and structure of the program. Dr. Leak asked if feedback gathered here might inform future recommendations. Dr. Kirmes noted that the groups were meant to provide support to participants, but that changes to address issues could be informed by their discussions.
Ms. Fox introduced participants in the New Teacher Coaching and Mentoring program, coordinated through a partnership with the Illinois Education Association (IEA).
Dawn Frank, a coach in the program, shared her positive experiences assisting teachers and described the various means in which participants could receive support. William Moore, a social studies teacher and building mentor, shared his experience with the program and the opportunities to help guide teachers in establishing the classroom environment. Amber Sims, a pre-K teacher in Alton SD, shared her experiences as a new teacher in the program, noting the targeted suggestions for her classroom and the monthly meetings to hear lessons from perspectives from across the state.
Mary Jane Morris, the lead coordinator of the program, discussed the efforts to promote the program across districts, and relationships with universities to directly promote to teachers in training. She shared that it has grown significantly and looks forward to future implementation of the program in providing support.
Mr. Eddy congratulated them on the growth of the program. He asked about the continuity of funding for future years. Dr. Benson emphasized this, noting that student teachers who worked during periods of virtual learning restrictions could especially benefit from mentorship. Ms. Morrison asked if IEA looked at districts involved with IL-EMPOWER. Ms. Morris said that IEA did not target IL-EMPOWER, though its focus on districts in need of resources had some overlap.
Mr. Eddy asked about what funding would be needed for scaling up the program to increase access to mentors for any new teachers who might be interested. Ms. Morris said a formula could be used to determine this.
Dr. Leak shared that the program helped with the retention of new teachers in her district, and she advocated for it.
Chair Isoye thanked the panelists for sharing their perspectives.
National Approaches
Dr. Kirmes discussed educator support programs being implemented outside of Illinois.
Dr. Lett asked about flexibility associated with out-of-state licenses. Ms. Fox confirmed that there are reciprocity programs with other states written into law. Dr. Lett asked if these short term approval programs had reduced cases of pursuing licensure out of state, and Ms. Fox said the approval programs did increase access. Dr. Kirmes provided information about shares of in-state and out-of-state licensure among new educators.
Dr. Leak asked for a synopsis of other states’ programs to discuss at the National Association of State Boards of Education conference, and Dr. Kirmes said she would provide it.
Ms. Morrison asked about data for utilization rates for principal licenses. Dr. Kirmes confirmed it was available.
Chair Isoye thanked the team for the presentation.
MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT
Dr. Lett moved that the State Board of Education adjourn the September 20, 2022 Board meeting.
Mr. Eddy seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote. The meeting adjourned at 4:05 p.m.
https://www.isbe.net/Documents_Board_Meetings/202209-Agenda-and-Minutes.pdf
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