Southern Illinois News

Illinois State Board of Education met Nov. 16.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

ROLL CALL

Chair of the Board Steven Isoye called the meeting to order at 10 a.m.

Chair Isoye announced that the Board meeting was being audio-cast live over the internet and video recorded.

Chair Isoye asked the clerk to call the roll. A quorum was present with eight members attending in person. State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders was also in attendance. Dr. James Anderson was absent.

Members Present:

Dr. Steven Isoye, Chair of the Board

Dr. Donna Leak, Vice Chair

Dr. Christine Benson, Secretary

Dr. Sherly Chavarria

Roger Eddy

Laura Gonzalez

Dr. Anna Grassellino

Dr. Patricia Nugent

Members Absent:

Dr. James Anderson

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Chair Isoye reminded those in attendance of the Public Participation Policy and the sign-up procedures for the meeting.

Melissa Zaikos, founder and chief executive officer of Intrinsic Schools, spoke on the topic of charter renewal. She described the need for good high schools in her area. She noted that Intrinsic students are outperforming their peers at nearby schools and added that students benefit from career exposure, internships, dual enrollment, scholarships, and at least two college visits each. She said that the 2023 graduating class had a 90% college matriculation rate. She advocated for a five-year renewal of the charter.

Vincent Payne with Bronzeville Academy Charter School spoke on the renewal of the charter school. He shared that the school’s summative designation was higher than 10 out of 16 comparable schools. He also explained that the school provides specialized instruction for diverse learners and has shown consistent gains in reading, math, and science. It also offers STEM opportunities and creative partnerships. He advocated for a five-year renewal.

Destiny Whitehead, a senior at Intrinsic Schools, spoke on the topic of Intrinsic Downtown Campus. She highlighted the school’s networking opportunities, internships, diversity, supportive administration, wide course selection, and chances to learn about other cultures. She told the Board that she had chosen Intrinsic because of the supportive community and the opportunity for student voice.

Josh Kaufmann, executive director of Teach Plus, and Catherine Ross-Cook, senior affinity group facilitator with Teach Plus, spoke on Illinois affinity groups. Mr. Kaufman gave a brief history of the Teach Plus affinity groups, which are notable for their reach across Illinois and high retention of participating teachers. Ms. Ross-Cook said that the affinity groups have helped educators of color come together to share stories, lighten the unique burdens that they face, and advocate for their needs. She urged the Board to continue to support the program.

Barb Cohen, policy analyst and cofounder of the Illinois Early Literacy Coalition, spoke on the Comprehensive State Literacy Plan. She advocated for stronger accountability for ability to produce and maintain a skilled workforce. He advocated for an annual $10 million increase in CTE funding and for making funding for area vocational centers a separate line item.

Emma Spencer, policy and communications manager at ACT Now Illinois, spoke on the topic of 21st Century Community Learning Centers. She shared that many students may lose their after-school opportunities at the end of the school year. She said that this year’s funding shortfall left no time to plan for alternative funding or grant opportunities, with many after school programs unable to absorb future costs. She asked the Board to address this issue.

Alexandra Philips, the parent of two children who attend public school in Illinois, spoke on the topic of parent voice. She discussed a lack of clarity at her child’s school regarding school absence policies at the state level. She shared her concern that there are so many updates to statute and the School Code that districts may struggle to keep up to date. She advocated for increased parent involvement and additional clarity regarding ISBE’s policies.

Alvin Boutte, CEO of Bronzeville Academy Charter School, provided additional information on the topic of that school’s renewal. He described the humble but active school community and said that the school was designated Commendable two years in a row. He also shared that the student body has nearly doubled from 180 students to 340 and that the school is in the process of purchasing a building for a permanent location.

PRESENTATIONS | EAST ST. LOUIS & NORTH CHICAGO UPDATES ON STRATEGIC PLAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH PA 101-643

ISBE Chief Financial Officer Dr. Matt Seaton introduced Arthur Culver, superintendent of East St. Louis School District 189, and colleagues Jennifer Brumback and Delfaye Jason. Ms. Brumback, the district’s chief academic officer, described efforts toward the five district goals that make up its strategic plan: academic excellence; financial stewardship and accountability; safe and healthy environment; strategic partnerships; and committed, highly effective staff. These efforts include professional learning communities and a common walk through tool, as well as additional school-based academic and mental health services. A point of pride is that both Black students and low-income students met the summative designation target, and student growth, math attainment, and the 9th grade on track metric have all seen improvements. The district has also trained teachers in the Science of Reading and has almost fully staffed the Math Department, which is crucial because some students have not had a consistent or certified math teacher in three years. Another challenge the district faces is that 40 students enrolled this year who had not been in school for three or more years.

Additionally, Ms. Jason, chief school business official for District 189, provided an update on the district’s financial plan, explaining that local revenue from property taxes rose in fiscal year 2023, while state and federal grant funding had decreased somewhat. In FY 2023, the district’s ending fund balance was around $6 million higher than anticipated.

Finally, Mr. Culver discussed some of the challenges the district faces, including a chronic absenteeism rate of 69%. Another challenge is the teacher absenteeism rate, with 45% having missed more than 10 days, and the high level of poverty, which affects 40% of students. However, there has been progress in filling teacher vacancies in critical areas. Now, only 10 positions are vacant, where there had been 25-30 vacancies in previous years.

He emphasized his commitment to improving the educational experience for District 189 students.

Dr. Nugent thanked the administrators, saying their passion was evident. Dr. Leak commended the administrators for their intentional and dedicated work, noting the pervasiveness of chronic absenteeism around the country. Dr. Sanders thanked Mr. Culver and expressed interest in learning more about the walk-through tool and the transition to a new assessment system. Chair Isoye added his thanks for the finance portion of the presentation.

North Chicago CUSD 187 Deputy Superintendent Oscar Hawthorne and Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Volan spoke next. Mr. Volan shared that operating fund end balances have been well above projections. He detailed the funding sources and explained concerns for the future -- namely, that Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) only increases 1% per year, which does not keep pace with inflation; Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax (CPPRT) revenue can be difficult to predict; Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds are set to end in September 2024; and the Impact Aid Fund is dependent on the district maintaining qualifying status. The district may need to stop programs currently funded by ESSER and will have to rein in spending going forward. He explained that salaries still lag behind neighboring districts, and a new housing development will mean more school-aged children.

Mr. Volan also noted several capital projects that total $30 million since 2020, with $10 million planned over the next two years. He explained that a new middle school had opened in 2022 thanks to a large donation from AbbVie, and another elementary school was in the works thanks to a military grant. However, he pointed out that North Chicago would only be able to build a new building through this sort of grant or a large donation, as it does not have a large enough borrowing capacity itself.

Mr. Hawthorne outlined some of the difficulties the district faces in terms of academic achievement, including in SAT proficiency as well as elementary achievement and growth in reading and math. However, the district also has seen a significant increase in the graduation rate (up to 88%) and the freshmen on track rate. There is a new dual language program, with the majority of students meeting or exceeding the district goal for reading in both English and Spanish, but with lower rates of math proficiency. He shared that teacher retention has improved, with highly rated teachers staying on at a rate of 90%. Finally, he outlined the district’s areas of focus for meeting strategic plan goals and encouraged ISBE to use the High Reliability Schools model as a framework for school improvement.

Mr. Eddy asked how many teacher vacancies there were. Mr. Hawthorne said there were fewer than 10 vacancies, with a particular need for special education professionals. Dr. Leak commended the district on its five-year growth regarding the graduation rate and freshmen on track. She asked which strategies had been used to target these issues. Mr. Hawthorne said that it was important to have someone to sit down, ask the right questions, and establish a cadence. Ms. Gonzalez asked about the dual language program. Mr. Hawthorne said that it was a two-way program, with the current cohort in fourth grade, and that the district hoped to provide the Seal of Biliteracy. Dr. Chavarria inquired if assessments were designed internally. Mr. Hawthorne said that the Common Core assessments had been developed internally with external support, and that the district would move on to the high school level next. Dr. Isoye expressed interest in the High Reliability Schools model, and several Board members thanked the representatives from CUSD 187.

PRESENTATIONS | HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SY 2022-23 REPORT CARD

Executive Director of Data, Accountability, and Assessment Rae Clementz and Director of Data Strategies and Analytics Maureen Font discussed the school year 2022-23 Report Card and gave an overview of the key findings at the state level. The 2022-23 school year saw major gains in English language arts (ELA) proficiency and minor gains in math proficiency, with Black students seeing the largest acceleration in ELA and math growth but still remaining behind their peers in proficiency. The graduation rate was at its highest in 13 years (87.6%), but there is still a clear disproportionality by race in terms of students who are not on track to graduate. Teacher retention was the highest ever on record, with robust retention of Hispanic teachers, although retention rates for Black teachers remain lower. Additionally, the diversity of students in Illinois is increasing, even as overall enrollment decreases slightly.

The past school year saw the biggest jump in five years in English learner enrollment. Chronic absenteeism improved by 5% but has not yet recovered its pre-pandemic level. Finally, participation in advanced coursework and CTE grew. Ms. Clementz also gave an overview of recent accountability updates, including the new summative designation of Intensive Support, and Report Card visualization updates.

Dr. Leak congratulated Ms. Clementz and Ms. Font on the new Report Card visualizations, which she said have facilitated a greater understanding of school data. Dr. Benson agreed, saying that these developments are a step in the right direction and that she appreciated how the Report Card is made available to the public. Dr. Chavarria noted that the racial disparities evident in the data are striking.

Dr. Grassellino asked about this year’s change to the teacher retention measure, which now counts the percentage of teachers who stay in their district, rather than at their school. Ms. Font said that they felt the measure was more valid at the district level than at the school level. Dr. Grassellino asked if they would recalculate the past measures of teacher retention for a better comparison. Ms. Font said no, which is why they wanted to be very transparent about the change.

Mr. Eddy noted that the graduation rate has increased even though chronic absenteeism remains high. Dr. Sanders mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic had changed the school attendance landscape. Teachers may continue to put lessons online, for example. Mr. Eddy suggested reexamining the definition of “chronic absenteeism” for increased relevance and correlation with performance. Dr. Leak said that schools are ultimately held accountable for chronic absenteeism in the summative designation, even if some types of absences may support a student’s education, such as college visits. Mr. Eddy suggested reporting college visit days in the same way that mental health days are reported. Dr. Sanders noted that chronic absenteeism is defined at the federal level for comparison between states and that it is hard to know why students are absent. Dr. Nugent added that some students may be afraid to leave their homes, which is also an important part of chronic absenteeism.

Mr. Eddy asked how student transfers affect a school’s graduation rate. Ms. Clementz explained that the last recorded home school receives credit for the student’s graduation and that schools attended previously are not affected by transfers when calculating the graduation rate. Chair Isoye thanked Ms. Font and Ms. Clementz for the Report Card information and noted that improvements are only possible because of intense efforts at the local level.

DISCUSSION | FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET HEARINGS

Dr. Seaton provided an overview of the takeaways from the 2025 budget hearings. He noted that public participation nearly doubled this year, including both in-person and virtual testimony as well as written requests. As in past years, there were many requests for increased EBF, early childhood development, and CTE. Newer topics included projects that had previously been funded through ESSER. The public input will be used to construct the budget request for adoption in January. However, Dr. Seaton advised that revenue and therefore the available budget may be a little tighter in the next few years based on new forecasts from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.

Mr. Eddy asked which of the requests are a result of ESSER funding coming to an end. Dr. Seaton said he would provide that information, noting that affinity groups and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Hubs fall into that category, along with certain mentoring programs. Mr. Eddy noted that the federal ESSER funding had come with the warning that the funding would only be temporary. He asked if funding for the New Arrival Student Grant had previously been provided through ESSER, the Illinois Department of Human Services, or another agency. Dr. Seaton said that the New Arrival Student Grant is a request for a new appropriation and has not been provided through a different agency in the past.

Dr. Nugent asked about what plans had been made to sustain programs that were funded with ESSER dollars. Dr. Seaton said that ISBE is working with school districts to encourage sustainability plans. Dr. Sanders underscored the importance of planning ahead to make the transition as smooth as possible as ESSER funds expire.

Mr. Eddy noted that recent CPPRT growth has helped school districts move toward financial adequacy, but as CPPRT slows, there will be less progress toward adequacy. However, he said that he expects a net benefit from CPPRT, although short-term sustainability may be difficult. Dr. Seaton said that these effects will likely not be felt for a few years due to the way that the funding is calculated.

CLOSED SESSION

Dr. Leak moved that the State Board of Education go into closed session for the following exception items:

A. The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a specific individual who serves as an independent contractor in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or a volunteer of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. However, a meeting to consider an increase in compensation to a specific employee of a public body that is subject to the Local Government Wage Increase Transparency Act may not be closed and shall be open to the public and posted and held in accordance with this Act. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1)

B. Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2)

C. Litigation, when an action against, affecting or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal, or when the public body finds that an action is probable or imminent, in which case the basis for the finding shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the closed meeting. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11)

She further moved that Board members may invite anyone they wish to be included in this closed session.

Dr. Benson seconded the motion, and it passed by a unanimous roll call vote.

The open meeting recessed to go into closed session at 12:43 p.m. The open meeting reconvened at 1:36 p.m.

CONSENT AGENDA

Chair Isoye reviewed the items under the Consent Agenda. He noted that these items had been discussed previously at past Board and committee meetings.

There were no questions.

Mr. Eddy moved that the State Board of Education approves the Consent Agenda.

Dr. Nugent seconded the motion, and it passed by a unanimous roll call vote.

The following motions were approved by action taken in the Consent Agenda motion:

Approval of Minutes

*Plenary Minutes: October 18, 2023

The Illinois State Board of Education hereby approves the October 18, 2023, meeting minutes.

Rules for Initial Review

*Approval for Publication – Part 1 (Public Schools Evaluation, Recognition and Supervision) Waiver Applications

The State Board of Education hereby authorizes solicitation of public comment on the proposed rulemaking for Part 1 (Public Schools Evaluation, Recognition and Supervision), including publication of the proposed rules in the Illinois Register to elicit public comment.

Rules for Adoption

*Approval for Adoption – Part 1 (Public Schools Evaluation, Recognition and Supervision) Homeless Dispute Resolution Rules

The State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to submit the proposed rulemaking for Part 1 to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) for second notice. Further, the Board authorizes the state superintendent of education to make such technical and non-substantive changes as the state superintendent may deem necessary in response to suggestions or objections of JCAR.

Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million

Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval of Illinois Resource Center Professional Development and Technical Assistance Sole Source FY 2025-26

The Board approves the state superintendent to enter into a sole source contract with the Illinois Resource Center for FY 2025 and FY 2026 at the total amount not to exceed $3,799,888, or $1,899,944 per year.

Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval to Award a Significant Loss Grant for FY 2024 to Shawnee CUSD 84

The State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to award a Significant Loss Grant for FY 2024 to Shawnee CUSD 84 in an amount not to exceed $1,309,461.

APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND ILLINOIS FEDERATION OF STATE OFFICE EDUCATORS

Dr. Benson moved that the State Board of Education hereby approve the agreement between the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Federation of State Office Educators (IFSOE).

Dr. Leak seconded the motion, and it passed by a unanimous roll call vote.

Dr. Sanders recognized the bargaining team and congratulated them on reaching an agreement on behalf of IFSOE and ISBE that all parties were happy with.

DISCUSSION & APPROVAL | CONTRACTS & GRANTS OVER $1 MILLION – APPROVAL OF THE 1003 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

Director of School and District Improvement Dr. Christine Paxson discussed this item. There were no questions.

Dr. Chavarria moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorize the state superintendent to release the FY 2024 Title I, Part A, Section 1003 School Improvement Grant application and provide grants in excess of $1 million over the four-year grant term to districts with schools newly designated for school improvement status in 2023 (i.e., Intensive, Comprehensive, and Targeted schools).

Dr. Grassellino seconded the motion, and it passed by a roll call vote with Dr. Leak abstaining and all others voting in favor.

UPCOMING BOARD ACTIONS

Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval to Release and Award a Request for Proposals for the FY 2024 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections Grant

Director of Wellness Kim Barnes-Cummins discussed this item and the next. There were no questions.

Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval of New Intergovernmental Agreement with Southern Illinois University Carbondale for the Execution of Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant

Dr. Nugent asked how these changes might impact graduate students and school-based counselors. Ms. Barnes-Cummins said she would get back with further information on that, but that there are students utilizing the short-term approval process and that students will have the opportunity to re-specialize.

Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval to Amend Data Warehouse – IGA – Northern Illinois University

Director of Software Solutions Madan Damodaran discussed this item. There were no questions.

Approval of Renewal Decision for Bronzeville Academy Charter School 

Director of Charter Schools David Turovetz discussed this item and the following two.

Mr. Eddy asked how far away the new location would be. Mr. Turovetz said it would be about six blocks away and confirmed that documents establishing the purchase of a new building were necessary for renewal to be granted. He said that these documents had been sent to ISBE that week and were under review.

Mr. Eddy asked if there had been other significant concerns regarding Bronzeville. Mr. Turovetz said ISBE needs to analyze the new five-year budget and that there are academic concerns. The school has seen modest improvements in ELA but very little math improvement. However, Bronzeville does outperform nearby schools that students might otherwise have attended, although it does not outperform Chicago Public Schools on average.

Approval of Renewal Decision for Prairie Crossing Charter School

There were no questions.

Approval of Renewal Decision for Intrinsic 2 Charter School

Dr. Nugent asked how long of a renewal the school had previously been granted and asked if a three-year renewal would be an option for the upcoming decision. Mr. Turovetz said that the school is in its initial contract term of five years but that a three-year renewal is an option.

Mr. Eddy asked what would explain the rapid increase in projected surplus from $9,000 in 2025 to $2.3 million in 2028. Mr. Turovetz said he would look into it further but noted that the school is still building and adding students.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REPORTS

Superintendent/Senior Staff Announcements

Dr. Sanders reported that he and the Board members would participate in the Triple I Conference and recognized National School Board Member Day. He also introduced Ann Whalen, a recent hire at ISBE as the chief adviser to early childhood transition. He discussed the all-agency meeting held in October, which brought together all ISBE staff members. He also said that he has been in the field meeting with a variety of school administrators and educators, and he attended the Council of Chief State School Officers Annual Policy Forum in Nashville.

Chair of the Board’s Report

Chair Isoye reported that he had also attended the all-agency meeting, as well as Advance Illinois’ 15-year anniversary function. He said that many of the Board members had attended the National Association of School Boards of Education (NASBE) conference last month.

Member Reports

Dr. Benson thanked the Student Advisory Council members for their insightful comments in the NASBE opening video. She noted that some Board members had presented at the conference or helped organize it, and others had attended the research-based early conference sessions. She shared that this conference concludes her tenure as chair of NASBE. She thanked her colleagues on the Board and the staff at ISBE for their support.

Mr. Eddy thanked Dr. Benson for her hard work at NASBE and said that she had made the other Board members proud. Dr. Leak said that she had enjoyed watching the progression from when ISBE joined NASBE in 2019 to the current leadership and passion evidenced by Dr. Benson and Mr. Eddy’s recent contributions. She said that the sessions at NASBE had been phenomenal, covering a variety of relevant topics, and thanked the Board members for their efforts and camaraderie. Dr. Nugent added that the talk on Artificial Intelligence had been particularly interesting and timely.

INFORMATION ITEMS

ISBE Fiscal & Administrative Monthly Reports

Freedom of Information Act Monthly Report

MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT

Ms. Gonzalez moved that the State Board of Education adjourn the November 16, 2023, meeting.

Dr. Benson seconded the motion, and it passed by a unanimous roll call vote. The meeting adjourned at 2:15 p.m.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/isbe/Board.nsf/files/CYAJRA4DFE33/$file/Plenary%20Minutes%20-%20November%2016%2C%202023.pdf