What we’ve been up to...

Happy New Year! We hope that everyone had a great Winter Break and was able to take time to rest, relax, and recharge.

Since our last Newsletter, we've been keeping busy on both sides of Winter Break...

We presented at Glenbard Township High School 87’s SOAR Conference about authentic learning, the Illinois Essential Skills, and all of the benefits of shifting instruction to make it relevant and centered on students above all else.

We hosted another Educational Coaching Network Coaching Conversation with instructional coaches from a wide range of schools and settings from across Illinois.

We engaged in community engagement and professional development planning with both school districts and community colleges.

We planned for engagement with legislators during this year’s session of the General Assembly.

We’re also planning some other exciting and important work for this spring. Read more below!

Educators Rising Illinois. Illinois Education Association

Bring students for the IEA-NIU Educators Rising Experience

On February 26, 2026, the Illinois P-20 Network is excited to partner with the Illinois Education Association and the NIU College of Education to host the IEA–NIU Educators Rising Experience. This event is a career awareness experience and is targeted toward high school students who have an interest in teaching. It will begin at 9 AM and feature a range of speakers including a number of Illinois Teachers of the Year. Lunch will also be included.

Learn more and register

ECN Conference – AI with Jim Knight

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting this year’s ECN Conference with Jim Knight on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The ECN Conference will be held at NIU Naperville, and this year’s topic will be: Using AI: Best Practices and Tools for Instructional Coaches and Leaders. This is an area in which Jim has been doing a significant amount of work, and the ECN Conference will allow participants to discover how artificial intelligence can elevate the practice of instructional and peer coaching—without losing the essential human connection at its core. We’ll explore how AI tools can streamline planning, analyze lessons, and support strategic decision-making while leaving the empathy, intuition, and trust of coaching firmly in human hands.

Learn more and register

One Click Admit – Supporting High School Students with Postsecondary Admission

One Click College Admit – an initiative of the State of Illinois – is the state's free, quick, and stress-free direct admissions program into most state public universities and all community colleges. Participating students pay no application fees and do not need to submit essays or letters of recommendation for general admission to these state universities or their local community college. The only requirement to be considered for admission to most of the state's universities is meeting the university's minimum grade point average (GPA). Interested students can visit the One Click College Admit site (https://oneclickadmit.org/) for more information and to opt in to participate. Students who are under 18 years of age must have their parent or guardian complete and sign the consent and release form.

Family Action Network - GPS Parent Series - Navigating Healthy Families

Share with Families – Free Family Education Resources

Did you know that there are multiple free parent and family education resources in Illinois that school districts can routinely share with families? Check out each of the following, and please be sure to regularly share with the families in your community (and with staff in your organization)!

FAN – Family Action Network

GPS Parent Series

P-20 Network Email Newsletter —
Pass it along today!

P-20 Network Newsletters will typically come out every two weeks on Friday. The newsletters include updates on critical policy developments, professional development opportunities, success stories from the Network and much more.

You are receiving this message because you have previously attended a P-20 Network Meeting and/or have been on previous P-20 Network emails. We encourage you to forward this email to others in your organization, such as principals, assistant principals, and department chairs by using the Forward to a Friend link below. Others can subscribe by simply completing this very short form.

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