P-20 Network Newsletter — March 22, 2024

Northern Illinois University is excited to announce that it will begin offering benefits to students who have graduated high school having earned their College and Career Pathway Endorsement in any of the seven Career Pathways. Highlights of the benefits for students who have earned endorsements include:

NIU Honors Program
Research Rookies
Living Learning Communities

NIU is excited to provide real currency for students that have built knowledge and skills through having earned an Endorsement in high school.

Join the Educational Coaching Network on May 9, 2024, at NIU Naperville for its 2024 ECN Conference featuring Jennifer Abrams. The focus of this day will be the five facets of being our best selves at work – knowing our identity, suspending certainty, taking responsibility, working interdependently, and building resiliency. In addition to free parking, breakfast, lunch, materials, and six Professional Development Hours (PDHs), participants will receive a copy of Jennifer’s new book Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work.

HB5020, an amendment to the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act, was originally scheduled to appear before the General Assembly’s Higher Education Committee on the afternoon of March 21, 2024. Earlier in the day on March 21, 2024, as the Illinois P-20 Network understands, the bill was pulled from the planned hearing to allow more time for stakeholders and legislators to continue to engage in additional work.

As the Illinois P-20 Network receives additional updates, those will be communicated to the Dual Credit Think Tank and to the field. Additionally, throughout this process, the Illinois P-20 Network will continue to engage and encourage the involvement of educators from both school districts and postsecondary institutions to put into place the best possible solutions for our students.

Using HB5020 as a guide, the Illinois P-20 Network has posted information on its website to help educators submit witness slips to the General Assembly and to ensure that the expertise of practitioners is included in educational policymaking processes. Learn more about how to share your expertise and impact the process that is undertaken by legislators.

If you have any questions or comments or would like to become involved as a member of the Dual Credit Think Tank, please feel free to contact Rodrigo López, Director of P-20 Initiatives (rodrigo.lopez@niu.edu).

On Saturday, April 20, at the NIU Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center, the Northern Illinois University Libraries will be hosting the Northern Illinois Regional History Conference. With a keynote and break-out sessions on a range of topics that dive into unique regions and the history of different people, this conference will be interesting and inspiring for those who love history.
This conference, which is open to anyone, will afford social studies teachers across Illinois the opportunity to earn over six Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and to learn content that can help them make history even more relevant and engaging for students in their classrooms!

Postsecondary educators and students who are preparing for careers in healthcare fields are invited to attend this free workshop being offered by Northern Illinois University and the Northeast Illinois Area Health Education Center. This event will be held on Friday, May 3, 2024, at NIU Naperville from 8:30 AM until 12:30 PM. The purpose of this event is to strengthen postsecondary paths, including both community colleges and four year-universities, to promote a high-quality healthcare workforce that can meet the needs of our diverse communities.

FAFSA completion, or the completion of the Illinois Alternative Application for Financial aid, is a high school graduation requirement in Illinois. Make sure to check studentaid.gov for regular updates, including webinars, pro tips, and toolkits for students, families, educators, and counselors. Your students can visit the ISACorps webpage to find their local ISACorps member (a near-peer helper) and a list of community events.

More helpful resources:

Back for its seventh year, this three-day summer camp from June 11 to 14, 2024, brings together teams of new and returning campers (educators!) to investigate multicultural and social justice education. Campers will have significant opportunities to discuss social justice issues, both general and specific to their schools, with experts and colleagues, as well as time for individual reflection and group activities.

The content of this professional learning experience is customized to meet the needs of educators in school districts and community colleges. With organizations sending everything from one individual educator to dozens, there are a wide range of campers to learn with and from.

To learn more about Social Justice Summer Camp, check out this video from the 2023 6.0 edition.

P-20 Network Email Newsletter —
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