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What we’ve been up to... 

As you receive this, we know that while some of you have had Spring Break either this week or the week before, many of you are having Spring Break next week with a few of you having Spring Break the week after! We hope that Spring Break allows you to take a few days away from work and your computers and your email to reset and recharge for a strong finish to this year! 

Today, we are at the ILACEP Dual Credit Summit in both Chicago Heights and Vienna! We’ll report back on that in our next Newsletter. In the meantime, we’ve been busy with the following... 

• Educational Coaching Network Foundations of Instructional Coaching – Last week, we held the last two workshops in our year-long series with coaches from throughout Illinois and the Midwest. We’re deep into planning for the ECN Conference and for next year! 

• IASBO Bookkeepers Conference - We were very excited to attend this year’s IASBO Bookkeepers Conference and interact with our colleagues from IASBO, ISBE, and with districts from across Illinois! 

• College of DuPage – This week we continued our collaborations with multiple regions in Illinois, working with community colleges and school districts to continue improving the effectiveness and efficiency of dual credit throughout each region!  

We also had the privilege of interacting with dozens of school district leaders as they attended IASA and IASBO-led events this week, and in those interactions, we continue to learn more about the needs of the field, the current state of your regions, and how we can best support the challenges you face. 

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KEEP Illinois Update 

Earlier this year, we released The Road to Retention: Understanding the educator shortage and ways to engage and keep educators. This report featured four recommendations to improve retention and engagement among educators related to: 

• Compensation

• Teacher Leadership

• Professional Development, Coaching, and Co-Teaching

• Culture, Working Conditions, and Wellness

Throughout the winter, we've been coordinating with other statewide groups working in the Teacher Leadership space. Additionally, we continue to develop new programs for the Educational Coaching Network to address professional development and coaching (though not specifically co-teaching, we realize!).   

In April, we will be launching a statewide survey that seeks to gather more information directly from educators of all types across all levels from throughout Illinois to both identify high-quality practices that are working in school districts and seek the creation of additional novel solutions to these challenges. We're hoping for thousands of responses from across Illinois, and we're currently working to build alliances with those that will be able to share out this link across schools, districts, and regions. 

Visit the KEEP Illinois website, and continue to watch our Newsletter for more information! 

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ECN Conference 2025 – Register Now 

We are excited to be welcoming Diane Sweeney back for this year’s ECN Conference on April 24, 2025. This session is ideal for coaches and administrators to attend as Diane will walk us through some of the most critical issues to get right for school culture, educators’ growth, the long-term success of instructional coaching, and, ultimately, student success. Check out this short video Diane recorded for more information! 

In addition to this year’s ECN Conference, we still have one more Instructional Coaching Hot Topic session on April 10, after-school, online via Zoom. Learn more and register! 

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ISBE Seeks Feedback on Performance Level Descriptors  

The Illinois State Board of Education has published its draft Performance Level Descriptors, or PLDs. Performance Level Descriptors describe the expected proficiency level of students on assessments aligned with standards. Performance Level Descriptors are central to and necessary for the creation of traditional statewide assessments.  

ISBE is now seeking public comment on the Performance Level Descriptors through the Content Submission Form or by emailing comments to ESSA@isbe.net. Commenters are asked to submit their comments one subject at a time. The public comment period closes on Monday, April 7, 2025, at 5 PM.  

To support educators in reviewing the Performance Level Descriptors, ISBE has also developed a handy PLD Review Guiding Questions document, so you and your colleagues are encouraged to check that out in advance of reviewing the Performance Level Descriptors! 

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Free Online, After-School Science and Social Science Professional Development 

ISBE, in collaboration with partners including the Learning Technology Center, Regional Office of Education 47, and the National Science Teachers Association, is offering free, online professional development opportunities in April to support both science and social science instruction! Check out these workshops and share with your colleagues in school districts as well as with preservice educators in our postsecondary institutions! 

• April 2 – 4-6 PM – Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence in Support of Social Justice 
  

• April 1 – May 1 – 5-8 PM – NGSS Inquiry-Based Lessons OpenSciEd Curriculum Launch Professional Development 

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