P-20 Network Newsletter — August 9, 2024

Since its inception ten years ago, participation in the Illinois P-20 Network has been free to participating organizations. Financial support for the Illinois P-20 Network has been provided by Northern Illinois University (NIU) and the NIU Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development. For a period of time more than five years ago, there was additional funding from the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois P-20 Network has funded specific projects with contracts and grants from state agencies as well as by providing custom partner services on a fee-for-service basis to school districts and postsecondary institutions.

Over the past five years, demand for the knowledge and expertise provided by the Illinois P-20 Network has grown significantly. As a result, the Illinois P-20 Network seeks to meet that increasing demand with increasing capacity while also maintaining expert levels of knowledge and high-quality service. From answering questions via email to setting up short Zoom meetings on topics ranging from career and college readiness to educator engagement to instructional coaching to instruction and assessment, we are excited to partner with organizations across Illinois. Having a consistent revenue stream to support this work is critical for the sustainability of the Illinois P-20 Network and will help us meet increasing demand in these and other areas of need.

To continue (and expand) the current efforts of the Illinois P-20 Network, today we are launching Partner Plus. This is not only an opportunity to support the Illinois P-20 Network – but it also offers specific benefits for your organization.

On August 1, 2024, the Illinois P-20 Network's Dual Credit Think Tank held a meeting that featured a panel to discuss HB5020, the legislative process, and the current and future state of a possible amendment to the Dual Credit Quality Act. Panelists included Representative Diane Blair-Sherlock, the representative for Illinois' 46th District in the House and the sponsor of HB5020; Aimee Galvin of Stand for Children Illinois, who led the original writing of HB5020 and who continued to engage in negotiations throughout the legislative session; and Bobby Johnson, a staff member for the Senate Democrats and the staffer who is responsible for the Senate's Higher Education Committee.

While we did not record this meeting, we have written up a detailed follow-up news story: Checking in on HB5020 and Dual Credit Legislation.

If you are not currently a member of the Dual Credit Think Tank and would like to become involved (or would like to share with someone else in your organization), please complete this short Dual Credit Think Tank New Member Enrollment Form!

The Educational Coaching Network connects educators who want to learn, collaborate, and problem-solve to improve their Instructional Coaching programs and practices. To do this even better, this year ECN is adding free Coaching Conversations for all participants.

The purpose of the Coaching Conversations is to give participants the opportunity to discuss and process content with ECN facilitators. ECN participants are invited to bring their thoughts, questions, and ideas to Zoom, along with their lunch, for engaging conversation. These sessions, from noon to 1 PM, are free and included for all ECN participants! There are specific Coaching Conversations scheduled for both the Foundations of Instructional Coaching Institute and for the Advanced Coaching and Leadership Workshops. This is a new, additional value-add for participants and school districts as part of the Educational Coaching Network.

Health and wellness, both mental and physical, are the focus of The Schools We Need Now, a new book by Tim Dohrer and Tom Golebiewski. This new book directly addresses our Area of Focus of Equity and Opportunity and indirectly addresses our Areas of Focus of Career and College and Readiness and Educator Engagement. To help launch it, the Illinois P-20 Network is hosting a second webinar with Tim and Tom on August 28 at 3:30 PM. This topic is incredibly important, and this event is free to attend and participate!

The book lays out a “Mental Health Action Plan” that can guide educators to re-envision schools through the lens of health and wellness. It also provides school-based examples of prevention, intervention, and postvention steps for creating a healthy school culture.

Over the past two weeks, there has been considerable press, including in the national media, about the development of Illinois Senate Bill 3965, Adequate and Equitable Funding Formula for Public Universities. Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford and Representative Carol Ammons announced the bill along with the higher education leaders and policymakers who have worked on its development.

In some ways, the legislation is in line with the same underlying principles that support the Evidence-Based Funding Formula for school districts across Illinois in that funding levels are determined, in part, by the needs of students and the costs associated with meeting those needs.

This legislation would be formally introduced in January 2025 when the next regular legislative session begins, and, of course, there are likely to be negotiations and changes throughout the legislative process.
Read more about this:

The State Journal-Register – Illinois underfunds public universities by $1.4 billion, report finds

Inside Higher Education – Illinois Bill Introduces Novel Higher Ed Funding Model

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.