Through the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD), the U.S. Department of Education disseminates data on local educational agencies (LEAs), commonly known as school districts. During the school year (SY) 2018-19, the CCD recorded 13,711 LEAs with English learners (ELs) enrolled. This fact sheet looks more…

Purpose: The socialization literature has identified the importance of school administrator support in physical education teachers' work experiences. The purpose of this study was to understand how principals' own socialization influences their perspectives on and support for physical education. Methods: Data were collected through semistructured…

There is growing interest in student-centered learning as a model to better support individual learners. In recent years, state policymakers have pursued multiple approaches to implement this instructional model, but many leaders still experience policy barriers that affect progress. This Policy Brief offers an analysis of policy trends,…

The purpose of this study was to examine whether district funding influences the leadership work of school principals. This study explored the role of the elementary principal in four school districts. Two districts were located in communities with an affluent population and the schools had an abundance of fiscal resources; the other two districts…

The Illinois Educator Preparation Profiles (IEPP) system, housed at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), provides public information on the performance of Illinois teacher preparation programs (TPPs) across the state. TPPs are scored on 11 indicators grouped into four domains--candidate selection and completion, knowledge and skills for…

School leaders enrolled in CPED-influenced and practitioner focused doctoral programs require specific research-based skills and knowledge that bridge both educational scholarship and practice in order to be relevant for both their dissertation process and school practice. In doing so, these doctorate in education (EdD) programs must critically…

The Illinois State Board of Education crafted their Strategic Plan as a roadmap to equity, defining the steps their agency will take to improve and increase opportunities and supports for Illinois students, especially those in the greatest need. They adopted the plan in November 2020, nine months into a global pandemic that continues to shape the…

In March of 2020, in response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Illinois mandated the transition to remote instruction for all schools. Although schools had the option to resume in-person instruction during the 2020-21 school year (SY21), the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) acknowledged that in-person instruction may not…

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 was marked by a transition to remote learning in Illinois schools and nationwide. The following school year, schools and families faced difficult decisions about how and when to return to in-person learning. School leaders, parents and caregivers, and students considered how to balance…

This roadmap for Illinois public schools through school year 2022-23 defines the steps the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will take to provide each and every student in the state with safe and engaging schools, excellent teachers, and equitable learning opportunities. This plan reflects both the realities and uncertainties are faced…

The COVID-19 pandemic has propelled educational communities across the world into emergency remote models of instruction. This study documented the perceptions of 11 teachers from the State of Illinois regarding the quality of online instruction in their schools and their unexpected challenges from March of 2019-2020 academic year. Three points of…

As Illinois schools moved toward reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS) identified a need for coordinated statewide COVID-19 forums for district leaders to discuss immediate challenges faced by educators as schools reopened in fall 2020. IARSS and the Illinois State Board of…

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) updates its Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Elementary and Secondary Education each year, as required by Public Act 93-1036 (the Education Reform and Accountability Act of 2004). This annual "Strategic Plan Progress Report" details actions the agency is taking to fulfill the Board's mission,…

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) develops and maintains a continuing five-year comprehensive strategic plan for elementary and secondary education in accordance with Public Act 93-1036. Agency staff members revisit the plan each year to review the agency's accomplishments and to refine the agency's strategies. The State Board amended…

This report examines what is known about enrollment, discipline, and support staff in alternative schools, among other objectives. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) analyzed data on alternative schools for school years 2013-14 and 2015-16 from Education's Civil Rights Data Collection (most recent years available); visited selected school…