The "Illinois Charter School Biennial Report" for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years was originally published in January 2022 but was incomplete. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the normal administration and reporting of statewide student performance data during this time period. More specifically, ISBE received a statewide waiver of…

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…

In the spring of 2015, Illinois students will take new state assessments that, like the new Illinois Learning Standards, challenge them to think deeply, write often and defend their reasoning--all skills they will need in the world. The Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) covers math and English Language Arts…

This qualitative dissertation research explored the case studies of four novice special education teachers who were the primary instructors for English language arts for students in grades three through eight with an I.E.P. This study addressed the teachers' perspectives, beliefs, practices, and related induction needs concerning their…

Illinois is in the process of transitioning to new English language arts and mathematics standards that will better prepare students to be successful in college and their careers. Time, effort, and resources must be dedicated to effective implementation in order to realize the promise of these new common core state standards. This paper captures…