Illinois public schools represent a broad set of student and school needs. The state is home to the second largest public school district in the country and nearly 300 districts with fewer than 600 students, and a rapidly increasing population of English learner students. With a growing early learning investment and the development of a new state system of supports for schools and districts, state policy makers and stakeholders are working together in new ways to address funding, equity, and performance gaps in the state with a collaborative, innovative approach. Partners for has a strong network of advocate and government partners in the state, including a critical relationship with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Core Partners in Illinois
More Resources & Tools on Illinois
10/04/2018
Learn More About Your School — To Change It!
COFI/POWER-PAC IL, ACT Now, and Partners for Each and Every Child (a project of the Opportunity Institute) hosted more than 100 people in-person and online for sessions on the new information we can learn about Illinois schools — through the Illinois School Report learn more >
07/11/2017
Process and Protest – Summer 2017 Report 
Click to Read the Report!
Have State Engagement Efforts Under ESSA Been Meaningful?
We are excited to share Process and Protest, a report exploring how thoughtful, meaningful, structured, and ongoing engagement among a variety of stakeholders is essential to learn more >
12/13/2016
Supports & Interventions in Illinois Schools: Participation, Preparation, and What Comes Next
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has embraced both the requirement under ESSA and the spirit of intent that meaningful engagement with a range of stakeholders throughout the processes of policy planning and implementation is essential to ensure the best possible state level planning learn more >
12/06/2016
Illinois ESSA State Plan Draft #2 – Reader’s Guide
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released its second ESSA State Plan draft on November 22, 2016. ISBE and Partners for jointly developed a second Reader’s Guide to accompany the draft plan #2.
As part of ISBE’s efforts to gather feedback learn more >
11/01/2016
Illinois ESSA State Plan Draft #1 – Reader’s Guide
On August 25th, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) posted their ESSA State Plan Draft #1 for public comment. On September 1st, Partners for released a Reader’s Guide for the ISBE ESSA State Plan Draft #1. The Reader’s Guide is designed to assist ISBE learn more >
10/07/2016
Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement in Illinois: Recommendations for ISBE’s ESSA State Plan Development
In an effort to support the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to strengthen their stakeholder engagement efforts around the ESSA State Plan, Partners for submitted formal comment to their open invitation for feedback on their ESSA state plan first draft in October 2016.
Read our Recommendations learn more >
09/07/2016
Leveraging ESSA: Policy Opportunities for English Learners in Illinois
Leveraging ESSA: Policy Opportunities for English Learners in Illinois
The passage of the ESSA includes important accountability provisions regarding English learners (ELs) that further emphasize that the educational experience of and goals for EL students are not an isolated set of challenges. Rather, the ways learn more >
06/14/2016
WEBINAR – ESSA: Implications for Illinois and Equity
Held on June 14, 2016, this live panel webinar included a presentation by Illinois State Board of Education Superintendent Tony Smith on stakeholder engagement and ESSA implementation, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Ralph Martire, Executive Director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. learn more >
06/01/2016
ESSA: Implications for Equity
In an effort to understand the implications of ESSA in our Anchor States, Partners for developed a series of reports summarizing expectations and opportunities under ESSA and their implications in the Pre-ESSA landscape in each state.
California
Colorado
Georgia
Illinois
Mississippi
New Jersey
Ohio
