May 19, 2010

2 Illinois is in the bottom half of states on national tests (NAEP) 2

3 Too many students drop out 228 STUDENTS 228 STUDENTS 41,000 STUDENTS = 100 STUDENTS 3

4 Too few students earn degrees 4

5 U.S. is falling behind Percent of Adult Population with Some Post-Secondary Degree

6 Illinois’ achievement gaps are among the largest in the U.S.

7 Unrealized Economic Potential

8 Who Are We? Independent Statewide Education Reform Advocacy Group

9 Board of Directors Jim Edgar, Co-chair Former Governor, State of Illinois William M. Daley, Co-chair Chairman of the Midwest Region, JP Morgan Chase Ellen Alberding President, The Joyce Foundation James Bell President & CFO, Boeing Company Lew Collens President Emeritus, Illinois Institute of Technology Miguel del Valle City Clerk of Chicago and former Chair of Illinois Senate Education Committee John Edwardson Chairman & CEO, CDW Computer Centers, Inc. Joseph Fatheree Illinois “Teacher of the Year”, Effingham High School James C. Franczek, Jr. President, Franczek Radelet P.C. Speaker Dennis Hastert Former Speaker, United States House of Representatives Dr. Timothy Knowles Lewis-Sebring Director, The Urban Education Institute, University of Chicago Sylvia Puente Executive Director, Latino Policy Forum Ed Rust Chairman and CEO, State Farm Insurance Co. Patricia Watkins Executive Director, TARGET Area Community Development Corporation

10  Community Conversations & Town Hall Meetings  Promote local reform by sharing information and sparking local collaboration  Link Local Leaders with State Efforts Community Listening Carbondale LaSalle Peru Decatur Champaign Effingham E. St. Louis Quincy Quad CitiesAurora Belvidere Rockford

11 Community Concerns  Student engagement  Parent engagement  Real-world skills  Time  Innovation  Technology

12 Our ISAT scores have been going up 12

13 But NAEP scores tell a different story 13

14 Good Teachers Help Close Achievement Gap 14

15 Poorer schools get fewer effective teachers 15

16 We Can Do Better

17 The System We’re In Inadequate teacher and principal preparation Inadequate statewide infrastructure No strategy and limited resources for student support Incomplete and Inaccessible Data Dysfunctional ^ Low standards and expectations for students and teachers Funding and accountability based on compliance, not results Inadequate resources, little support, little flexibility at the school level The System Unclear goals for system and schools

18 No “Silver Bullets” Longer School Day Vouchers Early Childhood Loosen Mandates Class Size Charters Uniforms Alternative Certification Mentoring and induction Graduation Requirements Parents

19 A Healthy System Set Clear Goals and High Standards Provide Adequate Resources and Flexibility Ensure Best Teachers and Principals Engage Community and Family to Support Students Hold Schools Accountable for Results We need System Reform, not Program Reform

20 NAEP Scores Flat 20

21 While Spending Goes Up 21 $4,060 Per Pupil Spending in dollars $6,219 $7,504 $9,266

22 New Challenges Increase Costs 22 $4,060 Per Pupil Spending in dollars $6,219 $7,504 $9,266 Special ed Low Support Mandates counseling Safety English- Language Learners Assessments

23 More Flexibility to Confront Those Challenges Greater Local Control Staffing Budget Program Schedule Fewer Mandates Better Outcome Measures More nimble and nuanced assessments “Readiness” benchmarks School climate 23