Advance Illinois:An independent, objective voice to promote education reform in Illinois.

Our Goals

• Promote and stimulate progressive thinking on education. 

• Reflect statewide values and experiences.

• Make education a key issue in Illinois government. 

• Leverage grassroots support for legislative and regulatory change when necessary.

The State We’re In

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

Are Illinois Students “World Ready?”

Only 1 in 10 minority students and 3 in 10 white students earn a postsecondary degree.

U.S. Lags Internationally in Math and Reading

US

US

U.S. Lags Internationally in Overall Attainment

Higher levels of education help prevent unemployment.

Unrealized Economic Potential

We Can Do Better

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

A Healthy System

We need system reform, not program reform.

Set Clear Goals & High 

Standards

• Convene a P-20 Council

• Adopt common core standards

• Revise the State Report Card

• Implement statewide school climate surveys

• Adopt kindergarten readiness measures

IN PROCESS

IN PROCESS

IN PROCESS

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Provide Adequate Resources & Flexibility

• Support & expand quality charter school options

• Reform school funding – with better understanding of current funding equity and needs

• Develop Innovation Zones

• Give local leaders more control over key decisions

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IN PROCESS

On the Horizon

IN PROCESS

EngageFamilies & Community

• Expand school time –including stronger community school options

• Increase 0-3 programming (especially home visitation)

• Make information more readily available, relevant and user-friendly

• Involve community in transforming strugglingschools

IN PROCESS

IN PROCESS

IN PROCESS

On the Horizon

Hold Schools Accountable for Results

• Build cutting edge longitudinal data system (and revamp report cards for schools, districts and state)

• Connect funding to results

• Make sure ISBE/communities prepared to intervene in failing schools and districts

ON THE HORIZON

IN PROCESS

IN PROCESS

Ensure Best Teachers & Principals

• Make evaluations more meaningful

• Link performance to career milestones

• Improve teacher and principal training (including deeper field experience)

• Permit programs to operate independently

• Increase diversity in thepipeline

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IN PROCESS

IN PROCESS

IN PROCESS

Senate Bill 7

Performance hasn’t counted in Illinois, but that is changing. 

• Today, fewer than 1% of teachers in Illinois receive unsatisfactory evaluations. Most receive “superior” or “excellent” ratings each year.

• But the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) was passed last year as part of Illinois’ Race to the Top application.  It stipulates:

– Teacher and administrator evaluations will incorporate student growth, starting in 2011 and going statewide by 2014.

– Teachers will be evaluated yearly before receiving tenure, and biannually afterward.

– All evaluators (including peer evaluators) will be rigorously trained in conducting rigorous and fair evaluations.

Senate Bill 7 links PERA’s new performance‐based evaluations to milestones in a teacher’s career.

• Performance will be a primary criteria in certification, layoffs, and tenure.  

– State Supt may revoke certificates of teachers with 2 unsatisfactory ratings in a 7‐year period (or require added training).

– Instead of “last‐hired first‐fired”, teachers will be laid off based on performance and job qualifications first, with seniority as a “tie breaker”.

– Tenure will be earned through 2 positive evaluations  during the probationary period.

SB 7 will make performance count!

SB 7 will make performance count!

• Mutual consent will be required in hiring.  This allows management to hire teachers who best fit the needs of their schools.

• Streamlined dismissal procedures for poor performance will make the process less cumbersome and expensive for districts to remove ineffective (or “for cause”) teachers from the classroom. 

SB 7 gives Chicago greater control over the length of the school day and year.

• Makes the length of the school day and year a subject of “permissive” bargaining ‐ giving CPS more control over the school day and year

CPS can add time to the year but must bargain the ‘impact’ of any decision—including how to pay for it.  

At present, Chicago has one of the shortest school days and years of any major district.

SB 7 brings accountability & transparency to contract negotiations. 

• Statewide: Provide more transparency around negotiationsSB 7 requires that any unsuccessful mediation be followed with the public release of each parties’ last best offer for 30 days. 

• Chicago: Provide more safeguards before strike can occur  If mediation is unsuccessful, an independent fact‐finding panel would review issues and make recommendations.  If there is no resolution, the final offers are made public for 30 days.  If disagreement persists, CTU may strike with a 75% vote of the bargaining unit membership.

Senate Bill 7 will provide a clearer picture of how our schools are doing.

SB 7 mandates annual School Climate Surveys  to shed light on the learning conditions which we know are predictors of school improvement.

Teachers and  students will share perceptions on issues like:

School safety Professional support Parental involvement Instructional coherenceExpectations & rigor

Some of the information collected by these surveys will be shared with the public in the State Report Card for each school.

• April 14th‐ SB 7 unanimously passed the Illinois Senate. 

• May 12th‐ SB 7 was overwhelmingly passed the Illinois House.

• SB 7 is now headed to Governor Quinn’s desk for signing. 

Advance Illinois looks forward to working on thoughtful implementation of SB 7, making Illinois a better place to learn. 

Senate Bill 7 is ready to be signed! 

For more information visit:

www.advanceillinois.org