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In this next episode we take you to two additional Illinois 60 by 25 Network Leadership Communities. We’ll hear from Sydney Stigge-Kaufman, Director of Strategic Partnerships in East St Louis School District 189 and from Dr. Darryl Hogue, the Superintendent of River Bend school district in the Fulton area in northwestern Illinois.

Our next series of episodes dives into the Illinois 60 by 25 Network, a collaborative of communities across the State of Illinois that is driving improved outcomes for young people. The Network was launched in 2013 by three Network Organizers because they recognized the emergence of local initiatives to increase postsecondary attainment and the lack of a statewide support infrastructure. The Network Organizers are Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems), and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). In the first episode of this series, Jon Furr and Edith Njuguna from EdSystems provide some background on the Network. We then hear directly from Illinois 60 by 25 Network Leadership Communities. First up will be Brent Baker, the Director of Workforce Solutions at the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council.

In this final episode of the Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois series, we will take you across the state of Illinois to hear from 3 communities implementing an Education Pathway through SEPI: Linda Thorson and Tim Kosiek from Township High School District 214, Phil Pakowski and Kate Morris from Plainfield SD 202, and Superintendent Jennifer Gill, Cheree Morrison and Denise Petty from Springfield School District 186.

Our next series of episodes dives into the Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois initiative, a collaboration between nine communities to build streamlined teacher career pathways that begin in high school, extend into post-secondary, and continue towards initial job placement. In the first episode of this series, you will hear from our colleagues Jim O’Connor at Advance Illinois and Ernesto Matias, Chief Academic Officer for the Illinois State Board of Education, about the nature of the state’s teacher shortage and efforts to curtail it.

This episode of Systems Sessions further explores how access to dual credit is being supported and expanded throughout Illinois with the adoption of the Model Partnership Agreement (MPA). Marcus Brown, Senior Director for Academic Affairs with the Illinois Community College Board, joins us to discuss the current landscape of dual credit and the need for the Dual Credit Quality Act and the MPA. Josh Stafford, Superintendent of Vienna High School will also join us to describe how a rural community in southern Illinois has provided extensive access to dual credit and the impact the MPA is having.

Our first episode of Systems Sessions dives into the work of the State of Illinois Dual Credit Committee to develop the Model Partnership Agreement. This Agreement guides local partnerships between school districts and community colleges to expand and support quality dual credit access and offerings. We will hear directly from members of the Dual Credit Committee about the development process and how this Agreement is shaping dual credit delivery across Illinois. Joining us for this conversation are Vice President of Teaching, Learning, and Student Development at Elgin Community College, Peggy Heinrich, and Pontiac Township High School Educator, Jesse Faber.

Education Systems Center has launched a podcast! In this episode of Systems Sessions, learn more about the conversations we'll be having with the people behind the work that shapes the lives of young people through supporting pathways to a productive career. Listen in now to join the conversation!