Grundy Reporter

Illinois State Board of Education Education Policy Planning Committee met Nov. 5.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

I. Roll Call

Chairperson Susie Morrison brought the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. Roll call was taken, and a quorum was present with two members. Chairperson Morrison made the declaration, “An in-person meeting is not practical or prudent because of a disaster. Physical presence for the meeting is unfeasible due to the disaster.” All attendees joined via phone. She verified that each member could hear one another and follow the discussion, and that they were able to testify.

Committee Members Present

Chairperson Susie Morrison

Jackie Robbins

Other Board Members Present

Dr. Donna Leak

Darren Reisberg

Staff Present

Dr. Carmen I. Ayala, State Superintendent

Kirsten Parr, Board Services Coordinator

Kim Clarke, Executive Assistant to the State Superintendent

Krish Mohip, Deputy Officer of Operational Education

Amanda Elliott, Executive Director of Legislative Affairs

Dr. Brenda M. Dixon, Research and Evaluation Officer

Dr. Ernesto Matias, Education Officer

Irma Snopek, Policy and Communications Officer

Dr. Jason Helfer, Deputy Officer of Instructional Education

Emily Fox, Director of Educator Effectiveness

Dr. Dana Kinley, Executive Director of Systems of Support

Barbara Moore, Director of Special Education

Rae Clementz, Director of Accountability

Cara Wiley, Director of Wellness

David Turovetz, Director of Charter Schools

Dana Kinley, Executive Director of Systems of Support

Dr. Erica Thieman, Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Jason Hall, Director of State Funding and Forecasting

Jeffrey Aranowski, Executive Director of Safe & Healthy Climate

Dr. Jennifer Kirmes, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning

Joanne Clyde, Director of Multilingual

Martin McGreal, Director of School/District Leadership

Marci Johnson, Director of CTE & Innovation

Megan Griffin, Director of Internal Communications

Molly Uhe-Edmonds, Director of Student Care

Oriana Wilson, Executive Director of Programs

Robert Wolfe, Financial Officer

Dr. Sean Clayton, Director of Assessment

Tina Dimmitt-Salinas, Director of ROE/ISC

II. Public Participation

Gina Szulkowski, an elementary school art teacher at Steinmetz College Prep, advocated for arts education. She spoke of the therapeutic benefits of the arts, which is especially important during a pandemic. She also presented research of the added academic and developmental benefits of arts education.

Elaine Fletcher-Janzen, a professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, spoke in support of Senate Bill 460 Amendment 1 and requested an edit to the language that would build in more flexibility for a school district to determine whether or not a child should have a comprehensive evaluation.

Ingrid Crepas, a planner of the Arts Education Conference from the Illinois Art Education Association, spoke on the critical role of arts education in supporting and engaging students.

Julieta Pakso, bilingual school psychologist, bilingual education specialist, and member of the Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois, spoke on behalf of all non-English-proficient parents of children with disabilities. She requested for ISBE to withdraw language from Part 226 for training for special education, which indicates that the agency wants special education parents to have interpreters who are called “interpreters.” She asked that ISBE be cognizant of the significant difference between court interpreters, bilingual interpreters, and interpreters for the deaf.

III. Approval of the October 6, 2020, Meeting Minutes

Ms. Robbins made the motion for the Education Policy Planning Committee to approve the October 6, 2020, meeting minutes. Chair Morrison seconded the motion, and it passed by roll call vote.

IV. Review of November Board Presentations

A. Assessment Presentation

Dr. Ayala informed the committee that the Board will hear from national experts who are working with states across the country on assessment. The Board will also be presented with information on the impact of the pandemic on student learning and the implications of going another year without assessment data. Mr. Reisberg added that there will be three different organizations present who will be working to enhance the Board’s ability to look at the issue through an equity lens.

B. Implementation of PA 101-643: District Intervention Funding

Mr. Wolfe told the committee that the superintendents of North Chicago and East St. Louis will present at the Board meeting, and that today he would be providing an overview of the enacted statute, which provides for a series of processes and the fulfillment of stipulations that allow for District Intervention Funding to be incorporated into Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) Base Funding Minimum.

Mr. Wolfe shared with the committee that both districts had been through a strategic planning process as well as a financial planning process, and ISBE staff has been providing support for these processes. He outlined what the Board will need to take into consideration and what the implications of their decision will be.

Chair Morrison asked if passing this statute would result in the reduction of funding for any other district. Mr. Wolfe explained how the shift being made in the budget from fiscal year 2021 to FY 2022 would be neutral. He noted that if that the statute were not to pass, the $12 million would be distributed throughout districts, but due to the stipulations of EBF, no district would be losing its current funding if it were to pass.

Ms. Robbins asked if ISBE would have the flexibility to provide similar aid to other districts. Mr. Wolfe explained the unique nature of these two districts and their consent agreements with ISBE, and he noted that there are currently no identified districts that would need similar support or intervention.

Mr. Reisberg asked if the Board were to recommend the incorporation of district intervention funds into the Base Funding Minimum and the goals in the districts’ strategic and financial plans are not being met, what protections are in place for the state’s investment? Mr. Wolfe said that, due to the consent agreements, the state has a lot of control within these districts, and there is a five-year window of time where it will be able to evaluate progress and make decisions about whether or not to shift control.

C. Illinois Preparation Profile Presentation

Ms. Dimmitt-Salinas presented some background information on the Partnership for Educator Preparation, explained the accountability designation and program reauthorization, provided a demo of the Illinois Preparation Profile website, and outlined the timeline and future steps.

V. Review of November Board Action Items

A. Rules for Initial Review – Part 1 (Public Schools Evaluation, Recognition and Supervision)KIDS

Assessment/Unlicensed Personnel During a Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation

There were no questions for this item at this time.

B. Rules for Adoption – Part 226 (Special Education) Bilingual Interpreter

Ms. Robbins asked if the interpreters are being properly compensated for the extra time they may be dedicating to fulfill additional roles within the district. Dr. Matias appreciated this point and said that he would have plans in place to address it by the next time this topic is discussed.

C. Approval of Illinois Assistive Technology Device Loan and Evaluation Grant (4630-LE) There were no questions for this item at this time.

D. Approval of Illinois Assistive Technology Exchange Network Grant (4630-EN) There were no questions for this item at this time.

E. Approval of Illinois Assistive Technology Training and Technical Assistance Program Grant (4630-TA) There were no questions for this item at this time.

F. Approval of Illinois Service Resource Center Grant There were no questions for this item at this time.

G. There were no questions for this item at this time.

H. Approval of the Strategic Plan

There were no questions for this item at this time.

VI. Review December Board Action Items

A. Approval of 2020 State Board of Education Annual Report for the General Assembly Ms. Griffin provided highlights of the report.

B. Approval for one-year grant extension for Facilitating the Coordination of Agricultural Education Ms. Johnson provided information on the proposed grant extension.

C. Approval to release and award a request for sealed proposal for the Illinois CTE Improvement Project Ms. Johnson provided information on this request.

Ms. Morrison asked if the evaluation of the Education for Employment systems had been conducted and, if so, if the results were in. Ms. Johnson said that the RSFP was released in October and is due on November 17, 2020. The goal is to have it awarded by January, and then results from the evaluation will be expected on December 31, 2021.

D. Approval of Special Education Data Reporting and Training Contract with ROE 20 Ms. Moore provided information on the proposed contract.

Chair Morrison asked about what the decision tree looks like for expenditures. Ms. Moore outlined the process.

Chair Morrison asked if this contract would be collecting student data. Ms. Moore said no and that only data from the IEP-Student Tracking and Reporting system is being used.

E. Approval of Elevating Special Educators Project – IDEA Part D: State Personnel Development Grant – IGA with ROE 9

Ms. Moore presented information on the proposed project.

Chair Morrison asked what the focus on the grant was for the past five years. Ms. Moore answered that it was the multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Chair Morrison asked if there was an evaluation conducted for that project. The answer was yes. Chair Morrison requested that such evaluations be made available somewhere for Board members to see.

VII. Discussion Items

A. Statewide System of Support – IL Empower 2.0

Dr. Kinley and Ms. Clementz provided a brief update that reviewed the funding for Comprehensive and Targeted schools, funding for Primary Partners, Learning Partner count, the program requirements for Comprehensive and Targeted schools, plans for data collections and accountability, and future work to be done.

Chair Morrison asked what the process is for selecting primary partners. Dr. Matias answered that the department searched for partners with specific expertise for the most vulnerable students. Chair Morrison noted that some of the partners were previously available to schools and remained unused.

Chair Morrison asked if ISBE is paying additional costs for these partners or if existing funds are being repurposed. Dr. Matias said that there has been a mix of the two and offered to provide a more detailed report.

Chair Morrison asked about the MTSS project, which is ending, and the status of funding moving forward. Dr. Matias referenced this being Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) money, but he would provide specifics for this question later. Dr. Kinley provided information on the Primary Partners and Learning Partners and the eligibility process for connecting schools with partners.

Chair Morrison requested that next month the IL-EMPOWER team include information on the scope of work for Primary Partners as ROEs is vs. what they’re doing as a partner with those schools now. She also wants to know why Primary Partners are getting paid for what seems like work that won’t be done this year. Lastly, she wants to address why certain aspects of the plan are set for four years out instead of them being the initial steps.

Chair Morrison asked whether or not Comprehensive schools are required to work with an external partner. Dr. Matias said that they are not, though it is strongly recommended.

B. Standards and Assessments

i. Social Science Standards Review

Dr. Thieman summarized the recommendations that came from an advisory group that was formed to conduct the review. They have also developed a timeline for revision so that the new standards will be ready for the new school year.

ii. Spanish Language Arts Standards

Ms. Clyde walked the committee through some of the standards that have been set and why, and she outlined the next steps in the process toward adoption of the standards.

Chair Morrison asked when these standards would be coming before the Board. Ms. Clyde said that they would be up for discussion in November and voted on in December. They will then be released for public comment.

iii. Priority Learning Standards Update

Dr. Thieman updated the committee that ROE staff have been developing its train-the-trainer model, which will be implemented soon.

Chair Morrison asked what the use of training people for next year is when the standards were set for this year. Dr. Thieman answered by explaining the relevancy of the standards as well as explaining the fact that the skills being taught will be broadly applicable.

Chair Morrison noted a concern from stakeholders about whether or not the priority learning standards leave out anything that will be assessed on the state assessments. Dr. Thieman said that she has confidence in that not being the case for grades 3-8. Chair Morrison stressed the importance at all grade levels.

iv. Competency Based Education Update

Dr. Kirmes reviewed highlights of this pilot program.

Chair Morrison suggested fast-tracking the evaluation. She also expressed strong support for career and technical education (CTE).

C. Fall Veto Session Update

Ms. Elliott informed the committee of several administrative changes. She said that there is still uncertainty regarding if, when, and where the veto session will happen.

VIII. New Business: Items for the next agenda

IX. Next Meeting: December 5, 2020

X. Adjourn

Ms. Robbins made a motion to adjourn. Chair Morrison seconded the motion, and it passed by a roll call vote. Chairperson Morrison adjourned the committee at 3:00 p.m.

https://www.isbe.net/Documents_Board_Meetings/EPP-Minutes-20201105.pdf