Grundy Reporter

Illinois State Board of Education Education Policy Planning Committee of the Whole met Aug. 12.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Education Policy Planning Committee of the Whole Minutes August 12, 2025

Board Chair Dr. Steven Isoye brought the meeting to order at 3:22 p.m. Roll call was taken. A quorum was present with five members attending in person. State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders also was in attendance.

Chair Isoye stated that members would consider the participation of Dr. Jonah Rice via video conference due to employment purposes. In accordance with the bylaws of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Board may permit a member to participate by other means if they cannot physically attend a meeting because of employment purposes.

Dr. Nugent moved that the State Board of Education permit the participation of Dr. Jonah Rice via video conference. Dr. Hackett seconded the motion, and it passed by a unanimous roll call vote.

Members Present

Board Chair Dr. Steven Isoye

Dr. Sherly Chavarria

Laura Gonzalez

Dr. Judy Hackett

Dr. Patricia Nugent

Dr. Jonah Rice (virtual)

Members Absent

Dr. James Anderson

Dr. Donna Leak

Staff Present

Dr. Tony Sanders, State Superintendent

Kim Clarke, Executive Assistant to the State Superintendent

Jo Ireland, Board Services Coordinator

Kristen Kennedy, Chief Legal Officer

Dr. Kimako Patterson, Chief of Staff

Dr. Matt Seaton, Chief Financial Officer

Tassi Maton, Chief Internal Audit Officer

Edobor Efam, Chief Information Officer

Dr. Jason Helfer, Chief Education Officer – Instruction

Jennifer Saba, Chief Education Officer – Operations

Irma Snopek, Chief Policy and Communications Officer

Miguel Calderon, Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Ronda Dawson, Executive Director Teaching & Learning

Joyce Gronewold, Executive Director Specialized Instruction

Rae Clementz, Executive Director Data, Accountability & Assessment

Dr. Christine Paxson, Executive Director Improvement & Innovation

Michael Gum, Director School Business Services

Andrew Krupin, Director Funding & Disbursements

2. Public Participation

There was no public participation.

3. Approval of Minutes: June 11, 2025

Ms. Gonzalez moved that the Education Policy Planning Committee of the Whole hereby approve the June 11, 2025, meeting minutes. Dr. Nugent seconded the motion, and it passed by a unanimous roll call vote.

4. Superintendent’s Consent Agenda – August 13, 2025

Chair Isoye reviewed the items on this month’s consent agenda.

A. *Approval for Adoption – Part 100 (Requirements for Accounting, Budgeting, Financial Reporting, and Auditing) Reporting Requirements and Cleanup

5. Discussion & Approval

A. Approval of Unified Standard Setting: Performance Levels and Cut Scores for IAR, ISA, and ACT Suite

State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders and Executive Director of Data, Accountability & Assessment Rae Clementz presented this item.

Dr. Nugent expressed appreciation for the hard work and the transparency. She thanked Dr. Sanders for his leadership and the staff for their work.

Dr. Rice echoed Dr. Nugent’s appreciation noting the process has been inclusive, extremely methodical, and very data driven. He said it was a great approach, particularly looking at it from college readiness.

Dr. Chavarria expressed appreciation for the effort, the thoughtful process that has gone through, and the efforts to consider multiple perspectives, whether that be from technical to school-based to community-based. She also shared that she met with a principal this summer who shared they had already shared the performance level descriptors with her teacher leaders and were planning to use it in upcoming professional learning. She further appreciated the framing of how this challenge presents itself both all the way down to the student level to a system level in terms of the ability to use data to really think about how resources are invested. She thanked ISBE staff for the courage and thoughtfulness of tackling this challenge.

Ms. Gonzalez commended all involved in this process -- from ISBE to the practitioners working with students. She said it was truly amazing to see this.

Dr. Isoye thanked the staff for the timeliness to be able to use the scores from the spring and allow the Board to vote on the approval of this item. He further thanked Dr. Sanders and his team for meeting with each of the Board members individually to make sure that they fully understood the process. He appreciated the mindfulness of the timeline for schools. He reminded everyone that this item would be voted on the next day at the Board meeting.

6. Upcoming September Board Action Items

A. Approval for Publication – Part 600 (Enrollment of Payment for Nonresident Students at the Philip J. Rock Center and School) Per Diem Rates and Reports

Director of Funding & Disbursements Andrew Krupin discussed this item.

B. Approval of the Fall 2025 Waiver Report

Co-Director of Government Relations Hector Rodriguez discussed this item.

Dr. Nugent asked if this was just the first look at the Fall Waiver Report. Mr. Rodriguez confirmed it was and the report will be finalized for the September Board meeting.

7. New Business: Items for the Next Agenda

8. Next Meeting: September 16, 2025

9. Adjourn

Dr. Rice made a motion to adjourn. Dr. Hackett seconded the motion, and it passed by a unanimous roll call vote. Chair Leak adjourned the Education Policy Planning Committee of the Whole meeting at 3:51 p.m.

https://www.isbe.net/Documents_Board_Meetings/20250812-EPP-Minutes.pdf