Archived Initiatives

Early Childhood Education

Midwest Expansion of Child Parent Center i3 Validation Study

University of Minnesota through U.S. DOE i3 grant, January 2012-December 2016 
$350,000
Staffing: Erika Hunt, Ashley Long, and Laura Kalmes

In 2012, the Midwest Child-Parent Center (CPC) Expansion Project was awarded an Investing in Innovation or “i3” grant of $15 million over five years from the U.S. Department of Education. While the University of Minnesota’s Human Capital Research Collaborative (HCRC) was the primary coordinator of the project and oversaw the work of collaborating partners, the Center for the Study of Education Policy (CSEP) at Illinois State University contributed to the dissemination, implementation, and impact of the project. A primary product of the project has been the development of a CPC P-3 Program Manual (Child Parent Centers, Preschool-3rd-Grade Program). The manual and other materials can be found on the CPC, P-3 website. 

K-12 Education

Illinois State University Statewide RtI Research and Evaluation Team

Illinois State Board of Education, 2011-2017
Staffing: Gary Cates, April Mustian, Lisa Hood, and Dianne Gardner Renn

Since October 2011, Illinois State University has been under contract with the Illinois State Board of Education to serve as the external evaluation team for the state’s RtI program. Lisa Hood and Dianne Gardner, researchers and evaluators from CSEP, are members of this team and are partnering with faculty members April Mustian from the Department of Special Education and Gary Cates from the Department of Psychology. This project is a five-year grant funded by the State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) under Part D of IDEA 2004 from the U.S. Department of Education. The program evaluation addresses the need for a systematic mixed methods program evaluation on the State of Illinois' ability to provide intensive professional development, coaching, and technical assistance on Response to Intervention (RtI) that yields large-scale, sustained RtI implementation in districts across Illinois. The ISU evaluation team is collecting fidelity of implementation data using both quantitative and qualitative methods as well as collecting baseline data on student outcomes. As the project progresses, the evaluation team will continue to collect student outcomes data to assess the SPDG project's effects on RtI implementation at the district and school level, as well as student outcomes in reading, mathematics, behavior, attendance, discipline, and promotion.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Improving Teacher Quality Grant Evaluation

Illinois Board of Higher Education 2004-2016
Staffing: Dianne Gardner Renn, Paul Baker

Under this evaluation contract, CSEP faculty assist NCLB grantees to improve teacher professional development projects, focusing on measurable outcomes and embedded evaluation methods. CSEP assists the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) in preparing reports, designing policy documents, and sponsoring annual symposia for grantees. The evaluation process has earned recognition from the U.S. Department of Education and from the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) organization.

Redefining High School to College Transition

The Joyce Foundation, 2015 

Advance Illinois and Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems) were awarded a planning grant to develop the parameters for a potential private grant program intended to better align the high school to post-secondary education transition in Illinois. A High School and Post-secondary Education Community Team from McLean County was invited to participate with the planning initiative and in order to support the McLean County Community Team, a grant has been allocated to cover travel for team participants and to fund a jointly selected project initiated by the team during the planning period. The McLean County Community Team will work on a regional planning effort to accelerate student advancement to college and careers through the STEM career pathway system by convening Unit 5 school district, Heartland Community College and Illinois State University to look at the alignment of career clusters in STEM related subjects.

Correlates to Rural School Closure

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2006-2009

The demographic, economic, and educational predictors of rural school closures were identified. The positive and negative impacts of school closures on school districts and communities were also reviewed. The research tools developed provided policy makers and school leaders with the means to examine local conditions, the possibilities of closure or consolidation, and potential demographic, economic, and educational consequences. You can learn more about the Correlates to Rural School Closure project here.

Access to College

Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2003-2005

Predictors of success on the Illinois PSAE exam were identified through analysis of scores and information about the high school juniors who take the test. Course-taking patterns and school characteristics were studied to make recommendations for policies that influence college preparation for low-income African-American and Hispanic students. You can more information about the Access to College study here.

School-Home Communication Project

Office of the Governor, Illinois Century Network, 2004

The use of technology to expand and improve the involvement of parents in their children's learning is explored. Costs, time, privacy and access to technology are identified as critical issues. You can download the School/Home Communication final report here.

Teaching and Leadership

ESEA Improving Teacher Quality Grant Evaluation

Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2003-current

The Illinois Board of Higher Education has often had difficulty in assessing the impact of a statewide grant program by pooling evidence from individually funded grant projects. It has been even harder for the Board to extract from individual evaluations general lessons for policy and practice. The Center’s goal for the Evaluation Team is to derive general lessons for improving teacher quality by collating data from individual projects funded by the ESEA grants for Improving Teacher Quality. In brief, the goal is to solve the above-stated problem of generalizing from numerous individual grants to an assessment of the statewide program as a whole. Learn more about the ESEA evaluation.

Illinois School Leadership Advisory Council (ISLAC)

The Wallace Foundation, 2014-2015 
$75,000
Staffing: Lynne Haeffele, Erika Hunt, Lisa Hood, Alicia Haller, Kristine Servais, Joe Pacha

The purpose of ISLAC is to serve as a strategic planning group to continue to strengthen leadership development and support in the state.  The main goal of the council is to provide strategic leadership for a statewide, five-year action plan designed to support school leader preparation efforts already in place and the documented impact on statewide school performance. Aligned with this goal, the council will also work on the following objectives:

• Develop common understanding of how principal preparation changes are affecting program quality.
• Develop a deeper understanding of what the state needs long-term to support the production of more effective school leaders.
• Develop strategies to elevate the documented impact of the recent Illinois P-12 principal endorsement legislation by working with state agencies, school districts, principal preparation programs, and other stakeholders.
• Build the capacity of state agencies, incrementally and annually, to grow support for dramatically changed partnerships between districts and principal providers.

ISLAC is chaired by Dr. Steve Tozer, professor of educational administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Dr. Diane Rutledge, executive director of the Large Unit District Association. Staff for the council will be provided by Dr. Lynne Haeffele and Dr. Kristine Servais, serving as consultants to this work and Dr. Lisa Hood, providing in-kind support. The council will be comprised of approximately 50 representatives from professional organizations, P-12 education, private and public universities, special interest groups, the Illinois General Assembly, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.  More information about ISLAC can be found on Illinois School Leader.

Developing the Charlotte Danielson Early Learning Framework for Teaching: Growing Teachers' Practice and Principals' Knowledge of Effective Teaching at the Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 3 Levels

McCormick Foundation, June 1, 2013 through May 31, 2015
$485,000
Staffing: Lisa Hood, Debra Kasperski, Erika Hunt, Pam Rosa with Rosa Educational Consulting, and Lizanne DeStefano, Gabriela Garcia, and Sarai Coba from I-STEM Initiative of UIUC

The Center for the Study of Education Policy (CSEP) at Illinois State University is conducting a study to validate the Danielson Framework for Teaching in PreK-3rd grade classrooms in Illinois. This study also explores the implementation of the Illinois teacher evaluation system in these early learning classrooms in terms of best practices in using the system to grow teachers' practices. This study will take place in approximately seven selected districts and early childhood centers throughout Illinois (northern, central, and southern Illinois as well as Chicago) in fall 2014 and spring 2015 with a sample of PreK-3 teachers and teacher evaluators (e.g., principals, master teachers, directors). 

Conducting a validation study of the Framework has multiple purposes:

• To study whether the Danielson Framework is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating teachers in early learning classrooms.
• To study if the Framework and the teacher evaluation system provide accurate and reliable data that PreK-3 teachers and their supervisors can use to identify strengths and weaknesses, and how they use that data to identify appropriate professional development mechanisms to promote teachers' growth.
• To develop training and resources that support early learning teachers and their supervisors in their use of the Framework and their local teacher evaluation system.
• To provide recommendations to the Illinois State Board of Education and other policymakers about best practices for effective and appropriate teacher evaluation for PreK-3 teachers.

A website was created, Teacher Evaluation in Early Childhood Classrooms, that houses information about the project, including:

• Project staff and partners.
• The Danielson Framework with Early Learning Examples developed through this project as well as through other districts and states.
• Illinois Performance Evaluation system requirements for Illinois education agencies.
• Early learning resources that support the use of the Danielson Framework and best practices in teacher evaluation.
• The use of student assessments in PreK-3 teacher evaluation.
• State of Illinois and other states early learning teacher evaluation policies.
• Publications, presentations and reports that staff members develop in regards to the findings from this study.

Leadership to Integrate the Learning Continuum (LINC)

McCormick Foundation, 2008-2012
Staffing:  Lisa Hood

The LINC initiative, funded by the McCormick Foundation since 2008, is focused on supporting leaders in early childhood and K-12 to develop and nurture a seamless learning continuum centered on children's learning and development. The intended outcome is to develop and implement policies/practices that address the missing "links" in creating a learning continuum to support the whole child from birth to beyond. At the core of this work is the role that early childhood and K-12 school leaders play in their efforts to collaborate with families, support agencies, and community and state stakeholders to bridge these "links".

• CSEP staff engaged in a two-year project (2010-2012) that consisted of two parts. The first part was to conduct training on the LINC curriculum modules developed to disseminate knowledge and understanding of early childhood and K-12 concepts for early learning and K-12 leaders. The second part was to conduct a  Best Practices in Building a Learning Continuum study to identify effective practices in P-12 alignment, define strategies for overcoming barriers and challenges, and develop recommendations about policies and practices that help early learning and school leaders develop and maintain a P-12 continuum.
• McCormick Foundation funded CSEP staff for a two-year project (2011-2013) to provide assistance to Illinois higher education institutions as they implement the state requirements for the new P-12 principal endorsement. This project has three parts: 1) to provide funding and technical assistance to four universities in the state (Loyola University, North Central, Illinois State University, and Western Illinois University) to integrate early learning as they redesign their principal preparation curriculum; 2) to provide outreach and support to the state on policy levers that can guide and enhance comprehensive P-12 principal preparation programs; and 3) to build capacity in the state for scaling and sustaining principal preparation training and professional development with a comprehensive P-12 focus. The results of this work were highlighted during a statewide symposium in April 2013 at the Parke Hotel.
• In conjunction with this work, McCormick Foundation awarded funding to the CSEP (2011-2013) to staff two state advisory groups convened by the Illinois State Board of Education: Early Childhood Advisory Group (ECAG) and Superintendent Advisory Group (SAG). The purpose of these groups are to develop the framework and standards of certification for early childhood educators and superintendents which will guide the state standards for the new endorsement programs.
• The McCormick Foundation funded another project (2012-2014) that was two-fold: 1) to help Illinois higher education institutions build their evaluation capacity for program improvement; and, 2) to develop early learning supports for the 2013 Danielson Framework for Teaching (FfT).

Illinois State Action for Education Leadership (IL-SAELP)

The Wallace Foundation, 2001-2010 

In 2001, Illinois was one of fifteen states selected and funded by The Wallace Foundation to complete a project aimed at strengthening education leadership throughout the state. In 2006, The Wallace Foundation increased its award to Illinois expanding the state's work to focus on building a cohesive leadership system that included the following:

• Outcomes-based standards that define clear expectations for skills and behaviors and guide principal training, continuous development, and evaluation; and
• Strengthened leadership training with greater accountability for all of the state's principal preparation programs.

In 2005, IL-SAELP passed legislation (Public Act 094-1039) designed to license and support aspiring, new, and experienced principals and in 2010, passed legislation (Public Act 096-0903) creating a new P-12 Principal Endorsement. Part of this work Illinois Administrators' Academy (IAA) Task Force: Making the Investment in High Quality Professional Development, 2006-2007.The IAA Review Task Force was created as part of P.A. 094-1039 to provide for an objective examination of the Illinois Administrators' Academy and to propose strategies that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) may adopt to improve professional development for Illinois school administrators. Learn more about IL-SAELP.

Improving Teacher Quality of Illinois' Neediest Students and Schools

Education Trust, Joyce Foundation, 2004-2006 

The nature and score of the teacher distribution problem in Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee public schools were outlined in this three-state study. Policies were recommended for a comprehensive approach to improving the quality of teachers serving low-income, minority, and low-performing student. Learn more about Improving Teacher Quality.

Illinois Best Practice School Study

Illinois Business Roundtable, Illinois State University, 2003-2006 

Best practices among consistently high performing, low-income schools were examined at 29 Illinois schools, focusing on school climate and culture, curriculum, staffing, instruction, monitoring student progress, and recognition, rewards, and intervention. Conducted as part of a multi-state study with the National Center for Educational Achievement. Learn more about the Illinois Best Practice School Study.

Illinois Technology and Leadership for Change (ILTC)

Gates Foundation, 2002-2006

Effective leadership practices, focusing on data-driven decision making for continuous improvement, were addressed in a series of workshops.

Training all Teachers to Help English Language Learners Succeed in Schools

Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2003-2005 

Training and support was provided to help K-12 teachers and faculty that prepare teachers with skills and understanding to help English Language Learners succeed in the mainstream classroom. Learn more about the Training Program for Teachers on ELL.

Superintendents' Survey

Annually

Every year, the Center surveys superintendents throughout the state to capture the current issues and concerns facing school leaders throughout Illinois. Survey results are used by educators and governmental leaders in policy development.  Get the results of past Superintendents’ Surveys.

Illinois Grow Your Own Teachers Evaluation

Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2010-2013

The Illinois Grow Your Own (GYO) Teacher Education Initiative is a consortium of partnerships between colleges of education, public schools, community colleges, and community-based organizations that recruit and develop a pipeline of community-based teachers who come from the community in which they will one day teach. The Illinois GYO initiative began in Chicago’s Logan Square Neighborhood Association through a Department of Education grant. From this beginning, the statewide program evolved through legislation passed in 2004 into the current statewide initiative that serves 243 teacher education candidates in 12 high-need communities in the state, including 6 in Chicago and one each in Southernmost Illinois, East St. Louis, Quad Cities, Rockford, Springfield, and the South Suburbs. CSEP has had a contract with IBHE since August 2010 to serve as the statewide evaluation arm of the GYO initiative. Learn more about the Illinois Grow Your Own Initiative.

Growth Through Learning Initiative

Illinois State Board of Education, February 2012-May 2013

As of September 1, 2012, Illinois public school systems will begin to implement changes in performance evaluation processes, as required by state law (PERA). These changes ultimately will mean that performance evaluations ratings for teachers and principals will be based on an instructional framework of standards aligned to the Illinois Professional Teaching or School Leader Standards for professional practice and will incorporate measures of student growth. The state required that district administrators, school leaders, and others who will evaluate principals and teachers must undergo rigorous training to pre-qualify them as evaluators. ISBE contracted with the CEC Partnership Group (in which CSEP is a partner) to develop the Growth Through Learning training (pre-qualification training). The role of CSEP focused on the development of an on-line library, assistance with development and validation of the training modules, and the coordination of the Growth through Learning Advisory Committee. Learn more about the Growth Through Learning Initiative.

Higher Education

Modeling Effective Collaboration on the Alignment of Standards and Assessment Based on the Common Core Standards Among High Schools, Community Colleges and Four-Year Institutions 

Illinois Board of Higher Education, March 2014-September 2014 
*Funding for the IBHE P20 Illinois Learning Standards was extended to the 2014-15 school year as a result of a grant extension amendment.   

Adopted in 2010 by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSSO), forty six states, two territories and the District of Columbia are now participating in the use of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The original purpose of the CCSS was to provide consistency across the states of what knowledge, skills and abilities students are expected to learn in subjects such as English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics (and eventually Science and Social Studies) in order for them to be competitive in a global economy. Much of the focus has been on the implementation of the standards in K-12 schools with the emphasis that the new standards are designed to assure students are ‘college and career ready’.  However, the vision of the CCSS, in which higher education was an active partner, was much broader at not only ensuring the success of students in elementary and secondary education, but subsequently, in post-secondary education as a result of higher standards and aligned expectations between secondary and post-secondary education. To achieve this outcome requires that higher education not only be informed of the CCSS but also engaged as a full partner in its implementation. With this in mind, the American Council on Education (ACE) recommended four key areas where actions by higher education are needed, including:

• Aligning key school-to-college policies, including more targeted college readiness supports to help students make the transition
• Developing assessments and aligning with placement policies
• Aligning K-12 and higher education curricula (e.g., developmental courses, bridge courses, dual credit courses, and first-year postsecondary courses)
• Preparing new and existing teachers (including the inclusion of Arts and Sciences faculty)  
  Learn more...

Modeling Effective Collaboration on Common Core Standards Initiative

Illinois Board of Higher Education, March 2013-September 2013 - The Modeling Effective Collaboration on Common Core Standards Initiative engages partners of the Central Illinois Common Core Alignment Consortium for the purposes of aligning K-12 and higher education curricula, standards, and pedagogy and preparing new teachers on the common core curricula and new methods of delivery. This project will tap into the existing work that is occurring with Dewitt/Livingston/McLean County Regional Office of Education #17 and a group of secondary math teachers from throughout the region who have been working on aligning the common core standards. Through this work, post-secondary math and teacher education faculty from Illinois State University, Heartland Community College, and Lincoln College began work on the alignment of K-12 and higher education math standards and expectations. The grant also builds off of new work occurring regionally to inform and prepare higher education faculty, especially general education faculty, around the new Common Core standards, and to infuse new content and pedagogy that address the Common Core Standards into teacher preparation programs and clinical practice.

Making College Readiness a Reality

Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2007-2009 - A highly successful college readiness program was expanded to additional schools and districts. Information about students' progress was analyzed to inform district and state-level policy making on college preparation. You can learn more about the Making College Readiness a Reality project here.

College Student Migration

Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2007-2008 - Analysis of national data revealed that Illinois exports more students to colleges in other states than it imports. Students' choices to migrate to large public universities in neighboring states were based on lowest total cost, quality, and prestige. Recommendations focused on funding, student financial aid, and information resources. You can access the final report of the College Migration Study here.

Student Transfer Study

Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2007-2008 - Focus groups and interviews were conducted with transfer students at Illinois institutions of higher education, both public and private, to characterize student's transfer experiences among two-and four-year institutions. You can access the final report of the Student Transfer Study here.

Recession, Retrenchment, and Recovery

Lumina Foundation for Education, 2004-2006 - Twenty-five year trends in state support for higher education reveal that financial access to college declines with national recessions. A national survey assessed the impact of the 2001 recession. Interviews of policymakers in selected states identified strategies for balancing student aid and tuition. Recommendations focused on maintaining access for students and support for higher education through economic cycles. You can learn more about the Recession, Retrenchment, and Recovery project here.

State Funding for Community Colleges

A survey of the members of the National Council of State Directors of Community Colleges reveals that the budget outlook for community colleges improved in FY2004 but there was still strong competition with other sectors for state funds. Tuition increases are expected to be the primary method for dealing with declining public funds. This report summarizes perceptions of state community college leaders, and is offered as a "barometer" of the current situation and future prospects for community college funding. You can download the State Funding for Community Colleges report here.