In a WJBC radio interview, Erika Hunt discusses the scope of the $4.6 million U.S. Department of Education School Leadership grant that was recently awarded to Illinois State University and the Center for the Study of Education Policy. The Center will work with three high-need district/university partnerships to evaluate the differences between two principal internship models (a full-time semester-long internship versus the traditional part-time internship). The evaluation will explore candidate outcomes involving knowledge and behaviors as wells as their impact on student learning and school improvement. This grant also funds the Center for Catholic School Effectiveness at Loyola University and the Catholic Diocese serving Bloomington and Aurora private schools to provide similar training supports to principals serving in private schools.
State Work
The Peoria Journal Star, in February 2012, released an article: Durflinger Heads Governor's Panel. The article highlights Norm Durflinger's role as Mayor of Morton in recommending to the Legislature and Governor the future directions for the Regional Offices of Education.
Another article from the Pantagraph, released in November 2012, entitled Program Helps At-Risk Preschoolers Succeed in School, discusses the continued implementation of the Child-Parent Center prorgam in McLean County Unit 5 Schools.
In August 2012 The Pantagraph released an article entitled New Unit 5 Preschool Adds Parental Focus. This article highlighted the participation of Unit 5 in the Child-Parent Center program that aims to give children and their parents what they need to help children succeed.
Leadership Work
Check out news articles reporting on The Principal Report, a collaboration between IERC and Erika Hunt.
Grapevine Data
The Center for the Study of Education Policy was cited in The New York Times article Where the Jobs Are, the Training May Not Be. This article discussed the cuts in state funding and the ways in which public colleges have had to raise tuition and have now had to cut training in technical, engineering, and health care expertise.
An article from Inside Higher Ed in January 2011, entitled The Sinking States, mentions the report released by the Center for the Study of Education Policy that looks at how much states spent on higher education in 2010-2011.