Our goal: to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60% by the year 2025. 

Featured Articles

1. Article number 1 - Welcome!
2. Article number 2 - Illinois Eligible to Receive $35m for Early Learning
3. Article number 3 - Illinois Awarded $43M in Race to the Top Funds
4. Article number 4 - Lt. Governor Urges Education Reform to Support College Graduation
5. Article number 5 - Illinois Pathways Announcement
6. Article number 6 - Governor Quinn Signs New IL School Report Card into Law

• Welcome!

  The Illinois P-20 Council is working to improve birth to adulthood education in Illinois, to maximize students' educational attainment, opportunities for success in the workforce, and contributions to their local communities.

  The 30-member Council, appointed by the Governor, includes business leaders, teachers, union leaders, faculty, school board members, parents, and representatives of private colleges, universities, community colleges, foundations, and state education and workforce agencies. Four legislators are appointed to the Council by the Illinois House and Senate majority and minority leaders. We invite you to join in the work of improving our Illinois education system, and to explore the resources available on this website.

  Miguel del Valle, Chair of the Illinois P-20 Council

• Illinois Eligible to Receive $35m for Early Learning

  The US Dept. of Education and the US Dept. of Health and Human Services jointly announced that that an additional $133M will be available to the next five highest scoring states including Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Each of the five eligible states may apply for up to half of their original award alotment which means that Illinois could stand to receive up to $35M in funds to support early learning. Read more here.

• Illinois Awarded $43M in Race to the Top Funds

  Illinois was selected as one of just seven states to receive a portion of $200M available in federal funds through the second round of the Race to the Top competition. Illinois will be awarded $42.8M to support Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education as well as other efforts to alleviate the achievement gap through this program administered by the US Dept. of Education. The money will be used for a variety of projects including implementation of the new rigorous Common Core Learning Standards, advancement of teacher and principal effectiveness through professional development and mentoring opportunities, and provision of data to educators to improve and inform classroom instruction.

• Lt. Governor Urges Education Reform to Support College Graduation

  Lt. Governor Sheila Simon urges education leaders to adopt a reform package that aims to increase the number of Illinois community college students who graduate within three years of enrollment. “Our request of community colleges is deceptively simple: Help more of your students finish what they start. As a state, we must stay focused on the finish,” says Simon. Learn more about the Lt. Governor's proposal here.

• Illinois Pathways Announcement

  The P-20 Council is happy to share that the Illinois Pathways Initiative was launched on February 9 in Bloomington at State Farm's headquarters. The Pathways program, which features tailored coursework and on the job experience for students through public private partnerships in 9 key P-20 STEM areas, was originally conceived in the State's Race to the Top application. To learn how more about Pathways and how your school, college, or business can join a local network to support the education to employment pipeline click the header to learn more!

• Governor Quinn Signs New IL School Report Card into Law

  As you all are probably aware by now, following over 7 months of stakeholder deliberations and nearly 60 community focus groups, the P-20 Data, Assessment, and Accountability Committee with the assistance of the Family, Youth, and Community Engagement Committee successfully steered the new IL School Report Card through a unanimous vote of the IL General Assembly. We are pleased to announce that HB605, codifying the redesigned IL School Report Card, was signed into law by Governor Quinn on the morning of Tuesday, January 24th, 2012. Learn more about the new school report card here!