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ACADEMIC GROWTH IN SCHILLER PARK SD #81 In 2023, NWEA released a study that describes high quality teaching practices in place in Schiller Park SD #81. A Q&A with Schiller Park superintendent Dr. Kimberly Boryszewski explains how their instructional strategies are driving student improvement.

Vision 2030 Workgroup Reconvenes in Springfield for Second Meeting

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Elevating Education

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IASA Professional Development Opportunities

Checklist: Steps to Consider When a Staff Member or a Student Dies

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IASA Legal Corner

IASA News in Brief

School-Level Finance Survey: What To Know

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IASA Calendar of Events

Volume 12, Issue 2 February 2024 Leadership Matters 24022

2648 Beechler Court Springfield, IL 62703-7305 217.753.2213 800 Woodfield Road, Ste. F109 Schaumburg, IL 60173-4717 847.466.5075

Jason Nevel Director of Communications jnevel@iasaedu.org

Marjorie Gladish Graphic Designer mgladish@iasaedu.org

1200 West Main Street Marion, IL 62959-1138 618.364.0501

www.iasaedu.org

Scan here with your phone’s QR code reader to get the IASA APP— Don’t have a QR reader? Go to or and search for IllinoisASA.

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Message From the Executive Director Another $350M for Evidence-Based Funding is a Big Win for Public Schools

Dr. Brent Clark

When Gov. Pritzker delivers his Budget Address on Feb. 21, he is expected to propose a spending plan that will be among the tightest legislators have seen in the past six years. Due to pandemic federal aid drying up, pension costs escalating and budgetary pressures mounting, there is projected to be a budget deficit of nearly $900 million in FY 25, meaning there will be significantly less state money to go around. Despite all of that, all signs point to an additional $350 million once again being included for Evidence-Based Funding. We need to put that in the win column. The level of investment happening in public education the past eight years is not rivaled in other areas of state government. State funding for higher education, for example, is nearly $530 million less in FY 24 than it was in FY 2009. If the General Assembly approves the governor’s request— which we expect to happen—the state’s overall investment into EBF would climb to a staggering $2.4 billion since the passage of EBF in 2017. That’s a remarkable achievement. It’s important to maintain perspective on how fortunate public education is to have a proven model in place that directs money to the neediest schools as well as a governor, legislators and an Illinois State Board of Education who remain committed to funding it.

The model is working, and the integrity of the formula needs to be protected. Superintendents have been able to stabilize budgets, reduce class sizes, improve social-emotional supports, add nurses, expand extra-curricular opportunities and address local needs thanks to EBF. I recognize there have been calls to up the ante to $550 million and accelerate the timeline it takes to fully fund EBF. While I understand the intention, I can say with confidence $550 million is not realistic, given the forecasted budget restraints. Let’s not forget that $350 million, with $50 million of that total being earmarked for the Property Tax Relief Grant, is a substantial investment that should never be taken lightly. Another important point, echoed by State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders, is keeping schools off the state funding roller coaster, where there is a big boost one year followed by no additional funding the next. Stability and consistency is what helps school leaders plan for the future. To close, EBF has made a difference in schools across our state. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to share your story with local legislators. We need to keep building on the success of the past eight year by continuing to push schools closer to their adequacy targets at a steady and consistent rate.

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Q U E S T I O N S

& A N S W E R S Q

Click here to listen to the podcast. The following is a condensed and edited version of that conversation.

Academic Growth in Schiller Park SD #81

Can you share some background on NWEA’s deep dive into instructional practices and how that research led them to what was happening in Schiller Park SD #81? They started this research back in 2018. NWEA began to explore data looking at student achievement and growth of about 700,000 students across 25,000 public schools. Schiller Park School District 81 is located next to O’Hare International Airport. We serve just over 1,400 students. We are a diverse community with 42% percent of our students Hispanic. We are 69% low income and 34% English Learners. Something unique about me is that I have spent my entire career here. I started teaching here 32 years ago as a kindergarten teacher. The same goes for my leadership team. Every member has come from within the organization. Q Can you share a little bit about yourself and your school district? Q

In 2023, NWEA released a study that describes high quality teaching practices in place in Schiller Park SD # 81. Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Boryszewski discusses strategies to achieve academic growth... NWEA Study Highlights Instructional Strategies Driving Student Improvement By Jason Nevel IASA Director of Communications

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Can you share what your district’s IAR scores are and get into how your district communicates that local assessments are more valuable to your community? There’s a large discrepancy. When we look at our performance in the IAR, it shows 32 percent in reading and 21 percent in math. Not great. At the same time, closing achievement gaps from a pandemic needs to be considered there. Schiller Park is a place that really values and believes in the importance of students meeting their growth targets over time so that, ultimately, we can get them to grade level. Our board and our community understands that. We present this information annually at a public board meeting, and I’m very open with the community about our feelings on MAP versus IAR and how it relates to what we should be evaluated on as a district, and the work that we’re doing with our students. In my professional opinion, we want to make sure that our students are moving at a steady pace toward their growth targets and, ultimately, getting them to grade level. If I’m being honest, we don’t spend a lot of time with the IAR data that comes to us after the school year has ended. It’s a one and done test that happens on one day in the spring of a school year. The information isn’t helpful to me by the time I get it back. In contrast, I administer the MAP assessment in the fall, winter and spring and I get the data in real time, and I’m able to respond to that data as an educator and adjust my instruction based on the needs of students. I think that is extremely valuable. What are classroom sizes and staffing like at Schiller Park? I would say our class sizes are fairly low. In K–5, we’re at a ratio of 16 to 20 students per teacher and our middle school is about 23 to 25 students per teacher. I really think that makes a big difference, especially with our young learners. I want to get more into the secret sauce of what’s working well in Schiller Park. In the White Paper NWEA produced, they delved into instructional strategies learned from high growth schools. One of the things in that report was teaching grade level instruction versus

Can you share your district’s academic journey and what put you on the radar of NWEA? My first year as superintendent was in the 2011-12 school year. At that time there was no doubt that we had some work to do in the area of leveraging data. As a principal, I knew data was important, but I also didn’t feel as though we were capitalizing on what we were doing with the information once we got it. I made that a big priority as superintendent. I started meeting with my building leaders after each testing period to analyze their data at the school level and basically modeled for them what those conversations should look like with their teachers. That got us talking about the data and looking much more closely at where our students are meeting their growth targets and, if not, why not? Then we examined what it is that we should be doing differently to help them reach academic goals. Now, we test our students three times a year, and we are using that data to inform our instruction. Let’s get into the data. Can you share details on the academic growth your district has achieved? I’ll take it back to the 2012–13 school year, which is what we use as baseline here. If we look back at the 2012–13 school year, we had 63 percent of our students meeting their target in reading and 58 percent of them meeting their target in math. NWEA would tell you that if you are in the 50th percentile of students meeting their target growth, that is generally what they see across the nation. For us, we just really wanted to do better than that. Now, our most recent data from the 2022–23 school year, we had 75 percent of our students meet their targets in reading and 79 percent of our students meet their targets in math. I understand there’s an argument to be made that’s not a grade level assessment and how are your kids doing on the IAR and how does that compare to their performance on that. I cannot stress enough that closing the achievement gaps, and getting students at grade level, has to come before expecting high performance on a grade level assessment. At that time, a group of schools were subset labeled high growth schools. I believe 789 schools were given that label. You know, no one talked to us about that when that first happened. It wasn’t until right before the pandemic they reached out to us and said your district is standing out and that they would like to do a research study on District 81.

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Schiller ... cont’d.

Another strategy identified in the report was providing supplemental learning time for targeted retrieval practice. Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like in Schiller Park? For example, at the middle school, students meet for 40 minutes, three times a week at their instructional level on both reading and math. At the primary building, every single day, for an hour a day, they’re in I think we’re pretty balanced. We make sure our students are met with grade level instruction. But, at the same time, we provide the opportunity to meet students at their instructional level and help them meet their growth targets. Those growth targets become more and more towards grade level over time. We must make sure we meet them at skill level need in order to grow and attain grade level targets. I think we do a nice job of both of those worlds. I’ll use our primary building as an example. There’s 120 minutes of reading instruction literacy block every day. Sixty minutes of that time is at their instructional level, which is about half. Half of that time they’re in a group where they’re being delivered grade-level content. I think both of those things are important. But I also know that, if we don’t meet students at their instructional level, and give them the opportunity to learn at that level, then we’re not going to help them progress and grow toward grade level. differentiated instruction. Where does Schiller Park land on that spectrum?

Does your district have instructional coaches? We have instructional coaches K–5. That model has proven to be very effective for us, especially for our new teachers coming in. I think coming into an environment such as this where differentiation at such a high level is expected, we need that additional layer of support. This We have an early release every Wednesday. Teachers meet at their grade-level teams at that time. In addition, every teacher in the district works with a co-teacher who has a similar schedule. Fortunately, here, just by the design of our buildings, all three of our schools are 21st century spaces. That means, oftentimes, even at a grade level, teachers are able to share students. Doing so requires an incredible amount of communication and collaboration. That’s not only built into their day once a week but that’s also built into their planning time as a team. It’s something that’s very valued here and expected. Our teachers rise to that occasion. Teacher collaboration was another strategy identified in the report. Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like in Schiller Park? flex groups to their instructional level. We just really see the value of that, and we think that’s important for kids to be met at their skill level to help them close these achievement gaps.

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Percentage of Students Who Met Target in the Spring

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What type of professional development does Schiller Park provide for teachers? We’re one of those places that really believes in the train the trainer model. It’s really important to us to hear isn’t an easy place to teach. We expect our teachers to differentiate and meet kids at multiple levels within the course of a lesson.

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How much technology is infused into the educational process in your district? We’re 1:1 with iPads in grades K–8. We’ve been Apple users 1:1 for many years. This is a place where we just jump in with two feet, and we learn as we go. We’ve been doing this so long now that it’s just engrained in who we are. Any final thoughts? It’s important as leaders that we remember the boots on the ground. Our teachers have a tremendous amount of knowledge and there’s a tremendous amount of importance in engaging them in conversations about what’s happening in the classroom and what their needs are. It’s our responsibility to make sure that we’re giving them what they need to be successful. We expect our teachers to differentiate for our students and meet them where they are. As leaders, we have to be prepared to do those same things.

from teachers about what they need. If we expect them to differentiate for our students, we have to differentiate for them. Our teachers go out and get information in teams and then those teams come back and train the larger building or district depending on what the topic is. Can you share what the learning spaces look like in Schiller Park? We are fortunate to have three 21st century learning facilities. Where kids learn does matter. Our spaces definitely are getting our kids ready for a world that demands that we know how to collaborate and work well with others in flexible spaces. We can tie, and we have tied, back to the changes in our physical space to improved growth as well. I think that is because these spaces are lending themselves to teaching strategies that are helping our kids become more engaged in their learning. I can’t stress enough the importance of that and how fortunate we are to have a Board that really demanded equity in that area.

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Want to learn more about Schiller Park SD #81?

Watch Webinar Discussing Strategies

Read NWEA White Paper on Instructional Strategies

Read Short Summary

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Aspiring Superintendent Academy

An Immersive Learning Experience To Prepare You For The Superintendency

What Is The IASA Aspiring Superintendent Academy And Who Should Participate? Sunday, June 23–Thursday, June 27, 2024

They prepare you for the unexpected and de- mystify the superintendency. I came in with imposter syndrome and a little intimidated, but this program made me realize I could do it. The person I came in as is different from the person that is leaving. —Matt Condon, superintendent, Morton Grove SD #70 “ ” VALUE?

IASA’s Aspiring Superintendent Academy is an immersive learning experience like no other in the state for educators considering the superintendency. Participants engage in active learning experiences and gain insights from respected practitioners about how to be an effective leader and leverage the position to change the lives of students. The fast-paced program features numerous simulations, reflection time and the creation of meaningful artifacts that reflect the current expectations of the job of superintendent. Mock interviews with professional search firms also help prepare you to land that first job. If you want a modern view of the superintendency beyond what is taught in graduate school, register today for IASA’s Aspiring Superintendent Academy! Scholarship opportunities are available. Target Audience: Central office staff, directors, principals, assistant principal and deans.

Classes will be held at the IASA Headquarters 2648 Beechler Court, Springfield, IL 62703 217–753–2213 WHERE?

More than 80 past participants have been hired as superintendents

$1,950 per participant (program costs, resource materials, meals and lodging) COST?

See what past participants say about their experience: VIDEO!

Presented by:

Complete application on IASA website. DEADLINE: Friday, March 19, 2024 Questions? Contact Kristy Ponsler, Illinois Association of School Administrators: 217–753–2213 or kponsler@iasaedu.org

Michael Lubelfeld, Ed.D. superintendent at North Shore School District #112

Nick Polyak, Ed.D. superintendent

Courtney Orzel, Ed.D. IASA Associate Director of Professional Development

at Leyden CHSD #212

A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors And Partners: • DYOPATH • HLERK • HUMANeX Ventures • IASB • ISBE • Legat Architects • Lifetouch • Stifel • TCG Advisors

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Looking for the Perfect Candidate? IASA’s Illinois Education Job Bank SM can help you. Every day, thousands of job seekers visit the IASA Illinois Education Job Bank looking for openings at school districts across Illinois. Avoid national sites that cost more and are not tailored to Illinois educators. The IASA Illinois Education Job Bank SM is trusted by superintendents across the state and makes finding qualified applicants to fill permanent, interim, part or full-time vacancies easy. • Set up the RSS feed option to automatically post your district’s vacancy to your district website • The Job Bank SM is set up to automatically send an email notice to your ROE when a position is posted • Easily flag your favorite applicants • Create job posting templates to save you time in the future

SEARCH | FILTER | POST | SEE ALERTS | MANAGE YOUR PROFILE AND DOCUMENTS | VIEW HISTORY

If you have any questions about the IASA Job Bank SM or new feature criteria, contact Ashleigh Knudson at 217–753–2213.

illinoiseducationjobbank.org

Vision 2030 Workgroup Reconvenes in Springfield for Second Meeting By Jason Nevel IASA Director of Communications

How can we create a profession that our best and brightest want to do? Can the state enact pension reforms that strengthen public education? How does Illinois create an accountability system that doesn’t send the message students are failing? Can any curricular mandates be dropped to allow for

The goal of the Jan. 24 meeting was to build upon the foundation etched out at the first meeting in October by developing tactics to achieve priorities for the future. In addition, the Workgroup reviewed results from the statewide survey sent to educators and school board members in November. Dr. John Gatta, CEO of ECRA, the project design partner, said the goal of the statewide survey was to pressure test priority statements. “The results of the statewide survey clearly revealed that education leaders across Illinois are aligned to a common

vision for how to improve public education in Illinois,” Dr. Gatta said. Click Here to Read Vision 2030 Survey Results Once again, the Workgroup was divided into four subcommittees: Student Success, Educator Excellence, Accountability and Finance & Funding.

more exploratory, technological and career readiness learning experiences? Those questions, and more, were discussed and debated in great detail at the second Vision 2030 Workgroup meeting in Springfield on January 24.

The Vision 2030 Workgroup has been assembled to reflect upon the current state of education in Illinois and formulate priorities and policy positions that will serve as a framework for guiding advocacy efforts moving forward. Members include representatives from numerous statewide education organizations. Overall, the Workgroup has more than 100 members.

Student Success The subcommittee zeroed in on priorities for the future centered around promoting flexibility to meet the needs of diverse communities, emphasizing future-driven skills that allow for multiple definitions of student success, student safety and developing community and industry partnerships.

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Members include representatives from numerous statewide education organizations. Overall, the Workgroup has more than 100 members.

The Workgroup broke into four subcommittees: Student Success, Educator Excellence, Accountability and Finance & Funding.

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improved working conditions that support educator retention by increasing autonomy and adding flexibility to the work experience. “Our young people entering the profession want flexibility in their jobs,” said Dr. Brian Waterman, member of Educator Excellence subcommittee and superintendent of Lyons Twp HSD #204. “Education has very little flexibility within the workday. The corporate environment is much different.” Accountability The Illinois Report Card, school designations and the Illinois Assessment of Readiness were focal points for the Accountability subcommittee. Among the ideas floated were revising the scoring system to differentially weight growth and proficiency based on local context. In addition, the subcommittee discussed revised criteria for high school proficiency to allow for measures of college or career readiness, aligned cut scores that are empirically anchored to national proficiency and growth distributions as well as revising the current designation system. “Our current state accountability system was a step forward in allowing school districts to capture multiple measures of success; however, our model has fallen short,” said Dr. Terri Bresnahan, superintendent of Community Cons SD #59 and Co-Chair of the Accountability Committee. “Now is the time to reform both the required state assessments and how they are used within our accountability system. We envision a model that reflects the true achievement, growth and diverse needs of schools across Illinois.”

One idea that emerged was a repository of best practices, or centralized network, with funding sources, for districts to meet the safety and security facility needs of their students. Another major point of conversation was creating a task force to review mandates, potentially offering schools some relief and increased flexibility. “Competing and compounding mandates that have become costly are hampering the progress of our schools,” said Dr. Griffin, Co-Chair of the Student Success Committee. “There are countless examples of mandates that compete with one another or work for one part of our state but not the other. It’s vitally important that our legislators see the need for flexibility with mandates, so we can do what is in the best interest of the students, staff and community we serve.” Educator Excellence The Educator Excellence Workgroup flushed out priorities aimed at attracting a high quality and diverse educator pipeline; reimagining educator preparation and creating flexible licensure pathway; and improving the educator’s professional experience. Among the tactics floated was flexible licensure pathways for individuals changing careers, a regional framework for Grow Your Own programs, grade band flexibility and

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Vision 2030 is our opportunity to help shape the story of public education by creating a unified roadmap that will help guide the Illinois General Assembly

Finance & Funding The subcommittee delved deeper into the priorities it identified in October with a conversation centered around maintaining and continuing to fund the the Evidence Based Funding Formula, enacting pension reforms that strengthen public education, establishing statewide funding sources for capital and safety needs and enhancing the recruitment and retention of quality school personnel. The subcommittee discussed the need for a deep analysis on the over-correction to Tier 2 and how it’s critical for school administrators to actively engage with legislators on how the problem is impacting their districts. In addition, the subcommittee discussed financial flexibility to transfer funds, borrow money and raise tort fund levels. “Preserving the educational equity guaranteed by the Evidence-Based Funding formula is critical. As we navigate potential revisions, it is crucial to advocate for full funding before considering any changes,” said Dan Cox, superintendent of Rochester CUSD #3A and Co-Chair of the Finance & Funding Committee. “Supporting legislation into making decisions that are in the best interest of our students and schools.

to place the Professional Review Panel at the forefront ensures a comprehensive analysis, safeguarding the integrity of EBF from arbitrary alterations by the legislature.” Next Steps The Vision 2030 Workgroup is scheduled to meet in Bloomington on May 1. In advance of the meeting, each subcommittee will meet virtually to fine tune tactics and priorities. Following the meeting in May, a policy brief will be submitted to the IASA Board of Directors for final approval, with a marketing push to follow in November. “In school communications, every superintendent understands that if you are not telling your story, someone else will,” said Dr. Brent Clark, IASA Executive Director. “Vision 2030 is our opportunity to help shape the story of public education by creating a unified roadmap that will help guide the Illinois General Assembly into making decisions that are in the best interest of our students and schools.”

Visit IllinoisVision2030.com.

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When a Staff Member or a Student Dies

By Ralph Grimm and Diane Robertson IASA Field Service Directors

Every Superintendent, through the course of his or her career, may receive that dreaded phone call saying that a staff member or a student has passed away. It’s a sad and gut-wrenching experience that both of us experienced during our superintendencies. To help school leaders navigate these challenging situations, IASA is rerunning a checklist to help you prepare and lead your district through this crisis. When you get this call, we suggest you consider the following:

First, verify the information with family members or local authorities. What does the family want to have disclosed, if anything? What is already publicly known? Consult your District Crisis Management Plan and follow the protocols outlined in that plan. Determine who your first call should go to: Jason Nevel, IASA Director of Communications. Jason has helped many Superintendents draft an appropriate communication to use. His help will be invaluable in many respects... Your Board President... The building administrator of the building the person worked in or attended... Crisis Response Team, if available...

Local Clergy Association, if appropriate. Determine how and when to speak to all district staff. Schedule a district-wide staff meeting so everyone hears the same news. Be prepared to deal with a wide range of emotional responses. We recommend the Superintendent lead this meeting. Care must be given to the amount and type of information that can be shared. Think HIPAA and Employee Rights to Privacy. Determine how to inform the staff member’s students (in the case of a staff member) or the student’s classmates. Decide who is best suited to deliver this news. Notify students face to face. Provide staff with a prepared statement. Determine how and when to make a public statement. Keep in mind the sad news may very well already be on social media.

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Closely monitor your students and staff. The death of a staff member or a student could possibly trigger difficult memories or experiences on the part of the staff or students. Provide counseling services, time away, substitutes or other types of assistance to those who need it. Depending on when funeral services are scheduled, you will need to make a decision about whether or not to cancel school so students and staff can attend. As you lead through these very difficult circumstances, be in tune with your own emotions and how the stress of dealing with this may be affecting you. Remember, you have access through your IASA membership dues to ComPsych should you need to talk to someone during these difficult times. You may find this article helpful should you need additional information—Guidelines When Responding to the Death of a Student or School staff. Finally, treat your staff and students like you would want to be treated if you were in this situation. Handling the death of a staff member or a student requires a great deal of compassion, strength and understanding. No one goes through these situations alone. Reach out to colleagues or the IASA Field Service Directors if you need additional help.

You may wish to put something on social media but keep your comments very general and only after consulting the family of the staff member or student. Refer to the statement that Jason Nevel has helped you create. Use Jason Nevel to help you be prepared to answer 3–5 anticipated questions. Write them down on a 3x5 card and carry that card with you until this crisis passes. Stick to the notes on the card when asked to speak about the situation. Schedule a time to meet with the family of the deceased staff member or student. This may be a very difficult conversation but it is important and should occur when it is reasonable to do so. Offer them your sympathy. Offer to assist them in any way you can. Be prepared for requests from the family to perhaps use the gym for the funeral or for some type of memorial service. Know the district’s past practice regarding these types of requests. Don’t promise something until you know for sure what has been done in the past. At a future point you will need to speak to the family about retrieving the staff member’s or the student’s personal effects from the school. This is best done after regular school hours. Because this is a very difficult time for the family, the personal effects should be boxed up and taken to the main office for retrieval.

Ralph Grimm IASA Field Service Director rgrimm@iasaedu.org

Diane Robertson IASA Field Service Director drobertson@iasaedu.org

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Expanded School Finance Reporting Key Points to Help District Leaders Understand the School-Level Finance Survey

Story submitted by the Illinois State Board of Education

Understanding the School-Level Finance Survey The SLFS is a data collection administered by ED, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the National Center for Education Statistics. Just like the Site-Based Expenditure Report, the SLFS makes use of unaudited, year-end expenditure data. Unlike SBER, however, the SLFS summarizes expenditures at each school based on certain functions and objects. (See the full survey instrument.) The SLFS began as an optional survey in 2014, but it is now required for all states. ED has acknowledged that many states—including Illinois—will need time to work toward SLFS reporting, especially if they have not submitted this data in the past. To allow states time to ramp up reporting capacity, ED has invited states to develop state-specific plans. Additionally,

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) included a new requirement for states to collect and report per-pupil expenditure data for each school on public report cards. This Site-Based Expenditure Reporting (SBER) data first appeared on the Illinois Report Card in 2019, and both the state and school districts have enhanced their data collection and accounting processes to enable efficient reporting. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) expanded school-level reporting requirements by mandating that all states participate in the School-Level Finance Survey (SLFS). ISBE can complete this report on behalf of districts that meet certain criteria. This article provides important information to assist districts in understanding the available approaches to SLFS reporting.

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Can ISBE Complete the SLFS for My District? Approximately 65% of school districts in Illinois used the ISBE Online Tool, located in the ISBE Web Application Security (IWAS) system, to complete the FY 2023 Site-Based Expenditure Report. Districts that use this tool upload year-end general ledger data and calculate the per-pupil expenditures entirely within IWAS. Most districts that use this tool provide ISBE with sufficient data for ISBE to complete the SLFS report on their behalf. Districts that use the ISBE Online Tool for the FY 2024 site-based report and meet certain criteria will not have to prepare a separate FY 2024 SLFS report. Specifically, ISBE can complete this report for districts that use the Online Tool and: 1. Upload expenditure accounts with the dimension of fund, function, and object. 2. Record expenditures in accounts that are broadly consistent with the state’s chart of accounts (e.g., Illinois Administrative Code Title 23, Part 100). Some districts use pre-defined reporting procedures within their accounting software to generate the annual site-based report; other districts have their own process for calculating the required figures. These districts, along with Online Tool users that do not meet the criteria above, do not provide ISBE with raw expenditure data in the required format and therefore must separately submit FY 2024 SLFS data to ISBE. ISBE staff hosted an information webinar about SLFS on January 23. The webinar recording and presentation materials are available for review. ISBE expects to release additional resources, including a guidance document, reporting timelines, and other webinars, this spring. All resources will be announced via the ISBE Weekly Message and made available on ISBE’s site-based webpage. The FY 2024 SBER collection window will open on July 1 and close on August 30. Perhaps your district has not used the ISBE Online Tool to complete the site-based report in the past; if so, FY 2024 offers a great opportunity to make this change! Districts that are interested in learning more may set up an appointment to speak with ISBE’s site-based team by emailing site-based@isbe.net. Looking Ahead to the 2024 Reporting Process

Want to learn more? To view the recording of ISBE’s information webinar on SLFS: Click Here Click Here To view presentation materials:

states have the flexibility to align data collection procedures with their existing ESSA per-pupil reporting. Illinois’ Action Plan ISBE intends to align the SLFS report with existing site based expenditure collection systems. Therefore, SLFS is required for all districts that currently submit SBER (e.g., public school districts) and for the same population of schools that are included in each district’s site-based report. Entities such as Regional Offices of Education or special education cooperatives are not required to submit SLFS data. All states must report SLFS data for each public school district for fiscal years 2022–24. ED will allow states to submit previously collected ESSA per-pupil expenditure data for FYs 2022 and 2023. This means that no action is required of any school district for these reporting years. Beginning in FY 2024, ISBE must submit SLFS data for all public school districts in the state. In some cases, ISBE will be able to report on behalf of districts; in other cases, districts must complete this new report independently.

To listen to IASA’s podcast on SLFS: Click Here

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Education Elevat g

We continue our series highlighting tremendous educators across Illinois who have given their time and energy to ele vating the superintendency and public education as a whole. Each month, we will feature two educators who are going the extra mile and truly making a difference beyond their school districts and local communities. While we are aware of many of the contributions administrators are making, we are open to any suggestions for some one to feature next month. To make a recommendation, contact Jason Nevel, IASA Director of Communications, at jnevel@iasaedu.org or by calling 217–753–2213.

Margo Empen Dixon USD #170

Dr. Brian Ganan La Grange SD #105

Who: Margo Empen, superintendent What: Instilled a culture of innovation; Greenlighted drone soccer; Named Outstanding Administrator Award by Illinois Music Association; Expanded career and technical education opportunities; Invested in new math, reading and science curricula Where: Dixon USD #170, Northwest

Who: Dr. Brian Ganan, superintendent What: Researched correlation between Spanish oral reading fluency and success on English assessments; Implemented Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model; Collaborated with leaders of feeder districts to improve student success; Member of West Suburban Consortium for Academic Excellence; Promoted

When: Superintendent of Dixon USD #170 since 2014 Why: At Dixon USD #170, Margo Empen instills in her staff that no idea is a crazy idea, and encourages and promotes out-of-the-box thinking. “I encourage everyone in the district to think outside the box,” Empen said. “It’s incredibly important to think about ideas that are going to ignite and inspire life-long learners and cultivate skills that will help our students succeed at the next level, whether that be college, a career or military service.” At Dixon USD #170, Empen greenlighted an innovative initiative to promote students STEM skills—drone soccer. The new-age activity is played with the pilot controlling a drone soccer ball, flying through the air in a cage with a striker and a defender each vying to either score or play

student voice; Adopted the Responsive Classroom Model; Integrated Strategic Planning into decision-making. Where: La Grange SD #105, Cook West When: Superintendent of La Grange SD #105 since 2020; Superintendent of Komarek SD #94 from 2015–2020 Why: How can a school district use native language fluency to help diagnose when English Language Learner students can comprehend and demonstrate their academic knowledge on a high-stakes English Language Arts state assessment? In 2015, Dr. Ganan set out to answer that question by studying the correlation between Spanish oral reading fluency and success in high stakes English language state tests. “I felt like we were stuck in a debate about how much of the issue was the language barrier versus a student’s academic knowledge,” Dr. Ganan said. “The idea was to

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Ganan ... cont’d. find an indicator in the students’ native language to help schools have more accurate data to measure where students are at.” Dr. Ganan’s research, published in the “International Education” and “Learning Review,” was utilized by districts to develop a better performance indicator to gauge if ELL students needed additional support in their native language or were ready to transition to success on a high-stakes second language assessment. He also had the privilege to speak both nationally and internationally on the topic. The research was one way Dr. Ganan has worked to improve the educational environment for students who do not speak English as their first language. At La Grange SD #105, the district has been implementing the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model, a research-based method of instruction that addresses the academic needs of English Language Learners (ELLs). The goal of the SIOP model is to deliver instruction that works for ELLs without watering down the lesson content, thereby creating a more effective and potentially bilingual classroom setting that can work for native English speakers and ELLs. Collaboration is also central to Dr. Ganan’s leadership style. He works closely with the seven other superintendents whose districts feed into Lyons Township HSD #204 to help ensure students have a successful transition to high school. In addition, he is a member of the West Suburban Consortium for Academic Excellence. The group of suburban school administrators create different opportunities for students, including a Student Leadership Conference. “There are some kids who don’t see themselves as leaders,” Dr. Ganan said. “This is a way for us to tap them on the shoulder, invite them to this event and say we know there is a leader inside of you.” Also at La Grange SD #105, Dr. Ganan is proud to champion efforts to promote student voice in district matters, including the selection of a food service provider. Strategic planning is also vital and integrated into the fabric of the district. “Our Strategic Plan is a living document, and we consistently keep those priorities at the forefront and have feedback loops for teachers and students to ensure we continue to be aligned with our mission,” Dr. Ganan said. Lastly, La Grange SD #105 has adopted the Responsive Classroom Model, an evidence-based approach to teaching that focuses on the strong link between academic success and social-emotional learning (SEL).

Empen ... cont’d.

defense. Before any flying starts, students are required to build, program and repair the drone to get to know it better. Empen said drone soccer teaches students aviation, career planning, coding, engineering, teamwork and, most of all, fun. “I am fortunate to have a staff filled with creative people that push themselves to inspire students to pursue their dreams,” Empen said. Shepherding a dynamic music program has also been a highlight of Empen’s career. She recently received the Outstanding Administrator Award from the Illinois Music Association, even though she is quick to acknowledge her own musical ability is limited. “We really have a dynamic music team,” Empen said of Riley Carter, Band Director, and Erin Rodgers, Director of Choral Activities. “They work together as a team and see the value of starting an early foundation at kindergarten, which allows students to build an interest early on that they improve upon each year.” Students at Dixon USD #170 also have numerous opportunities to pursue career and technical education opportunities. Under Empen’s leadership, the district bolstered its CTE program, including creating an education, manufacturing and agriculture pathway. “We partner with the Whiteside Area Career Center and Sauk Valley Community College to expand opportunities for our students and make it possible for them to achieve industry certifications before graduating high school,” Empen said. The weight room at Dixon High School also has a different look. The high school adopted an advanced computerized program that allows students to better track growth and set goals. In addition, Empen is proud Dixon USD #170 has invested in a new curriculum for math, reading and science that is tied to modern-day best practices. “Constantly pushing for innovation and looking for ways to spark interest in students and staff is part of our school culture,” Empen said.

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Professional Development Two years later, I’m grateful I said yes. Our podcast has exploded with so many listeners, great interviews and guests from all over the country, we hosted a first ever UL in-person event, and we recently published our first book, Unsupervised Leadership: Celebrating and Elevating Fun, Fab, and Fierce Females , available for purchase on Ama zon. At last glance, our book ranked #1 on New Releases for Administration and continues to climb the charts in all other areas, too! We are here for all of it! Our goal with the book was to provide practical, tangible, entertaining and REAL ways of assessing yourself as a leader, while helping you build your confidence, face your fears and elevate others around you. We infuse our own ideas into the stories of people who joined us in Season One of the pod. Our hope is that readers will find the stories valuable and realize the importance of elevating leaders everywhere…every day, we can choose whether or not we elevate and celebrate each other, and this book calls upon us all to do just that. To close, there will likely be more to say about my time at IASA as I get closer to returning to the superintendency on July 1 but, in the meantime, thank you to all of our members for your support, and thank you for elevating and celebrat ing others in our field. Cheers to you!

Dr. Courtney Orzel IASA Associate Director of Professional Development

Two Years Later: Grateful I Said Yes to Launching Unsupervised Leadership My first thought when Kate Koch approached me about start ing a podcast in February 2022 was, “You’re crazy—there is no way I have time for this, and I don’t even listen to pod casts.” IASA PD opportunities were expanding exponentially with new workshops, academies and networking experiences being offered, and all I could think is—there is just no way. Even with all of that, a podcast sounded intriguing. Kate and I were colleagues, and pursuing the idea allowed us to carve out time to talk about education while also pulling in some of our favorite people as guests to join us in our conversa tions…and we could discuss our favorite drinks, of course. Through the pod, we highlight leaders all over the coun try—some are men, most are women, some work in other industries, and we have a Sparkle Spotlight with our Sparkle Sister, Dr. Bhavna Sharma-Lewis, who gives us quick self-re flections each week. We try to embed real talk with energetic and fun guests who leave us all reflecting on ourselves and our work as leaders.

IASA Offering Initial and Retraining Academies for Principal and Teacher Evaluation, Student Growth Need Evaluator Credits?

If you or anyone in your district is in need of evaluator training to fulfill state requirements, IASA has you covered. Multiple sessions are being offered in FY 2024 beginning in July. All sessions will be held virtually. info•register

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Investing in your team’s success and well-being is a game-changer for your organization’s growth. Register now for this IASA workshop based on the proven principles of Jon Gordon’s best-selling book, The Power of Positive Teams (POPT). Participants will learn proven strategies and practices to help build a stronger, more united, and connected team. Upcoming dates: March 8— NOW VIRTUAL . info•register The Power of Positive Teams AA 3927 Leadership Strand The Power of Positive Leadership AA 3730 The research is clear. Being a positive leader is not just a nice way to lead. It’s the way to lead if you want to build a great culture, unite your organization in the face of adversity, develop a connected and committed team and achieve superior goals. This IASA workshop is designed to provide you with actionable strategies to create a culture of trust, empowering you to lead with authenticity and ignite a sense of purpose within your team. Upcoming dates: April 4 and June 18— NOW VIRTUAL . info•register Leadership Strand

Leadership Strand Why Your Why Matters AA 1445

IASA’s popular leadership academy strand focusing on your Why returns with three additional online sessions. Whether you’ve experienced a Why session before, or you’re taking Why Your Why Matters for the first time, register today and join your colleagues around the state to network, collaborate and

reflect on why being an educator is the most important profession on Earth! Upcoming dates: June 13.

info•register

Leadership Strand Leadership Requirements for Moving From Good to Great AA 481

Some schools and school districts are good; some are great. What is the difference and what does it take to move an institution from good to great? The focus of this course is on leadership and behavioral

characteristics that enable leaders to identify and accomplish their goals of moving from Good to Great. Upcoming dates: April 11.

info•register

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Whether its struggles to balance family responsibilities, higher expectations and scrutiny in the workplace or underrepresentation, female school leaders continue Leadership Strand Women in Leadership: Learning, Leading & Living AA 3665 Updated for FY24

to face unique challenges. This newly updated IASA academy is intended to help women leaders confront fears, boost confidence and forge a support network that will help you thrive in your leadership role. Even if you’ve taken this academy before, join us again for

new research on Women in the Workplace as well as other new resources, activities and connections for 2023–24. Up coming dates: Feb. 27 and June 17

info•register

Problem-Solving and Collective Bargaining Using an Interest-Based Approach This academy will provide Administrators, Board Members and Association (Union) Members with an in-depth overview of the concepts included in the Interest-Based Bargaining method that can be used as problem-solving techniques as well. Specifically, the course will provide participants information on the three main components of Interest-Based Bargaining: Training, “Communication Lab” and Bargaining. Upcoming dates: Feb. 27. info•register AA 3782

Professional Development

Health Life Safety Compliance An Administrator’s Guide to the Fundamentals AA #3700

Professional Development The purpose of this academy is to provide administrators and other school personnel with an in-depth look at, and discovery into, topics related to Health Life Safety and Compliance. Uniquely, the presenters provide both perspectives on the issue: Ralph Grimm presents the school superintendent’s

view, and Pat Durley, the regional superintendents. Upcoming dates: March 7 and May 30.

info•register

Leadership Strand Adaptive Leadership: Dealing With Change AA 1825

There are always new practices and strategies being discovered that will enable students to be more engaged and to learn better. However, teachers are not necessarily quick to change their practices. How do we, as administrators, challenge and encourage teachers to be open-minded to new practices and strategies for learning?

This IASA Academy led by Dr. Gary Zabilka will help leaders think more clearly and execute better in a shifting environment. Upcoming date: March 7.

info•register

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