May LM 2019 Special Issue_press

Northcentral Super Region ... cont’d.

EBF has had an immediate impact. Purchasing new curriculum was a large expense, and it allowed us to move quickly and provide professional development to support teachers. —Jennifer Gill, Springfield SD #186

After the passage of the new formula, Everett said, Sterling CUSD #5 identified key priorities to address with the new dollars. Those included: • Improve student and staff safety and security. • Increase supports for students struggling with social- emotional learning. • Increase supports for struggling learners, with an emphasis on special education, math and class sizes. • Improve the alignment of the curriculum, instructional practices and assessment system. Last year, the district hired three elementary teachers, two 6–12 teachers, three special education teachers and a math interventionist. In addition, the district hired four social workers to improve social-emotional supports for students. “Our education assessment data was telling us a story that our students were not meeting our standards,” Everett said. “We have been really focused on addressing these priorities, and it’s already starting to make a difference.” The district has also made safety upgrades the past few years that were, in part, funded by EBF, Everett said. That includes bringing in a school resource officer, updating security cameras, hiring two security guards and making entrances safer. Moving forward, Everett noted, the district also plans to use EBF to help hire a district-wide director of curriculum and instruction. “The support we received from our state leaders and legislators, to formally

Streator Twp HSD #40

Enrollment: 879

FY18: $650,611

Type: 9–12 FY19: $420,122 Launching a new STEM program was supposed to be a three- year plan, but EBM jumpstarted the process, Superintendent Matt Seaton said. The district is investing the dollars into a new STEM lab and employing math and science teachers to design and oversee the project. “They’re going to develop the classroom design as they go through this year,” Seaton said. “We feel like it’s a teacher’s dream.” The new lab will be equipped with robotic equipment, computers, flexible furniture and 21st century work stations, among other things. But even more than the state-of-the-art space, Seaton said, the new program will provide students with job skills needed for a new labor market. Streator is primarily a blue-collar community that sends as many students into the trades and vocational programs as it does to four-year universities. “This was the next step for our math and science program,” Seaton said. “We’re providing exposure to students in advanced areas of science and math that interest them.”

approve and fund the EBF, is so appreciated,” Everett sad. “This support has improved our building climates and student outcomes, and we have data showing that. At the end of the day though, as plainly as I can say it, our students have been the real winners of Illinois’ Evidence- Based Funding Model.”

14 LMMay 2019 Special Edition