Expectations & Support
Little is ever accomplished in the absence of clear objectives, and it’s an old business maxim that “what gets measured gets done.” While the state has many essential roles to play in creating world-class schools, its most basic may be to set clear and rigorous expectations for student achievement and to clearly communicate how success at the student, school and district level will be measured. It is equally clear that our standards in Illinois have been too low.
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Raise Academic Standards
- Adopt a common core of college- and career-ready standards
- Adopt College and Career-Ready Graduation Requirements
- Increase graduation requirements, particularly in math and science, and ensure relevance through meaningful career and technical equivalents
Strengthen & Align Statewide Assessments
- Align current tests with new standards and adopt an academic growth measure
- Develop end-of-course exams to more accurately reflect student mastery
Give Teachers the Tools They Need to Succeed
- Make high quality curricula and assessments available for voluntary use
Provide Parents with Early, Relevant Information about Student Development & Progress
- Adopt a kindergarten readiness measure
