On-the-Ground—From High School to College Success: How Dual Credit is Driving Change at JJC

Dr. Clyne G. H. Namuo is the 10th president of Joliet Junior College.

In Illinois, a quiet but significant shift has been taking place. Community college students are completing their programs at higher rates than in previous years, and the trend is impossible to miss. Associate’s degree graduation rates within 150% of normal time climbed from 17 percent for the 2003 cohort to 31 percent for the 2017 cohort, placing Illinois 13th nationally. Completions are up 6.7 percent since 2020. These system-level numbers reflect deliberate choices made by the state’s community colleges. Joliet Junior College (JJC) is one of them. 

When speaking with JJC President Dr. Clyne Namuo, one theme came through repeatedly: intentionality. Focusing on completion does not sit in a single program or office. It is embedded in the school’s culture. At JJC, that culture is strikingly tangible in how the college reimagined its relationship with local high schools through dual credit programming. A decade ago, JJC was not known as a strong dual credit partner. That is no longer the case. With the appointment of Dr. Namuo as president in 2022, the college made dual credit a centerpiece of its mission and also designed systems of support around it. These efforts have dramatically changed students’ trajectories before they even set foot on campus. 

Dual Credit in Illinois  
Across Illinois, first-time full-time students who took at least one dual credit course in high school graduate at substantially higher rates than their peers who did not. According to ICCB’s Dual Credit in the Illinois Community College System FY 2023 Report, for each of the last five cohorts, the dual credit subgroup’s graduation rate was roughly 20 percentage points higher. For the most recent cohort analyzed, 51.25% of dual credit students graduated compared with 33.13% of those without dual credit. This is not a marginal effect; dual credit provides an on-ramp for students to postsecondary opportunity1. 

JJC leaned into this on-ramp with a clear and memorable initiative: 12x12x12. The idea is not a mandate but an aspirational framework: a goal for every student in the district to complete 12 college credits by 12th grade at a cost of 12 dollars per credit. Acting as both a promise and a challenge, the college meets students where they are: in their high school journeys, in their schedules, and in their budgets. Since adopting this approach in 2023, JJC’s dual credit headcount has reached 8,341 students (as of FY25), a 65 percent increase from FY23, moving the college to second place in the state for dual credit participation. As a result, students are arriving at college with more credits in hand, shrinking time and cost to degree. Arriving with credits also gives them a sense of belonging and momentum; they see themselves as college students because, in fact, they already are. 

The college backed this initiative with resources. JJC and the JJC Foundation created a straightforward incentive: if a student at a partner high school completes 12 dual credits and then enrolls at JJC, they receive a $500 award. Further, advising capacity was expanded, and dedicated dual credit liaisons and tutors were added. Student Success Coaches proactively help students bridge the transition to college and connect to services like the student wellness center and tutoring. These moves are not flashy, but together they form the scaffolding that helps a high school senior become a college graduate. 

The supports are part of a deliberate design. JJC’s Strategic Enrollment Management 4.0 plan puts the student experience at the center, from onboarding through graduation. That includes a redesigned new-student orientation, “Next Step Days” held at local high schools to guide seniors through final enrollment steps like admissions, testing, and scholarships, and centralized placement using multiple measures to keep students from getting stuck before they start. Advising access has grown sharply. Appointments rose 49 percent from 2023 to 2024, with additional gains in early 2025 as the college hired and trained more advisors and launched a hybrid advising training program to ensure consistent, high-quality advising 

JJC is also explicit in its goal toward equity. As noted in our report, while graduation rates have improved for all groups statewide, gaps remain for Black and Latinx students. JJC tracks persistence and retention for these groups and aims to actively move the needle. Latinx fall-to-fall retention rose from 41 percent in FY22 to 47 percent in FY24. Black fall-to-fall retention rose from 36 percent to 41 percent over the same period. While equity gaps remain, these gains represent meaningful progress. The Tutoring and Learning Center on campus has been pivotal: among students flagged for academic intervention who used tutoring, persistence rates were far higher than for similar students who did not, and the gains were especially important for Black and Latinx learners. 

The through-line is that JJC treats completion as a cross-campus responsibility. JJC utilizes federal TRIO programs to support first-generation and low-income students. The Center for Multicultural Access and Success serves as a dedicated resource center for English Learners and international students. Career Services helps students connect coursework to career pathways through internships, job exploration, and employment opportunities aligned with their interests and growing skills.  

Taken together, these choices help explain why more Illinois students reach the finish line and why JJC’s own outcomes are moving in a strong direction. The lesson is not that one program fixes everything; it is that progress is built on many different investments that make a difference when they are aligned. At the core, however, is JJC’s conviction that dual credit is one of the most powerful tools to drive student success, with other supports layered around it to help students persist and complete. 

There is more work to do. The pressures that students face are real, and research shows that equity gaps do not close without intentional action; states that fail to adopt direct interventions tend to see gaps persist or widen2. But Illinois has a clear path ahead. By continuing to expand dual credit with an equity lens and investing in advising, tutoring, and student wellness, community colleges across the state can build on recent graduation rate gains. JJC offers a compelling blueprint for how Illinois can sustain and accelerate this momentum. 

Jeffrey Jen is a Senior Policy Associate for Advance Illinois. 

On-the-Ground—The Hidden Crisis: Why Rural Districts Face Unique Teacher Workforce Challenges

Advance Illinois’ The State We’re In 2025 report finds that across Illinois, districts are struggling to recruit and retain qualified teachers — but rural schools face a unique set of barriers. Like their urban counterparts, they report higher vacancy rates, more novice teachers, and greater reliance on provisional licenses compared to suburban peers. However, the key difference is that rural schools have the highest rates of teachers working out of field or teachers teaching in a grade or content area for which they do not hold the proper credential. This affects students’ access to high-quality instruction, especially in specialized areas such as career and technical education (CTE). 

As districts grapple with recruiting, training and retaining teaching talent across the state, some rural districts are innovating out of necessity. Still, their efforts’ long-term sustainability will depend on whether state-level policy and resources align with the ingenuity happening at the local level. 

The Numbers Behind the Challenge 

Dr. Joshua Stafford is superintendent of Vienna School District.

Data from the recent State We’re In 2025 show how deeply shortages affect small districts. When positions go unfilled, the consequences are immediate with fewer courses offered, staff stretched thin, and higher turnover costs.   

“When you lose even a single staff member in a rural district, it has a ripple effect across everything — programs, student opportunities, and the community as a whole,” explained Dr. Joshua Stafford, superintendent of Vienna School District. 

The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS) whitepaper, The Chronic Rural Educator Shortage and Hopeful Actions to Address It, notes that since 2022, reliance on substitutes and retirees has grown sharply. More than half of rural vacancies are now covered by under-certified or out-of-field staff. Geography makes things worse: the farther a district is from major highways or population centers, the harder it is to attract and keep teachers. Limited resources also mean rural schools often can’t match the salaries and benefits offered by larger districts. 

Why Career Technical Education is Hit Hardest 

Staffing courses that provide students with academic and technical skills for high-skill, high-demand careers like Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs illustrate the problem most clearly according to John Glasgow, director of the Rural Illinois Career Tech Ed Project with AIRSS. 

“It’s hard enough to get anybody to go into the education field right now… That’s especially true for CTE. There are very few programs out there specifically for those who want to be, for instance, like a shop teacher or an ag [agriculture] teacher,” he said. 

As researched by a 2023 National Rural Education Association report, Why Rural Matters 2023: Centering Equity and Opportunity, school funding formulas tied to enrollment deepen the challenge. With smaller student populations, rural schools are often expected to operate in the same ways that larger districts function with less funds. Even if funding was adequate, Glasgow acknowledges that distance and size mean it may not make sense for every rural school to run every CTE field. That reality encourages schools into regional collaborations that can be difficult to sustain. 

Creative Solutions Born from Necessity 

Rural districts are adapting in creative ways. For example, in Vienna, Illinois the school district is making opportunities for high performing middle school teachers to move into high school classrooms while they earn new endorsements. Others tap professionals with years of industry experience to enter classrooms through alternative licensing pathways.  

Stafford offered one example: “Our nursing program… the person who ran that program for 30 years here never had a PEL [Professional Educator License]. She was an RN with hospital experience and masterfully led the program. Graduates from that program now staff hospitals across the region.” 

These solutions don’t solve the shortage, but they demonstrate the value of flexibility and the deep expertise already present in rural communities. 

John Glasgow is director of the Rural Illinois Career Tech Ed Project with AIRSS. 

The Collaboration Imperative 

Unlike large suburban and urban systems, rural schools must overcome geographical distance to collaborate with neighboring districts, local business and regional organizations. This reliance on partnerships adds a layer of complexity to rural leadership, requiring skills in coordination and resource-sharing that go well beyond traditional school administration, which Glasgow acknowledges can be hard to sustain over the long haul if entities are not unified or coordinated. 

 But rural schools are finding other innovative ways forward. The Southern Illinois Future Teachers Coalition began around 2017 with a modest $14,000 grant to address the teacher shortage that is being experienced with targeted programming at the local level in Southern Illinois. Today it has grown into a network of 25 schools working with universities, community colleges, and regional education offices to cultivate local teaching talent that’s delivering impact. =

Stafford recalled a recent round of teacher interviews where all three candidates — from different high schools in the region — had participated in the coalition as students.  

“It was just this full circle moment,” Stafford said. 

Looking Ahead 

The Advance Illinois the State We’re In (2025) report finds that rural districts in Illinois have higher vacancy rates in addition to educators teaching out of field. However, the findings also show that educators in rural districts tend to have higher attendance rates.  

Glasgow at AIRSS emphasizes that addressing rural educator workforce challenges requires policies that account for both adequacy and access. It calls for rethinking educator preparation, supporting under-certified staff in becoming fully credentialed, ensuring rural equity in funding and curriculum, and creating stronger collaborative efforts between schools, higher education, and state agencies—strategies that Glasgow and Stafford reinforced. 

And there’s no time to waste or wait on outside solutions, said Stafford. “No one’s going to ride in and save us from teacher shortage… locally and regionally, we have to act and do something.”  

Additional Resources: 

• Southern Illinois Future Teachers Coalition 

• How Illinois Gets Students Ready for College and Careers 

• The Geography of the New Teacher Pipeline 

• AIRSS Whitepaper: The Chronic Rural Educator Shortage and Hopeful Actions to Address It 

Maty Ortega Cruz is a Senior Community Engagement Associate for Advance Illinois. 

On-the-Ground—Advocating for Student Mental Health: The Power of Data and Programs

Mental health challenges continue to plague Illinois’ students, permeating the fabric of our school communities in both the K-12 and postsecondary spaces. While student mental health impacts every type of student, two professionals discuss why Illinois cannot ignore how students from marginalized communities are uniquely affected by these issues. 

Making the Case for Data

One such community is the LGBTQ+ student population. Daniel Wilson, a PhD candidate in the Policy Studies in Urban Education program in the College of Education at the University of Illinois Chicago argues for increased, quality assessment of these populations in the postsecondary sector. 

Pulling from national datasets, Wilson recently submitted a paper examining the impacts of financial hardship and housing instability on mental health and academic performance in LGBTQ+ Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) student communities. He found that a lack of access to these basic needs led to diminished mental health, prompting a negative perception of their sense of belonging in the larger campus community. When compounded, these factors hurt academic success. These impacts were even greater for transgender and non-binary BIPOC students. At the Illinois state level, this also rings true. According to Advance Illinois’ The State We’re In 2025: A Report on Public Education in Illinois, 63.2% of LGBTQ+ students and 75.9% of transgender college students felt that their emotional or mental challenges have more recurring ramifications on their academics. In 2024, 46.5% of postsecondary students in Illinois reported their mental health has impacted their academic performance in the last month, an increase from 24.6% in 2007. While sobering, this data should compel Illinois to make strides toward more intentional assessment of their LGBTQ+ student communities, specifically at the institutional level.

Wilson highlights that data on LGBTQ+ students is often not institutionalized across educational systems and assessment methods are often incomplete and inadequate. For example, gender identity is often collected on a binary system and sexual orientation is often not collected at all. Without data that accurately measures how mental health concerns distinctly affect LGBTQ+ students, institutions cannot provide resources and services designed to mitigate the impact of these challenges. Put plainly- LGBTQ+ students’ experiences become invisible. Wilson reflects “It is important that policy makers think of ways to accurately and meaningfully collect data on LGBTQ+ people so that they are able to be visible within data systems.” 

Wilson reflects that while it is not misleading to say that Illinois is supportive of LGBTQ+ communities, LGBTQ+ students in Illinois do face barriers to basic needs that are detrimental to their mental health. As an advocate for improved assessment of LGBTQ+ students, he contends that data can forge meaningful partnerships in service to these communities. “LGBTQ+ data needs to be institutionalized...it could be used to inform [the exact] number of LGBTQ + students that are experiencing food insecurity, housing insecurity, so how can we then ensure that we are building partnerships and cultivating a community of care to support LGBTQ+ communities.” But before those partnerships and programs are built, good data must be collected. 

It's clear that the role of data is significant. When collected and assessed correctly, it can be a powerful impetus for programmatic development uniquely designed to meet student mental health needs. Ngozi Harris, Director of Program and Staff Development for the Working on Womanhood (WOW) program at Youth Guidance, speaks to the realm of possibilities when data is put into action. 

Data in Action: Strong Student Programming

Founded in 2011 by a group of female social workers led by former Youth Guidance Director Gail Day, WOW is a school-based counseling program that supports young girls in grades 6-12 who have been exposed to trauma in the development of their social-emotional competencies. The program is informed by Cognitive-Behavioral, Acceptance Commitment, and Narrative Therapy and is specifically structured as a group counseling program to address the social isolation commonly felt among young girls.  One of WOW’s core values is providing opportunity for students to be in community with their peers and to learn emotional intelligence. When schools reported the impact of the Becoming a Man (BAM) program’s group counseling for its male students, the potential of what would become WOW became even more apparent. 

WOW continues to be critical given that mental health challenges among K-12 students in Illinois have persisted, as highlighted by The State We’re In 2025 report. Increasing percentages (29.6% in 2009 to 40.4% in 2023) of students in Illinois have reported feeling sadness and hopelessness. More specifically, female high school students are more likely to experience these feelings, with 51.6% of female students reporting feelings of sadness and hopelessness compared to 25% of male students in 2023.

Echoing Wilson’s arguments regarding the postsecondary sector, Harris further underscores how powerful a student’s sense of belonging can be in determining their academic performance. Primarily serving young, Black and Latina girls in under resourced Chicago communities, Harris notes that WOW removes the burden on students to find a sense of belonging, which in turns cultivates space for them redirect their energy into learning: “We know that trauma will impact how you are able to engage in education, how you will be able to engage in relationships...when you experience trauma, it starts to rewire your brain to see the world as a threat. If you’re walking around seeing the world as a threat, everything becomes a threat. That means all your energy, all your resources are focused in on ‘I'm here, I’m locked in on surviving. I’m doing whatever it takes to survive, mentally, physically, emotionally.’ It is unreasonable to expect students carrying such immense burdens to engage fully in a math or English course.”

Prior to the pandemic, WOW conducted mental health assessments to screen for anxiety, trauma, depression, and PTSD exposure. A core part of the WOW model, these assessments informed how to grow the program. During the shift back to in-person programming, WOW refined its curriculum to better incorporate best practices that can support students’ feelings of social isolation and ongoing anxieties caused by adversities faced during pandemic. For example, WOW has refined its curriculum to include sessions dedicated to unpacking the complex role of social media in young women’s lives. Participants can explore how social media can be incorporated into their lives healthily, with the understanding that social media can serve as both as an escape as well as a trigger. 

Harris notes that due to broader community issues related to resource availability, schools are the ideal space for reaching students. Students facing trauma exposure often carry familial and work responsibilities that limit the time available to join counseling programs after the school day.

Looking Ahead

It is imperative to acknowledge that there are community-led efforts in Illinois to address mental health related concerns for LGBTQ+ and students of color, as demonstrated in the protest against UI health system’s pause on gender affirming care for patients under 19 years old. As the new findings on student mental health and well-being in Illinois suggest, it is equally important to recognize that there is substantial opportunity for both the state of Illinois and education institutions to expand how they mitigate these challenges. Building a healthy foundation means creating assessment methods that capture evolving nuances related to identity, institutionalizing that data, and funding programs like WOW that reflect what the data shows. Strong data and programming are core pillars to building resilient student communities, which ultimately supports their holistic success. 

Isabel Enad is a Senior Community Engagement Associate for Advance Illinois.

On-the-Ground—Inside Illinois’ Rising Cost of Child Care

This summer, as part of a special “On-The-Ground" storytelling project for our latest report, The State We’re In 2025, Advance Illinois’ Early Childhood Policy Associate Kathleen Kimmey had the opportunity to interview two early childhood educators who discussed their unique perspectives on the stubbornly high cost of child care in Illinois.

During their interviews, Michelle Zurita-Sharpe, a special education teacher at Chicago Public Schools’ Blair Early Childhood Center and Cara Craig, a home visitor with Childcare Network of Evanston, highlighted the difficulties families face in navigating the complex system of early childhood education and care services and finding affordable childcare that fully meets their needs. These challenges can cause children to experience disruptions in their continuity of care or prevent them from receiving the full scope of services they need, which can be particularly detrimental for children with disabilities and children who come from immigrant families. At the same time, their stories highlighted the creativity and dedication of educators who work tirelessly to fill these gaps and support the children and families they serve however they can. While shifting federal policies and unpredictable funding continue to create instability for children, families, and providers, both underscored the need for stronger investments and policies to make childcare more affordable and accessible for families across Illinois. 

Kathleen Kimmey is the Early Childhood Policy Associate for Advance Illinois.

Federal Impact—Funding and Programs that Support Student Learning and Needs

Dawn Bates, a long-time second-grade teacher and Teach Plus Illinois fellow, brings insights from both the classroom and her fellowship. With several years of teaching experience, Dawn is thinking about how shifts in federal support and funding may affect student learning, basic needs, and opportunities beyond the classroom. 

Through her Teach Plus fellowship, which focused on grades K–5, she worked on a project aimed at building teacher confidence in teaching science. While the findings are complete, the team is still finalizing how they will present them to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), especially as science education (STEM) often lacks professional development and funding compared to subjects like math and reading. She has also helped bring coding to the early grades, making it accessible to students younger than third grade, and recently wrote a piece about the importance of coding. She hopes funding will continue to support these programs. 

Dawn’s school community has benefited from programs made possible by funding, but she worries these could disappear as there are students that rely on programs for free breakfast and lunch, eye care, and access to technology. She is glad her second-grade students have take-home computers and access to educational websites and apps that extend their learning beyond the school day but worries that cuts could jeopardize these supports. 

In addition, Dawn thinks initiatives like Grow Your Own and Golden Apple are important and believes continued investment is essential in supporting aspiring educators along with stipends for student teachers during their student teaching experience. Especially amid federal funding cuts that could impact the pipeline of future educators. In her own district, she is encouraged by the opportunity for teachers to pursue and maintain National Board Certification and hopes that funding to support this certification continues.  

Dawn’s story is a reminder that educators are not only teaching but constantly working to ensure students receive the tools and resources they need to thrive. 

Eucarol Juarez is the Senior Communications Associate for Advance Illinois.

Federal Impact—Resilient in the Face of Cuts

When Jennifer Smith was a third grader, she had a clear view of the priorities that would drive her as a future teacher. 

She would hold English everyday – less so the language, she explains, but for the skills language arts cultivate and exercise in critical thinking, grammar, in analysis, in effectively communicating. 

She’d give homework, “because it builds intelligence and makes (students) smarter,” she said in a short essay she had written as an elementary school student. 

And she’d make sure her class tries new things, “so they can learn more. They can also get a variety.” 

Jennifer Smith knew in the third grade she wanted to be an educator. The values she wrote about in this essay hold true through today.

Decades later, Smith still holds onto these concerns (and has accumulated others), today working as a middle school science teacher who believes education should be immersive, relevant, and empowering. And her prescient essay has come along, too, often found in her classrooms over time. 

In recent months, however, federal funding cuts have made it increasingly difficult for her to maintain the high standards she sets for herself and her students. She persists, nevertheless. Three professional development (PD) programs she was scheduled to attend this summer—focused on social-emotional learning (SEL), bioengineering, and science instruction—were canceled due to revoked grant funding from the National Institutes for Health and the National Science Foundation. One research project in particular would have explored literacy in the science classroom. These PDs weren’t just enrichment; for someone who pours hours into preparing for lessons, they are essential to Smith’s teaching practice of making science real and relevant for her students. 

“When those opportunities disappear, it’s not just me who loses, it’s them,” she said.

Her approach to teaching is deeply hands-on and inquiry-based. She teaches 6th and 7th grade science from a portable classroom with no running water, yet she still manages to conduct full lab experiences including dissections and hydrology experiments by coordinating with colleagues to borrow lab space during their prep periods. Where another teacher might throw their hands up in such a predicament and stop doing labs, Smith is determined that her students have the full experience. 

Smith also regularly collaborates with university researchers at the University of Illinois, inviting them into her classroom to expose students to real-world science and career pathways. “I don’t know what tech will look like in five years,” she said, “but if I can connect my students with people and places, those relationships will be stronger than even the academic experiences I could give them.” 

As a virtual mentor for new teachers across Illinois, Smith along with nearly 300 other educators were shocked when the federal government announced it was rescinding its extensions for ESSER dollars, which funded the initiative. This meant the state could no longer pay its mentors despite the agreement they had signed. Smith and her colleagues worked from March through May without compensation.

Only in recent weeks were they notified that they were going to get funding after all, receiving pay for the time they had worked. Smith, a single mother of two teenagers who is constantly juggling multiple hats and jobs, was fortunate to have not relied on the mentoring income for survival but knows that was not the case for everyone. 

Despite the pressures, Smith remains committed to education. She holds three master’s degrees, is National Board Certified in science, and is currently pursuing her doctorate. She spends her summers writing curriculum, mentoring future educators, and attending PDs, when they’re not canceled. “Everything I do, even my side hustles, is about education,” she said. “Because my kids need to eat, but also because I believe in this work.” 

Still, the emotional toll of the federal changes and their impact cannot be avoided. “It’s demoralizing,” Smith said. “Every week I open my email and brace myself for more bad news. I’m doing everything I can to keep the same opportunities for my students, but at what cost?” 

It is the belief that small actions can make a difference that keeps her going. “I try to find one thing each day that can have a positive impact—so my students know I care, and my community knows someone is listening.” 

Bravetta Hassell is Director of Communications for Advance Illinois.

Guest Post From We, the Village (WTV) - Day in the Life: The Impact of ECACE

The We, the Village (WTV) coalition asked early childhood providers who have received the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) scholarship what a day in their lives looked like while continuing their education, and how ECACE has helped make their career goals a reality.

Read the story of Alexis Smith, Early Childhood Educator and ECACE recipient.

What did a typical day look like for you, and how did you manage balancing your responsibilities as an early childhood educator alongside your college coursework? 

I balanced my days by making my appointments, putting them in my telephone, and setting my alarms. I had children sometimes and sometimes I didn't. I set my alarm for half an hour before it was time for my appointments with my tutors during the week. When doing housework, I would set my alarm for the time I felt it would take me to an area or a room. I would also set my alarm for whatever time I was going to study so that I would get my homework done and turn it in on time.

What inspired you to go back to school or pursue your degree in early childhood education? 

What inspired me to go back to school and pursue my bachelor's degree in early childhood education was my grandmother. I came home one night, and my grandmother was sitting at the table, and I asked her what she was doing. She told me she was doing her mail order interior decorating homework. I made a statement about her age, and she told me you never get too old to learn. She had me promise her that I would go back to school and finish my education, no matter how long it took.

How has receiving the ECACE scholarship impacted your educational experience, and what does it mean to you personally? 

Receiving the ECACE scholarship has impacted me by giving me the opportunity to go back to school to earn my bachelor's degree in early childhood education. It also made it possible for me to fulfill my promise that I made to my grandmother. I never thought I would be able to go back to school and obtain my bachelor's, and graduate with honors at my age.

What impact do you hope to make in your community or classroom as a result of earning your degree? 

The impact that I hope to have on children's lives is the importance of going to school to get an education so they can make a good life for themselves. In my community, I have already started. I volunteer in the food pantry when I can and I am a Sunday school teacher working with toddlers to three-year-olds.

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In Conversation with Andy Krackov: The Urgency and Impact of Data Storytelling

Andy Krackov, Founder of Hillcrest Advisory

As federal investments in data collection and infrastructure face mounting cuts, the ability of state systems to make informed, equitable decisions in education (and across every governmental sector impacting day-to-day life in the United States) stands at a critical crossroads. So we were thrilled this summer for the opportunity to connect with Andy Krackov, founder of the data storytelling consultancy, Hillcrest Advisory, for a timely conversation on the power of data insights to drive meaningful change. 

In this special Q&A, Krackov offers an example of how data is being used to inform and mobilize communities to action, and discusses the unique impact and potential of data storytelling. And as he explores what is at stake if cuts to federal data collection capacity and systems are not reversed and persist, Krackov also reflects on what could be some opportunities in this moment.

Advance Illinois: Hillcrest Advisory has done considerable work around child well-being, which is actually a priority area for Advance Illinois. Would you talk to us about a recent time the consultancy worked to use data in that realm to share key information and inspire action? What was the problem, and what was the solution?

Andy Krackov: For roughly the past five years, Hillcrest Advisory has been working on a project in California to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The state of California has committed significant resources to training clinicians across the state to screen for ACEs – in both children and adults – so that we can help individuals with high ACE scores recognize and heal from their trauma. Through the statewide ACEs Aware initiative, we’ve been publishing an array of county-level breakdowns about trainings and screenings.

One of my favorite things to do is to travel to communities across the state, and share these data at local meetings. I’ve done that, for example, in rural Tehama County in far Northern California, and it’s so exciting to see how a community like that can collaboratively review its data, then generate ideas for how to improve service offerings – in this case to ensure that local clinicians are trained to screen for and address ACEs among their adolescent population.

What is it about quantitative data that can drive action, drive change in ways anecdotes and longer, straightforward storytelling cannot?

I like to think of what’s needed for effective communication as data + story. Sure, they can both exist on their own, but it’s best when we can integrate them. A well-told, poignant story draws us in, capturing our attention, while the data can help convey prevalence and degree – that is, the data signal to us that it’s not just an issue with this one person whose story we’re telling. The data help us see that this is a community-wide problem that we need to come together to address. 

I give a lot of data storytelling trainings, and there’s a quote that I often turn to to help explain why we need data + story. It’s from a 2021 New Yorker article, “What Data Can’t Do,” by a mathematician, Hannah Fry: 

“Numbers are a poor substitute for the richness and color of the real world. It might seem odd that a professional mathematician…would work to convince you of this fact. But to recognize the limitations of a data-driven view of reality is not to downplay its might. It’s possible for two things to be true: for numbers to come up short before the nuances of reality, while also being the most powerful instrument we have when it comes to understanding that reality.”

“A well-told, poignant story draws us in, capturing our attention, while the data can help convey prevalence and degree – that is, the data signal to us that it’s not just an issue with this one person whose story we’re telling. The data help us see that this is a community-wide problem that we need to come together to address.”

— Andy Krackov

In your recent blog on Nightingale, you mentioned speaking with someone who described what’s happening to the U.S. data infrastructure right now as a ‘slow data rot’. What is meant by this, and are you and your team beginning to see it or residually hear about it in your work with clients? What kinds of things are at stake if, to continue the metaphor, termites continue to eat at the house?

A lot of what’s happening now with our federal data infrastructure isn’t necessarily headline-grabbing. Let’s take an example. The Education Department’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), whose tagline is “Empowering Education with Accurate, Timely, and Nonpartisan Statistical Products” but may be hamstrung from doing just that in the coming years. Staff have been laid off and funding has been cut, and all of this invariably will impact the quality of NCES’ data collection and reporting, which communities across the country rely on to support education improvements. 

But we may not necessarily see these changes immediately – it will be a slow rot. Let’s take another example. The Census Bureau provides data on local-level poverty – a fundamentally important measure – through its annual American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS data we now use likely won’t be impacted by staff and program cuts. These data are from surveys conducted a few years back, given that it takes a year or two for the Census Bureau to process, analyze, and publish the data. For example, we’re now using the 2023 ACS poverty data.

But what about the 2025 data that would be released in roughly 2027? It’s conceivable that staff and budget cuts could delay the release of those data and potentially impact how much data are available for release if budget cuts mean the sample size is reduced. As a result, rural communities may not be able to get poverty data. In addition, however, the Census’ federal advisory committees, which provide important external input on Census data offerings, including the ACS, are now disbanded, and this calls into question the trust and accuracy of future surveys. Can we trust the ACS data on poverty that will be released in a few years? The interplay that happens when a federal agency collaborates with advisory committees helps us know we can trust the data, so without these partnerships, our faith in federal data may diminish in the coming years. 

This is all part of that slow rot – we don’t see it now, but the damage that’s been done could be exposed a few years from now, when it’s harder to simply patch up the foundation. 

What you described sounds deeply troubling – no, we won’t see effects immediately but when they do begin to emerge in efforts like the next Census, to your point, the implications of a reduced or less-supported infrastructure would be broad and to a lasting effect. From a glass half-full perspective, however—and not at all to diminish the gravity and urgency of this moment we are in where it is critical that cuts to federal data collecting efforts and infrastructure are reversed—is there a second lens through which you’re simultaneously challenging yourself to see this moment, where there is possibly opportunity for helpful innovation? What comes up for you here?

I’m glad you highlighted opportunities. There is a sliver of hope regarding what’s to come with data access, and maybe that will grow into something more substantial as the realization of federal data cuts begins to hit home. I’ve already talked to a number of people who see opportunity with these cuts to revamp measures and to look for more efficient ways to collect data for core indicators such as poverty or reading proficiency. I launched an informal group of individuals in California – I live near San Francisco and do work across the state – who want to respond to the federal data threats by making sure that local communities across the state still have access to needed data. In the coming weeks, this group will begin to explore new ways to capture data we use for local decision-making. 

I know there are efforts underway in other states, too – I’ve heard from Advance Illinois about the work being done there to address federal data threats. We’re going to need to find ways to come together across states to share ideas – and perhaps even agree on similar standards so that we can compare data across states. In other words, if the federal government won’t make it easy for us to compare, say, health insurance rates in communities across states, could we build some kind of federated, decentralized model to do just that? Building this may not seem realistic now, but, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

This has been a couple years in the making, actually preceding what's happening at the federal level, but the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is actually set to release its Children’s Adversity Index this month. It is our hope that this tool will help local, district, and state leaders make more targeted arguments for funding, support, and policy change that fosters healthier community environments and supports greater child resilience. 

With that in mind, what are some actions everyday people can take (particularly when it comes to child well-being) to highlight the importance of good data and strong data infrastructure?

As a first step, use the data that we have now to help you understand how your community is faring. Data tools like Census Reporter, County Health Rankings, and the Child Opportunity Index make it easy for you to access and interpret data for where you live. I bet the Children’s Adversity Index will fill a similar role for people doing meaningful work across Illinois. 

I work on one such data tool, AARP’s Livability Index (it’s about overall livability, not just livability for seniors), so I know first-hand what goes into creating tools like this and how valuable they can be to everyday individuals – for example, when making decisions about where to purchase or rent a home. 

What’s important to know about these tools is that federal data helps fuel their offerings, so without such data, city planners, school boards, city councils and county supervisors won’t have the data they need to improve our communities. That’s a problem that our elected officials in Congress should know about. So what else can you do? Tell your Senators and House members that you’re concerned about threats to federal data.

One last question, a bonus. If you had to narrow your must-have considerations/mindsets/elements for making a data storytelling project effective to just three things, what would they be?

I’d say it’s vital to know who you want to reach – that is, what specific audience will most benefit from the information you need to share – as well as what action you want that audience to take. In my data storytelling workshops, I remind participants that understanding our audiences and their information needs help us get out of our own mindset. After all, we already know the data, so building a data story that’s meaningful to us isn’t necessary. What we need to do is find ways to present the findings that are relatable to others, so think about your audiences’ needs.

I’ll cheat, and call ‘audience and action’ one consideration. A second consideration is weaving in story elements – a narrative about an individual, quotes, photos/videos – that add needed context to the numbers you’re sharing. When I’m working on a data storytelling project with clients, I not only ask for spreadsheets to see the data they want to convey, but also for story elements so that we can integrate the so-vital human experience. As noted above, we need the heart and head for effective communication about policy matters.

Finally, I think it’s important to recognize that there are an array of freely available data storytelling tools to help you communicate effectively with data. My go-to tools are Infogram, Flourish, and Datawrapper, all of which have pretty robust free offerings. Give them a try. They’ll definitely help up your data storytelling game.

Andy Krackov runs the data storytelling consultancy, Hillcrest Advisory, that works with universities, government agencies, nonprofits, and others in the social sector to help them communicate data findings. Krackov last month wrote a blog post for the Data Visualization Society on how threats to federal data may impact communities across the country.

Guest Post From We, the Village (WTV) - Day in the Life: The Impact of ECACE

The We, the Village (WTV) coalition asked early childhood providers who have received the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) scholarship what a day in their lives looked like while continuing their education, and how ECACE has helped make their career goals a reality.

Read the story of Kindall Smith, Early Childhood Educator and ECACE recipient.

What does a typical day look like for you, and how do you manage balancing your responsibilities as an early childhood educator alongside your college coursework? 

As an early childhood educator pursuing my college degree, each day is a carefully orchestrated blend of dedication, structure, and passion. My mornings begin early, typically around 5:30 a.m., giving me time to reflect, pray, and mentally prepare for the day ahead. By 7:00 a.m., I am usually on-site, greeting my students with a warm smile and preparing the classroom environment to ensure it is welcoming, engaging, and developmentally appropriate. These early hours are crucial—they set the tone for the day and allow me to double-check lesson materials, adjust the schedule if needed, and respond to any immediate communication from families or school administrators. 

From 8:00 a.m. to mid-afternoon, my focus is entirely on my students. I lead structured learning activities centered around literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development. I incorporate play-based learning, sensory exploration, and storytelling to support my students' developmental milestones. As every child is unique, I remain mindful of their learning styles, needs, and cultural backgrounds, ensuring my approach is inclusive and responsive. I use observational strategies to assess learning and document student progress during transitions and free play. Additionally, I engage with families regularly, offering updates and encouraging partnerships to support children's growth at home and in the classroom. 

By late afternoon, once the classroom is clean, materials are stored, and daily reflections are noted, I transition to my college responsibilities. I typically allocate two to three hours each evening to attend virtual lectures, complete readings, or work on assignments. Time management is critical—I use planners and digital calendars to track work-related and academic deadlines. I often prioritize tasks based on urgency and impact, breaking larger assignments into manageable pieces to avoid feeling overwhelmed. 

Weekends are essential for catching up on coursework, conducting research, or working on projects. However, I also carve out time for self-care, church involvement, and rest, recognizing that maintaining my well-being is essential to being an effective educator and student. 

Balancing these dual roles is not without its challenges. There are times when the workload feels intense, especially during report card season or midterms. However, my love for teaching and commitment to lifelong learning keeps me grounded. Every assignment completed and every lesson taught is a step closer to my goal of becoming a more effective, knowledgeable, and impactful educator. This journey is not just about fulfilling requirements—it is about modeling resilience, excellence, and purpose for the children I teach daily. 

What inspired you to go back to school or pursue your degree in early childhood education? 

My decision to return to school and pursue a degree in early childhood education was rooted in personal passion and a deep sense of purpose. For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to the growth and development of young children. My journey began in the church, where I volunteered to teach Sunday School and lead children's ministry programs. In those sacred, joy-filled spaces—filled with laughter, learning, and curiosity—I discovered the influential impact educators can have on shaping the hearts and minds of children during their most formative years. 

As I continued working with children, particularly in underserved communities like the one I grew up in, I saw firsthand the difference a nurturing, knowledgeable, and intentional educator can make. Early childhood education is not just about teaching letters and numbers—it is about building confidence, instilling a love for learning, and laying the foundation for future success. The more I taught, the more I recognized the need for highly trained educators who understand young learners' developmental, cultural, and emotional needs. 

Returning to school was a personal and professional commitment to be that kind of educator. I wanted to deepen my understanding of early childhood development, learn best practices, and equip myself with the tools necessary to serve children and families excellently. Pursuing this degree is also about representation—showing young Black boys and girls that someone who looks like them can lead, teach, and inspire. 

Ultimately, I went back to school not just for myself but for every child who deserves a champion, every family who deserves support, and every community that deserves access to quality education. My goal is to be more than a teacher—I aim to be a change agent, a mentor, and a voice for equity in early education. 

How has receiving the ECACE scholarship impacted your educational experience, and what does it mean to you personally? 

Receiving the ECACE (Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity) scholarship has been a transformative milestone in my educational journey—practically and personally. Before receiving the scholarship, I often found myself juggling the demands of teaching and coursework and the financial strain that comes with pursuing higher education. The ECACE scholarship relieved a significant burden, allowing me to focus on what truly matters: growing as an educator, deepening my knowledge, and pouring into the children and families I serve without the constant worry of tuition payments or student debt. 

Financially, this scholarship opened doors that I did not think were possible. It allowed me to take a full course load without hesitation, access academic resources, and attend professional development opportunities I would have otherwise had to pass up. With ECACE support, I can stay on track toward completing my degree while continuing to work in the classroom and apply what I am learning in real-time. The balance between theory and practice has strengthened my confidence and improved the quality of care and education I provide to my students daily. 

However, beyond the finances, this scholarship means something much more profound to me personally. It represents recognition—it tells me that my work in early childhood education matters. It affirms that my efforts, calling, and desire to grow in this field are seen and supported. As someone from a historically underserved community, this scholarship feels like an investment not just in me but in the generations I aim to impact through teaching, mentoring, and leadership. 

In many ways, ECACE has helped me reclaim the power of possibility. It reminds us that we can overcome barriers and achieve our goals with the proper support, dedication, and heart. This scholarship is more than financial aid—it is a lifeline, a push forward, and a symbol of hope for a brighter future for me and the children I serve. 

What impact do you hope to make in your community or classroom as a result of earning your degree? 

Earning my degree in early childhood education is more than a personal accomplishment—it is a promise to my community and a commitment to transformation. I come from a place where access to high-quality education has not always been guaranteed. Many of the children in my neighborhood, much like myself growing up, face barriers that extend far beyond the classroom: poverty, lack of resources, and limited exposure to early learning opportunities. My goal is to be a beacon of change in those spaces—to help rewrite the narrative and ensure that every child, regardless of their zip code, has a strong educational foundation. 

In the classroom, I want to create a learning environment where children feel safe, seen, and celebrated. I want to model what it means to be a compassionate, culturally responsive educator who teaches academics and life skills, emotional intelligence, and confidence. I plan to use developmentally appropriate practices, trauma-informed strategies, and inclusive materials to meet the needs of diverse learners and empower them to take pride in who they are and where they come from. 

Beyond the classroom, I aim to be a community leader who advocates for early learning resources, mentors future educators, and helps families navigate the education system. With my degree, I want to open doors for myself and others. Whether through creating programs, writing curriculum, or eventually opening a school that centers on Black and Brown excellence, my vision is clear: to build a community where education is a right, not a privilege, and where every child has a real chance at success. 

Ultimately, the impact I hope to make is one of legacy—where the seeds I plant today as an educator grow into a forest of opportunity for generations to come. 

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More Than Just a Seat at the Table: Reflections from Our Educator Advisory Council

At Advance Illinois, we believe that policy is strongest when shaped by those directly impacted by it. This includes the voices of educators across the state who work every day to support Illinois students and communities.

That belief is at the heart of the Educator Advisory Council (EAC). The EAC is a 20-person statewide cohort of passionate, diverse, and committed educators working together to influence education policy and promote equity.

As we prepare to welcome the 2025–2027 cohort, we asked our most recent group of EAC members to reflect on what the experience meant to them. Their words speak to the power of community, the importance of advocacy, and the transformation that happens when educators step into policy spaces and own their voice.

I appreciated our differences and similarities.

“I appreciated our differences and similarities. I liked learning about what was going on in different areas of the state as well as different districts and programs. I also liked connecting with people who had shared experiences. It reminds you that you are not alone in this profession.”

Megan Zamora, K-12 Educator, 2021-2025 EAC Member

I felt that my expertise was acknowledged. 

“I learned something at every meeting. I felt that my expertise was acknowledged. I was challenged to grow and look at my biases. I made such wonderful connections.”

Cara Craig, Early Childhood Care Provider,  2023-2025 EAC Member

I now feel better equipped to engage policy makers, write op-eds, or organize others around key education issues. 

“The EAC made advocacy and policy feel more accessible. Through briefings, testimony opportunities, and real-time updates on legislation, I now feel better equipped to engage policymakers, write op-eds, or organize others around key education issues.”

Juan Pablo Esquivel, K-12 Educator, 2023 - 2025 EAC Member

Seeing this group build up support for the needs of students in Illinois and create opportunities that weren't there before was empowering.

“At the time Advocacy and DEI were areas that I felt confident dabbling in. I knew that I should be teaching my students how to do that, so I wanted to grow my understanding and skills for them. EAC met my expectations by allowing me to see how that is done on a mass scale. Seeing this group build up support for the needs of students in Illinois and create opportunities that weren't there before was empowering.”

Teresa Eden, K-12 Educator, 2021-2025 EAC member

These are just a few of the voices that remind us why the EAC matters. It’s not just about being heard– it’s about building power, influence, and collective action for education equity across Illinois.

Interested in joining the next cohort?

Applications are open for the 2025–2027 Educator Advisory Council!
📅 Apply by August 30th (priority given to applicants who apply before this deadline)
🔗 CLICK HERE TO APPLY
📧 Questions? Contact engagement@advanceillinois.org

ISU Rising Sophomore: College Affordability Would Change Everything

This spring, the Illinois Senate Executive Committee convened a subject matter hearing on the historic legislative proposal for Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding (SB13). For more than 20 years, declines in state funding for Illinois’ 12 public universities combined with an arbitrary approach to distributing those resources among the institutions has resulted in a system woefully out of balance with what is actually needed to serve college students and do so affordably. To varying degrees are our public 4-years equipped by our state to support student persistence and success, and none of them have adequate support—as shown by years of research—to begin with.  

Hassan Hillard is a rising sophomore at Illinois State University (ISU). Currently funded at only 55 percent of what it needs to fulfill its mission and serve students effectively, ISU would stand to receive an additional $143 million in new state funds over the next 10 years were SB13/HB1581 to pass.

Hillard, a student advocate, gave testimony during the April 30 hearing.

Says Hillard on the importance of his advocacy: "Change never waits— it moves through those bold enough to act. Leadership isn’t about holding a title; it’s about holding the line when it’s hard, and lifting others when it counts. I don’t just want to be in the room— I want to reshape it. I want to build, to serve, to speak when silence is easier, and to leave every space more just, more compassionate, and more human than I found it."

Read Hillard’s full testimony—

“Hello leaders, thank you for allowing the opportunity to speak to you today in this committee on behalf of myself and other students like me. 

I am Hassan Hilliard and I am an undergraduate student in my first year at Illinois State University studying legal studies. 

Currently I am participating in the Young Invincibles Youth Advocacy Program that has allowed me the opportunity to learn more about this legislation and how it can support me as a student on my campus. 

Young Invincibles is a policy advocacy organization working with 18-34 year olds, like myself, to inform and uplift our voices into the political process impacting issues important to us in higher education, workforce development, and healthcare. 

Starting college felt like a dream—a fresh start filled with possibilities, new experiences, and the promise of a better future. But for me, that dream came with a harsh reality: the cost of tuition. Some days, it’s overwhelming to realize that my education isn’t just about attending classes and studying—it’s also about constantly figuring out how to afford it all. 

There are moments when the weight of tuition feels heavier than my textbooks. Balancing coursework, part-time jobs, and extracurricular commitments, I constantly remind myself why I’m here—to build a better future and make an impact. Yet, the financial strain often overshadows that vision. Instead of focusing on my legal studies major or dedicating more time to advocacy work, I worry about how to cover my next tuition payment. 

Being able to afford college without this constant burden would change everything. It would mean immersing myself in my education, seizing every opportunity without hesitation. It would mean not choosing between work and studying or between leadership opportunities and extra shifts. 

An adequate funding formula for public higher education institutions would be transformative. It would allow students like me—the ones doing everything right yet still struggling—to succeed without financial roadblocks. 

Public colleges should be places for learning and growth, not survival. With adequate funding, we could see lower tuition costs, more scholarships, and expanded support services—all of which would allow students to thrive rather than merely try to get by 

Higher education should be a gateway to opportunity, not a financial burden that limits potential. With a more equitable system, students like me wouldn’t have to carry the stress of tuition payments on our shoulders every day no matter the public university they decide to attend. 

Instead, we could dedicate ourselves fully to our studies, passions, and future careers—because when students are supported, they make a difference in the world. 

I urge you to consider students like myself, and future students like my younger siblings, to transform the way we make public universities available to them. 

With an adequate funding formula the future student will not have to stress about the financial burden of college in their decision to attend a certain university but on merit and educational interest. 

Through this model the future student can also be offered the same type of support system at any public university and not just the universities that receive the most financial support. The future student; whether rural or urban, downstate or upstate, deserves an educational experience that is affordable and has support systems to ensure success.” 

Learn more about the urgent need for SB13/HB1581 today and start taking action in support of a stronger public university system, well-supported and that works for everyone, today.

Federal Impact—A Home Visitor’s Mission: Continuing to Empower Families Amid Head Start Uncertainty

After nearly 30 years in early childhood education, the work supporting young children’s healthy growth and development still moves Cara Craig.

From a preschool across the street from Cabrini-Green to a business-backed center that left her feeling unfulfilled, it wasn’t until Craig, a home visitor and a member of the Educator Advisory Council, joined Head Start that she truly felt like she was where she belonged. Here, she really feels like she is making an impact.

“It’s a reciprocal relationship,” Craig said. “I learn just as much from the families as they do from me.”

As a home visitor, she serves about 200 families—most of them newcomers to the U.S.—helping them navigate everything from early childhood development to housing insecurity. Her visits are more than just lesson plans and screenings. She brings diapers, clothing, and connection. She helps parents access mental health services, early intervention, and dental care. She walks beside them as they build stability, confidence, and hope. Still right now, that work is in jeopardy.

This April, the Department of Health and Human Services abruptly closed five regional Head Start offices, including the one in Chicago. There was no transition plan. No reallocation of responsibilities. Craig said staff showed up to work only to be told they no longer had jobs. And for her center, the consequences were immediate: their grant, which funds everything they do, hadn’t been renewed meaning that it would expire at the end of this month. Recently, however, the center had been notified that it had been granted an extension, Craig said. “So we are now looking at July.”

Craig calls what’s happening and what it could mean for families heartwrenching.

The families she serves are doing their best to make the most with what they have, many working hourly jobs and qualifying for SNAP. Some families have lived in hotels after losing housing due to landlords refusing vouchers. Others are navigating complex systems in a language they don’t speak, fearful to seek help because of the federal actions on immigration. Craig recalls a mother afraid to take her baby to the dentist alone until she stepped in to go with her.

“This work is about empowering families,” Craig said. “Parents are the most important teachers in their children’s lives. We’re just here to support them, to help them find their own solutions.” 

She constantly sees the power of that support: A child with a speech delay now tells stories in full. A mother who once doubted her ability to send her daughter to kindergarten now beams with pride that her daughter is in school. Family nights filled with laughter, learning, and shared meals. 

Craig is a member of Head Start Allies, and alongside others, has been sending postcards and gathering signatures to urge lawmakers to protect Head Start.

“Government isn’t about profit, it’s about protecting people,” Craig said.

She knows the road ahead is uncertain and she also knows what is at stake. A mountain of research supports the efficacy of the Head Start model and the vital importance of strong early childhood experiences.

Early childhood is the most important and impactful time in a person’s life. For families served at Craig’s Head Start and those served through Head Start centers across the country, what’s on the line goes beyond the program itself and to strong starts for hundreds of thousands of young children and the empowering stability the 60-year-old program provides.

Craig and her colleagues remain hopeful that the contract for their center will be renewed.

Bravetta Hassell is the Director of Communications for Advance Illinois.

Are you an educator, provider, researcher, student or family member who has been impacted by federal changes?
We’d like to uplift your story. Learn more today.

A Systemic Approach to Supporting the Whole Child is Crucial for Our State

When students are healthy, and feel safe, challenged, and supported, they can thrive in school and life. This makes it essential that schools are equipped with appropriate resources and staff to see to not only students’ academic needs but their social-emotional needs too, making the state support of student mental health and well-being through school districts fundamental. By taking a more systemic approach to providing supports such as trauma-responsive training, professional development on the impacts of trauma, tools for supporting students experiencing traumatic stress, and understanding community exposure, Illinois will be further setting students up for success in school and life. 

While research demonstrates that a significant portion of children have experienced trauma in some form, it also indicates that exposure to trauma significantly affects academic performance, social-emotional development, and physical and mental health. Students who have experienced trauma may struggle not only with concentration, managing emotions, and forming healthy relationships, but also with feeling safe in school environments. 

Research has also indicated the importance of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and trauma-responsive practices in education. SEL supports student mental health by helping students build skills in self-awareness, emotional regulation, and decision-making. Trauma-responsive practices ensure that school environments are structured to recognize and address the needs of students who have faced adversity. These school-based supports designed specifically to address these needs are a fundamental component of a school system that helps all students to thrive.  

In Illinois, the data shows a growing and urgent need for mental health services in schools. While ranking 13th among states in terms of providing youth mental health services, nearly 40 percent of youth in Illinois who experienced major depressive episodes did not receive the care they needed. This gap indicates the disconnect between available resources and actual access to care. The COVID-19 pandemic only intensified the need, as students faced increased stress, grief, and instability. Even before the pandemic, 40 percent of Illinois youth had experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). According to the National Survey of Children’s Health from 2023, that number remained high through the pandemic, with 77.4 percent of children having experienced one or more ACEs and 17.9 percent experiencing two or more. Black and Latinx youth continue to be disproportionately impacted, underscoring the importance of equity-focused interventions. 

In recent years, Illinois has taken steps to prioritize student well-being.  In 2021, the state established the Whole Child Task Force, which developed a comprehensive, multi-tiered framework for student mental health. In 2022, the task force released its recommendations on policies and practices needed to provide an equitable, inclusive, safe, and supportive environment in all schools. The task force recommended that all staff working in school settings receive training on trauma and restorative practices. The State Board of Education (ISBE) dedicated nearly $55 million of ESSER funds to support SEL initiatives and provide support training and professional development to school districts to educate staff on implementing strategies to address student trauma and needs. The Center for Childhood Resilience has supported schools with Resilience-Supportive Schools-Illinois (RSSI). It is designed to help school leaders reflect on their current policies, procedures and practices that contribute to resilience among students and staff. Schools are then able to make data-informed decisions around the social and emotional learning pathways to prioritize for their school. 

Further progress has been made with the passage of HB342. Championed by Representative Carol Ammons and Senator Kimberly Lightford in 2024, it implements task force recommendations. It adopts definitions of trauma, trauma-responsive learning environments, and the whole child approach; requires relevant school resource data, such as the availability of counselors and social workers—to be included in the Illinois Report Card; and tasks ISBE with developing a first of its kind statewide adversity index. This Children’s Adversity Index, rooted in research, uses data including healthcare access, economic conditions, educational opportunity, and family and community stability to identify areas of the state facing high levels of community-level adversity, enabling leaders to target resources and support where they are most needed. HB342 also directs ISBE to ensure educator preparation programs include trauma-informed practices and reconvening the Whole Child Task Force after five years to assess implementation progress. 

Illinois has made commendable progress in supporting children’s well-being and school communities, but the work must continue. With a more intentional systemic approach to children’s mental health, and supporting schools and partners, the state is working to bring SEL and trauma-informed care directly into classrooms and school communities, but a sustained commitment is needed, so all Illinois students have access to the mental health and SEL supports they need to succeed. 

Eucarol Juarez is the Senior Communications Associate for Advance Illinois.

Seeing the Full Picture: Introducing Illinois’ Children’s Adversity Index

This May, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is unveiling a groundbreaking new tool that promises to transform how we understand trauma and need in our state: the Children’s Adversity Index. 

In pediatrics, developmental psychology, and education policy and practice, we’ve long acknowledged the impact of childhood trauma on student learning, health outcomes, and socioeconomic reality. Sadly, we have not had community-level data to help identify need and allow practitioners and policy-makers to respond to critical need. The Adversity Index changes that. It offers a comprehensive, data-informed view of community-level adversity across Illinois, helping state leaders see beyond surface-level indicators and dig into the systems and structures that shape student well-being. 

Understanding the Impact of Childhood Trauma 

We know that traumatic childhood experiences, oftentimes called adverse childhood experiences, ACEs in research, can have devastating long-term effects. Children who experience abuse, neglect, violence, or family instability are more likely to face academic struggles, emotional distress, and health issues that persist well into adulthood. These effects aren’t confined to the classroom—they follow young people into every aspect of their lives. 

But ACEs don’t happen in a vacuum. They’re deeply connected to community—to the housing, healthcare, economic opportunities, and systems that define a child’s environment. This is where the concept of adverse community environments comes into play. When communities experience poverty, disinvestment, limited access to services, and generational trauma, they become fertile ground for ACEs. 

That’s why the Adversity Index doesn’t focus on individual children. Instead, it highlights the conditions that make trauma more likely and recovery more difficult. It gives us a map—not just of where children are hurting, but why. 

What the Index Shows 

The Children’s Adversity Index is rooted in research and built using data from across a range of domains, including healthcare access, economic conditions, educational opportunity, and family and community stability. Together, these factors paint a picture of community well-being—or in some cases, systemic neglect. 

When viewed on the Index’s interactive maps, patterns begin to emerge. You can see how adversity clusters in regions with histories of disinvestment: where healthcare is harder to reach, schools are underfunded, and families face daily barriers to stability. These maps don’t just confirm what many communities already know—they validate it with data, giving voice and visibility to lived experiences that have too often been ignored. The Index ensures those communities are seen. 

From Insight to Action 

This tool is more than a dashboard or a data report—it’s a platform for care and advocacy. It provides a common language for discussing trauma, not in abstract terms, but grounded in data that reflects the realities of every day. It allows district leaders, public health officials, and community organizers to make stronger, more targeted arguments for funding, support, and policy change.  

With the Adversity Index, school leaders can build a stronger case for investing in student mental health services. Public health departments can align their outreach and prevention strategies to need. And state policymakers can use this data to prioritize distribution of resources—so the communities facing the steepest uphill climbs get the support they need. 

What Comes Next 

The creation of the Adversity Index is just the beginning, and Advance Illinois is excited about the use cases this tool offers. Whether it is driving state investments, directing healthcare services, deepening awareness of communities’ stories, the Adversity Index opens the door to new possibilities to support Illinois children and students. It invites us to consider the value of trauma-informed systems—systems that not only respond to individual need, but address root causes. 

If we want a more equitable Illinois, we must be honest about need. The Adversity Index helps us do just that. It’s a tool built to seek understanding, inform the state on local realities, and facilitate healing. As this resource becomes available, we encourage educators, advocates, and community members to explore it. As you tell your story to your state representative and state agencies, use it to tell your story to state representatives and state agencies. We encourage state leaders to use it to guide investments and programming. The Adversity Index allows us to better understand the communities that schools and districts serve, and resource them effectively to create safe, healthy learning environments. 

We now have an important insight about our state and districts. It is up to us now to use it. 

Eyob Villa-Moges is a Senior Policy Associate for Advance Illinois.

Illinois Public Opinion of Public Higher Education Value and Need Highlights the Urgency for Funding Transformation

Illinois is standing on the edge of transformation. For decades, we’ve watched the slow erosion of our public higher education system in the form of climbing tuition, diminishing student supports, and evaporating opportunities, with college slipping further and further out of reach for too many. But now, Illinois has a choice. SB13, the Adequate and Equitable Funding for Public Universities Act, offers an opportunity to rebuild trust, repair damage, and strengthen higher education as a public good worthy of public investment. It is clear that though our investment in higher education has eroded, public trust in the value of college has not. Illinoisans are done with the status quo.

In a recent report, the bipartistan, nonprofit research organization Public Agenda shares survey results on Illinoisians’ views on higher education. The Public Agenda survey makes one thing clear: Illinoisans believe state investments in public higher education are a sound investment. In fact, 74% of Illinoisans support increasing state funding in public colleges and universities. What’s more, nearly 70% of respondents support an equitable distribution of funding in order to support students from underrepresented backgrounds. Yet, though Illinoisans believe in the promise of college, we are skeptical of its accessibility for rural students, underrepresented minorities, adult learners, and first generation students. A full 61% of residents believe access to higher education is too limited. This lack of access is not inevitable—it’s the result of policy choices. SB13 is the policy correction Illinois needs. At its core, SB13 recognizes that “how” we fund our universities is just as important as “if” we fund them. It replaces outdated funding systems with an approach grounded in student needs and institutional mission. This means directing more resources to universities that serve large numbers of students who are low-income, first-generation, from rural communities, or adult learners. If Illinoisans take postsecondary accessibility seriously, so too should our public leaders. SB13 shows us how to invest in universities and repair postsecondary accessibility for all.

The Public Agenda report also shows us that support for higher education funding in Illinois isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a public consensus. Across every partisan identity, Illinoisans believe that our state should increase our investments in public higher education, whether they are Democrats (79%), Republicans (59%), or independents (69%). Illinoisans want equitable investments and equitable opportunity across the board. SB13 delivers both.

While the Public Agenda report tells us valuable information on public views on higher education investment, perhaps its most important insight is how the survey surfaces the cost of our disinvestment for the last two decades. Among Illinois residents who don’t have a college degree and aren’t currently enrolled, 56% said they wanted to pursue higher education but couldn’t afford to. What’s more, nearly half feel they’ve been held back in their careers because of it. These are not abstract statistics—they are the real-life consequences of neglecting affordability and access. SB13 is an opportunity to rectify structural neglect that has gone unresolved for too long, denying far too many people the opportunity for professional and financial stability.

Illinois stands at a defining moment. After decades of chronic disinvestment in our public colleges and universities—especially compared to our neighboring states—we finally have a chance to correct course. The public consensus is in: Illinoisans want bold, equitable investment in higher education. The policy is here: SB 13 shows us how to fund our universities adequately, equitably, and sustainably. The mandate is clear: Pass SB 13 and fund our state’s future. The time to act is now.

**EVENT**

As Illinois public universities confront declining overall enrollment, high college costs that impact student access, and significant racial and geographic disparities in educational attainment, findings from the non-partisan non-profit organization Public Agenda’s Who Gets to Learn: Illinoisans Views on Public Higher Education report offer encouraging signs for Illinois’ 12 public universities, with strong public support for enhancing access and affordability. 

On Monday, May 19, join Public Agenda for “Research Briefing: Illinoisans Views on Public Higher Education” as they share new research on how Illinois residents view public higher education, as well as their opinions around various funding policies.

Research Briefing: Illinoisans’ Views on Public Higher Education

Monday, May 19, 2025

12PM-1PM CT on ZOOM

Register today

Teaching with Purpose: Stories from Four MTI Scholars

The Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship isn’t just about financial support, it’s about building a future where every student sees themselves reflected in their educators. Across Illinois, MTI recipients are shaping classrooms, inspiring young minds, and making a lasting impact on their communities.

In this blog series, we’re highlighting the journeys of MTI scholars: how the scholarship has supported them, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the successes they’re achieving in classrooms across the state. Their stories underscore why programs like MTI are vital to ensuring a strong, diverse teacher workforce in Illinois. By elevating these voices, we hope to shed light on the power of representation in education and the role that dedicated, diverse educators play in student success. Through their experiences, we see firsthand how equitable access to the teaching profession strengthens schools, enriches learning, and transforms lives.

Hear from four students who are MTI scholars.

What inspired you to become a teacher? What subject or grade level do you work with? 

Student One: I was inspired to become a teacher because of a high school teacher in my junior year. She had a positive impact not only in my academic career but also my personal life. She was a great teacher and friend who I still keep in touch with. I am currently working at a Children’s Learning Center with three and four year olds. 

Student Two: My inspiration comes from my father who was one of the first teachers trained after the Congo's Independence to teach in the elementary schools. Now I am a Diverse learner (Special Education) student teacher from 3-7 grade. I teach math, reading, and English language arts in the Resource and Inclusion 4th grade class. 

Student Three: I enjoy being able to teach and work with kids, the look on their faces when they catch on is priceless… 

Student Four: The number of children whose scores dropped during the pandemic and knowing those children came from backgrounds similar to my own is what inspired me to become a teacher. I work with special education children in a cluster setting; grades k-3. 

Are there barriers that you recognize or experienced to becoming a teacher? 

Student One: I believe one of the barriers that I am experiencing now is the new policies that our current president is doing with the Education Program. There are various uncertainties that can affect not only teachers, but children. 

Student Two: I do not have barriers to be a teacher, but I do recognize the difference between public schools and private schools. Coming from Catholic schools, I am learning new skills. 

Student Three: Expenses. 

Student Four: Our children need more resources than they currently have and it's hard to succeed when you aren't provided the same resources as your peers.  

How have you used the MTI scholarship to assist you on your path to becoming an educator? 

Student One: Yes, I am currently using the MTI scholarship to assist me on my path to becoming an educator. 

Student Two: Without MTI scholarship, I could not afford to live in Chicago and pursue higher education. 

Student Three: I use it to pay bills. 

Student Four: I've already started purchasing items for my own classroom in the Fall of 2025. Schools don't receive enough money to develop their classrooms, so I used what I could afford. 

How did you learn about the MTI scholarship? 

These students learned about the MTI scholarship through web searches, INCRRA, and their classmates.  

The Imperative to Support Early Career Teachers

The first year of a job in any career is challenging: new responsibilities, new colleagues, figuring out how to add more toner to the printer. Teaching and supporting students is no exception. Ask any teacher or clinician about their first year in the role - you might hear words like "tough," "overwhelming," and "draining." 
 
Fortunately, challenging environments are where new professionals, including new educators, grow. Research shows that on key measures of teacher effectiveness—like impact on student test scores—the most pronounced growth happens in the first five years. 
 
Unfortunately, sometimes the difficulties new educators face goes beyond what is fair or reasonable. As the figure below shows, teachers are most likely to leave the profession in those first five years, with particularly high rates of attrition for Black early career teachers. By evidence of their entering the profession, educators are deeply committed to students, and most see their teaching as having a positive impact. But when they experience poor working conditions, including relationships with leadership, compensation, and safety, they leave. Black teachers are more likely to teach in underfunded and high turnover schools, which likely drives some of the racial disparities in rates of attrition.  

Why Early Career Retention Matters 

You might now ask yourself: isn’t some turnover just inevitable in any job? Indeed, data suggests that educators are either as or less likely than other professionals to leave their employer. It might be tempting to say that to address challenges like teacher shortages and diversity we ought to just focus on getting a robust pipeline of new people who can fill roles when they turnover and forget about retention. 

 
But early career retention matters in its own right, too. Research tells us that access to highly effective teachers is a vital ingredient for student success. Students should not always or only be taught by those still in that early period of growth - but the reality is that students in the highest poverty districts in Illinois are twice as likely as those in lower poverty environments to be taught by novice educators. Furthermore, attrition is not always about leaving the profession but also educator movement from more challenging under-resourced environments to more well-resourced schools. If we want new teachers and clinicians to remain in the profession to develop into highly skilled tenured educators, we need to focus on facilitating opportunities for growth in the first 5 years while addressing the challenges novice educators face, particularly in chronically high-turnover environments. 

What Illinois is Doing About It – And What’s at Risk 
Illinois has taken important steps to support early career educators. Alongside the myriad other investments that the state is making to address challenges in the educator pipeline from recruitment to veteran educator retention and leadership, it is making investments in its new educators. Illinois has set aside ESSER dollars to fund a state mentoring and coaching program that pairs new teachers and clinicians with peers who can help orient them to a new school and make connections with veteran educators across the system who can offer content area specific coaching that builds new educators' skills. This strategy is a sound one: research demonstrates that well designed mentoring programs improve teacher effectiveness and retention. 
 
Here's the problem: the state's mentoring and coaching program is not on track to continue — proposed budgets for FY26 so far make no mention of this crucial program. The program was funded through federal stimulus dollars (ESSER) that were recently clawed back by the federal government (but were regardless planned to be used up by the end of the year). While the General Assembly did transition some ESSER funded programs to the state budget last year, this program was notably absent. This budget season, despite the importance of supporting early career educators, mentoring is once again not a part of the Governor's proposed budget. 
 
My team spends a lot of time looking at what the state is doing to address each facet of the educator pipeline, from early recruitment to pathways into leadership. There are an impressive array of programs addressing the challenges at each step of the pipeline, with investments in FY25 totaling over $80M. But when it comes to our early career educators, there is notably only one program specifically focused on supporting them: our state's new teacher and clinician mentoring and coaching program. Ending this program would leave a gaping hole in an otherwise robust educator pipeline strategy. 
 
When we don't do everything we can to cultivate a strong and diverse educator pipeline, it's our students who pay the price. Looking forward to a proposed budget in FY26, I hope legislators recognize that and do everything in their power to keep investing in the supports that early career teachers and clinicians need to grow into the educators they - and we - dream them to be. 

Mercedes Wentworth-Nice is a Senior Policy Associate for Advance Illinois. 

Teaching with Purpose: Stories from Three MTI Scholars

The Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship isn’t just about financial support, it’s about building a future where every student sees themselves reflected in their educators. Across Illinois, MTI recipients are shaping classrooms, inspiring young minds, and making a lasting impact on their communities.

In this blog series, we’re highlighting the journeys of MTI scholars: how the scholarship has supported them, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the successes they’re achieving in classrooms across the state. Their stories underscore why programs like MTI are vital to ensuring a strong, diverse teacher workforce in Illinois. By elevating these voices, we hope to shed light on the power of representation in education and the role that dedicated, diverse educators play in student success. Through their experiences, we see firsthand how equitable access to the teaching profession strengthens schools, enriches learning, and transforms lives.

Hear from three DePaul University students including Katie Avery, Masters Student, Maurice Fleshman, and another DePaul Student.

What inspired you to become a teacher? What subject or grade level do you work with? 

Katie: My father was a teacher and his mother( my grandmother) was a teacher. It was the best way to honor my Dad and carry on his legacy everyday I walked into the classroom.  I currently teach 9-12 US History as a special education teacher but I am certified to teach K-12.  

Maurice: I tried subbing through Rose Educators and when I did my first job, I found that I had knack for this. I am aiming to teach grades fourth through ninth. My content area is English but I hope toteach Reading and History as well.   

Anonymous: Making an impact in students of color’s lives is what inspired me to become a teacher. With such a growing amount of diversity day by day, I found it invaluable to have educators, leaders, and representatives that can relate to the community, have a cultural understanding, and can help the youth feel seen. I work with high schoolers in the history and social studies area! 

Are there barriers that you recognize or experienced to becoming a teacher? 

Katie: It’s always going to be barriers to becoming a teacher especially when you are transitioning from another career but my professors and classmates at DePaul made the transition seamless and I felt very supported.  

Maurice: I have noticed gatekeeping and sometimes denying reality than doing what will help a student.  

Anonymous: Yes, the strict schedule with getting hours in, organizing your school, work, and personal life in order to get everything you need to get done on time is one of the barriers. 

How have you used the MTI scholarship to assist you on your path to becoming an educator? 

Katie: I honestly wouldn’t have gotten my degree without the MTI scholarship.

Maurice: I have used it to help lessen the burden of how much graduate school has cost me.  

Anonymous: It has relieved a huge burden of school tuition for me. Without the scholarship, I don't know if I would be able to go to the school I wanted and be presented with a whole different network of people, ideas, and opportunities. 

How did you learn about the MTI scholarship? 

These students all found out about the MTI scholarship through their Financial Aid office or Golden Apple.  

Teaching with Purpose: Stories from MTI Scholars—Amber Rosales

The Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship isn’t just about financial support, it’s about building a future where every student sees themselves reflected in their educators. Across Illinois, MTI recipients are shaping classrooms, inspiring young minds, and making a lasting impact on their communities.

In this blog series, we’re highlighting the journeys of MTI scholars: how the scholarship has supported them, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the successes they’re achieving in classrooms across the state. Their stories underscore why programs like MTI are vital to ensuring a strong, diverse teacher workforce in Illinois. By elevating these voices, we hope to shed light on the power of representation in education and the role that dedicated, diverse educators play in student success. Through their experiences, we see firsthand how equitable access to the teaching profession strengthens schools, enriches learning, and transforms lives.

Hear from Amber Rosales, Student at DePaul University.

What inspired you to become a teacher? What subject or grade level do you work with? 

Being a product of Chicago Public Schools, I have been exposed to many different teachers ranging in their level of effectiveness. I was raised on the southwest side of the city and involved in my community to the point where the classroom was a second home and my classmates were a second family. The first time I felt seen in a classroom was with my third-grade teacher, Ms.Jakob. She asked me every day how swim and water polo practice was and shared her love of Disney movies with the class. When I think back to good classrooms and teachers, that little mobile building and class 315 always come to mind. I would like to work with elementary school children and bilingual students, as I was a bilingual student. My mom is also a teacher, while she has told me her fair share of frustrating moments in her class her face lights up when her students succeed in their work. Those moments triumph over the frustrating parts of the job when a student's face lights up when they can problem-solve on their own. 

Are there barriers that you recognize or experienced to becoming a teacher? 

A lack of diversity in my classrooms is intimidating, sometimes being part of (only) a handful of students of color can be challenging, but I think this can also offer different perspectives. Students of color need to see teachers of color and a range of culturally diverse classrooms. A melting pot of languages, cultures, and traditions is important in every classroom. Personally, I also think there is an emotionally demanding aspect of becoming a teacher. Managing personal well-being, the responsibilities of a student, and the responsibility of shaping young minds. 

How have you used the MTI scholarship to assist you on your path to becoming an educator? 

The MTI scholarship has helped me financially access a teacher curriculum I believe in. Having this financial support makes it attainable to focus on my studies without the financial burden of making payments and picking up more hours of work. 

How did you learn about the MTI scholarship? 

College Counselor, Financial Aid Office 

Bringing Visibility to the Impacts of Federal Changes on Illinois Education

This month, news dropped that the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) and at least six universities in our state were suspending a scholarship program that the U.S. Department of Justice called unconstitutional for using race as a qualification.

It was hard to find the name of the program that was suspended – even in the DOJ’s press release – but having confirmed it with a number of credible sources including a program participant, the effort is the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty (DFI) program, an initiative intended to increase the number of minority full-time tenure track faculty and staff at Illinois’ two- and four-year, public and private colleges and universities. 

Decades of research show that when educators share racial and ethnic identities with their students, student academic and non academic outcomes improve. At the college level, student and faculty/staff diversity play a considerable role in underrepresented students’ decision to stay in school. But according to IBHE, ‘the average student attending a public college or university outside the City of Chicago is unlikely to have more than one course with an African American faculty member and unlikely to have even one course with a Latino faculty member during his or her college years.’ This mismatch in representation isn’t unique to Illinois, but plays out in communities across our country and stifles what’s possible for our students and those who seek to teach and mentor them. 

In an effort to ensure that the many and varied impacts of federal changes on education do not go unnoticed or unheard - like the details of the DFI news slipping between the cracks - we are both listening for and actively gathering narratives from students, families, educators, providers, system leaders, and researchers who are living through the effects of education policy changes on their work and lives. But we need your help.

If you are interested in sharing your story for us to uplift on our blog, on social, and our ever-expanding newsletter list of lawmakers, education, researchers, philanthropists, journalists and more, please complete the form linked below. You may use your real name, a pseudonym, or simply list “anonymous.” We only ask that you provide a valid email address so we can follow up with you. 

It is crucial that these experiences are shared so that others may gain awareness and insight into what is happening and how our system, the people who power it, and the people served by it are being affected but also responding to changes. 

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