Advance Illinois Statement Regarding the Illinois State Board of Education 2020 Illinois Report Card
Contact:
Advance Illinois Communications
communications@advanceillinois.org
CHICAGO, IL (October 30, 2020) - Today, the Illinois State Board of Education released its 2020 Illinois Report Card. On behalf of Advance Illinois, president Robin Steans shares the following statement:
“First, I want to applaud ISBE for its transparency and honesty in this year’s report card. We all can agree that 2020 has been a year unlike any other. We know that regardless of best efforts, COVID-19 has made gathering essential data an uphill battle. Advance Illinois commends ISBE for compiling, analyzing, and reporting as much data as possible from the disrupted 2019-2020 school year and for laying out so clearly what data is missing and/or compromised.
There are notable accomplishments in this year’s report card. We applaud the state on its ongoing efforts to integrate new data elements such as Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) and another year of school-level financial data.
As disruptions to in-person learning are ongoing, there is an urgent need to gather the data necessary to understand the pandemic’s effects on Illinois students. In the 2019-20 school year, the state received a federal waiver and understandably did not administer the end of year state assessment this past spring. Looking ahead, we run the risk of another year of massive social, emotional, and academic impact and an even greater need for information we can use to understand how students have been affected and how we can most equitably respond to their needs. We appreciate ISBE’s ongoing work to gather as much data as possible under the circumstances and salute them in their efforts.”
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About Advance Illinois
Advance Illinois is an independent policy and advocacy organization working toward a healthy public education system that enables all students to achieve success in college, career and civic life. Since its founding in 2008, Advance Illinois has become a nationally recognized thought leader in education policy advocacy. To learn more, visit advanceillinois.org.