Illinois Pathways and STEM Learning Exchanges
Illinois Pathways: Building Blocks
• Built from longstanding state strengths:
o Agricultural education model
o CTE Programs of Study
• Race to the Top as an accelerant
 2011 Illinois Pathways Intergovernmental Agreement
• 60% by 2025
2
Illinois Pathways Vision Statement
• Statewide, public-private education and economic
development initiative designed to meet two twin
goals:
1.
Provide students with skills and experience that will
prepare them for success in college and careers
2.
Spur community economic development by fostering a
homegrown talent pipeline in critical industries
3
Illinois Pathways Strategies
• Support local career pathway systems development
that empower students to explore their academic and
career interests in STEM fields.
• Launch new statewide, public-private partnerships
known as STEM Learning Exchanges that better
coordinate investments, resources and planning.
4
Illinois Pathways – Focus Areas
Builds off of the National Career Cluster Framework and supports career pathway
systems in eight STEM application areas:
5
Historic Funding & Support Model
School
Business
One – Off System
Program
Program
Program
School
School
School
State Government
(Economic Dev. Agency)
Philanthropy
Federal Government
School
School
Program
School
School
Program
School
= Funding &
Technical
Assistance
School
School
Program
State Government
(Education Agency)
Program
School
Employer Associations
School
School
Illinois Pathways
Governance Model
Illinois Pathways
Interagency Committee:
DCEO
IDES
ISBE
ICCB
IBHE
ISAC
Illinois Pathways Advisory Council:
• State agencies, business, Learning Exchanges,
local representatives
Non-sector Based Supports:
•
•
Pathways Resource Center (HS & CC)
60 x 2025 Network (Regions)
AFNR Learning
Exchange
MFG Learning
Exchange
TDL Learning
Exchange
IT Learning
Exchange
R&D Learning
Exchange
EGY Learning
Exchange
FIN Learning
Exchange
HS Learning
Exchange
Regional Focus for Implementation
1. RTTT3 School Districts: 25 school
districts implementing at least two
career pathways in prioritized sectors
2. Pathways to Prosperity Network:
Chicago, Aurora, East St. Louis,
Peoria
3. 60 x 2025 Network Communities:
Cross-sector; aligning pathways with
collective impact processes
Illinois Pathways Policy Impacts
• One of the key strategies for achieving the state’s 60% by 2025 goal
• “Career” portion of State’s college and career readiness agenda
• Other State policy impacts:
 School funding reform: Additional weighting for “career pathway completers”
 Higher Ed: Guided Pathways to Success
 Department of Employment Security: Funding for regional career development strategy
support
 Adult Ed & Workforce Development: Alignment with and incorporation into ICCB adult
education and DCEO/DOL grants
 Next Fiscal Year: Learning Exchanges line item and Regional RFP Funding
STEM Learning Exchanges
• The STEM Learning Exchanges are a key strategy of the Illinois
Pathways approach
1. Advise communities on career pathway system structure and best practices
in a particular sector
2. Deliver high quality curricular and professional development resources
3. Expand access to real world challenges and work-based learning
Illinois Pathways – Learning Exchange Members
Who makes up a STEM Learning Exchange?
• Employers and employer-led
organizations
• Labor unions
• Professional associations
• Secondary and postsecondary
teachers and faculty
• Students and student organizations
• Community colleges and universities
•
•
•
•
•
•
School districts and regional
Economic and workforce agencies
STEM education experts
Federal labs and research centers
Local workforce investment boards
Museums and non-profit
organizations
• Community-based organizations
Organized and coordinated by an industry-supported lead entity
11
Learning Exchange Efforts Addressing Employer Needs & WBL
Health Sciences
IT
Manufacturing
R&D
• Building scalable • Developing IT
• Expanded MSSC • Corporate &
model for
WBL model in 5
Cert. Prod. Tech. research
Health
CPS IT STEM
assessment
university
Informatics
academies,
centers from 2
partners
pathways, with
including 1-to-1
to 40, # of
sponsoring R&D
embedded
mentors,
authorized
student
AHIMA
project-based
instructors from
challenges &
certifications
learning,
4 to 97, and # of using online
internships, &
certs earned
mentor tool for
SBE
from 53 to 879
student R&D
projects
Questions or More Information
www.ilpathways.com
ioer.ilsharedlearning.org
Jonathan Furr
jfurr@niu.edu