ACCESS test for English Learners pushed from possible start date of Jan. 4 to no sooner than March 15 SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced today that it has delayed the opening of the 2021 spring assessment window to at least March 15, in response to requests from school districts and stakeholders. The delayed start provides the greatest possible flexibility for schools. The original administration window for the ACCESS test, which measures the proficiency of English Learners in reading, writing, speaking and listening, would have allowed schools to begin testing as early as Jan. 4. ISBE’s action today [...]

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING AND LEADING STANDARDS ENSURE EDUCATORS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS CAN TEACH ILLINOIS’ INCREASINGLY DIVERSE STUDENTS ​SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education today adopted new Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards to prepare future educators to teach diverse students. ISBE’s Diverse and Learner Ready Teacher (DLRT) Network developed the standards, which educator preparation programs in colleges and universities will integrate into their course content and field experiences. The standards aim to foster classroom and school environments in which every student feels that they belong. This feeling of belonging is critical to improving academic and behavioral outcomes for Illinois’ increasingly diverse students. More than 52 [...]