Prairie State Wire

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has released the agenda for its regular business meeting scheduled to take place on December 18, 2024, at 9 a.m. in Springfield. Individuals interested in participating publicly are encouraged to fill out an online form available from 7:30 a.m. until the start of the meeting or sign up at 100 N. First Street in Springfield. Participants can choose to speak either in person or via phone by dialing 571-317-3112 with access code 919-127-637.

The meeting will be accessible via audiocast on the internet, and those interested can click the "Listen in" link found on ISBE's homepage under Top-Accessed Services once the meeting starts.

The ISBE ensures that all meetings are accessible to individuals with disabilities and is committed to providing equitable opportunities for public participation. Those needing special accommodations, such as language translation services, should contact Diana Torres, ISBE's Language Access Coordinator, at dtorres@isbe.net or (312) 814-5818.

A break may be called by the chairperson if needed for a closed session during the meeting.

Key agenda items include:

1. Roll Call/Pledge of Allegiance

2. Public Participation

3. Resolution honoring Dr. Adina Hoover as the recipient of the 2024 Thomas Lay Burroughs Award

4. Presentations on COGFA Revenue Estimates and FY 2026 Budget

Closed sessions will address personnel matters related to employment, compensation, discipline, performance issues involving specific employees or legal counsel under certain conditions per Illinois law.

Further public participation will be accommodated as needed before moving into reports and announcements from both senior staff and board members.

Routine action items will be addressed collectively unless separate discussion is requested by any board member. These include approval of minutes from November 21, appointees to educational boards, publication approvals concerning educator licensure changes, contracts over $1 million regarding grants for homeless children programs, settlement agreements like Hubbard v. ISBE case number Cent Dist Ill Case No:3:20-cv-03300 along with charter renewal decisions for Southland College Prep Charter High School and LEARN John & Kathy Schreiber Charter School.

Additional discussions involve approving spring legislative agendas and amendments to ESSA State Plans followed by various administrative reports concluding with adjournment.