Prairie State Wire

Illinois State Board of Education met Aug. 13.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

1. Roll Call

Chair of the Board Dr. Steven Isoye called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m.

Chair Isoye announced that the Board meeting was being audio-cast live over the internet and video recorded.

Chair Isoye asked the clerk to call the roll. A quorum was present with five members attending in person. Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders also was in attendance.

Chair Isoye stated that members would consider the participation of Dr. Jonah Rice via video conference due to employment purposes. In accordance with the bylaws of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Board may permit a member to participate by other means if they cannot physically attend a meeting because of employment purposes.

Dr. Chavarria moved that the State Board of Education permit the participation of Dr. Jonah Rice via video conference. Dr. Hackett seconded the motion, and it passed by a unanimous roll call vote.

Members Present:

Dr. Steven Isoye, Chair of the Board

Dr. Sherly Chavarria, Secretary

Laura Gonzalez

Dr. Judy Hackett

Dr. Patricia Nugent

Dr. Jonah Rice (virtual)

Members Absent:

Dr. Donna Leak, Vice Chair

Dr. James Anderson

Staff Present

Dr. Tony Sanders, State Superintendent

Kim Clarke, Executive Assistant to the State Superintendent

Jo Ireland, Board Services Coordinator

Dr. Kimako Patterson, Chief of Staff

Kristen Kennedy, Chief Legal Officer

Dr. Jason Helfer, Chief Education Officer – Instruction

Jennifer Saba, Chief Education Officer – Operations

Dr. Matt Seaton, Chief Financial Officer

Tassi Maton, Chief Internal Audit Officer

Edobor Efam, Chief Information Officer

Irma Snopek, Chief Policy and Communications Officer

Miguel Calderon, Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Ronda Dawson, Executive Director Teaching & Learning

Joyce Gronewold, Executive Director Specialized Instruction

Rae Clementz, Executive Director Data, Accountability & Assessment

Dr. Christine Paxson, Executive Director Improvement & Innovation

Dr. Tiffany Burnett, Executive Director Safe & Healthy Climate

Eileen Turanchik, Director Budget & Financial Management

Jeffrey Judge, Director Wellness & Student Care

Dr. Deshonda Daniels-Wright, Director ROE/ISC

Alicia Lynch-Deatherage, Interim Director Early Childhood Development

Dr. Erica Thieman, Director CTE

Emily Fox, Director Educator Effectiveness

Kirsten Parr, Director Standards & Instruction

Michael Gum, Director School Business Services

Lindsay Record, Supervisor Public Relations

2. Public Participation

Chair Isoye reminded those in attendance of the Public Participation Policy and the sign-up procedures for today’s meeting.

Hannah Keller, Director of External Affairs with Concept Schools spoke on the topic of HSA McKinley Expansion and PCTC. She thanked the Board for the decision to allow an expansion to a larger campus. She shared the expansion will enable them to reach more students and provide them with a high-quality STEM-focused education. Ms. Keller spoke about funding discrepancies with ISBE authorized schools and schools authorized by Chicago Public Schools and asked the Board to intervene to ensure equity and compliance with state law for public school students, regardless of their authorizer.

Lindi Kocher, representing Cutting Edge Curriculum spoke on the topic of urban and community agriculture. She was joined by Jane Quinlan, a Board member for Cutting Edge Curriculum. She thanked the Board for the support of the Urban and Community Agriculture RFSP, whose goal was to provide curricular resources, student-facing instructional materials, and relevant educator professional learning relating to agriculture, food, and natural resources. She recognized several individuals and groups for their cooperation with the project.

D’Jamildo Graham with BBNS Academy asked to contract with MyTutor Driving School and for reimbursement for driver education fees for students.

Dr. Isoye thanked everyone for being there and participating in public comment. He noted if anyone was not able to connect to a call to provide their comments, they could submit a written statement to Jo Ireland, the Board Services Coordinator at ISBE.

3. Resolutions/Presentations/Recognitions

A. 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year Dr. Rachael Mahmood

Dr. Mahmood thanked Dr. Sanders, Chair Isoye and the entire Board of Education, and the ISBE leadership for supporting her and educators all over the state of Illinois. She shared that her platform had been about ensuring that every student, every teacher, every educator, and every parent that walks into school feels a sense of belonging. She participated in 128 events during her sabbatical and shared anecdotes. Dr. Mahmood hosted 51 World Café sessions across the state, bringing educators, students, and families together to talk about how to increase belonging in schools. She thanked several individuals and wished good luck to 2025 Illinois Teacher of the year Victor Gomez.

B. 2025 Illinois Teacher of the Year Victor Gomez

Mr. Gomez thanked the Board and introduced himself. His plans for his platform will be to uplift bilingual education and support the growing population of multilingual learners coming into classrooms. Mr. Gomez’s goal is to provide bilingual professional development to equip educators with the tools necessary to best serve multilingual students allowing them to have access to an equitable educational experience. He noted that while his platform is on bilingualism, he will advocate for all teachers around the state. He thanked Dr. Mahmood for being an amazing mentor.

4. Closed Session

Ms. Gonzalez moved that the State Board of Education go into closed session for the following exception items:

A. The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a specific individual who serves as an independent contractor in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or a volunteer of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. However, a meeting to consider an increase in compensation to a specific employee of a public body that is subject to the Local Government Wage Increase Transparency Act may not be closed and shall be open to the public and posted and held in accordance with this Act (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1)).

B. Litigation, when an action against, affecting or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal, or when the public body finds that an action is probable or imminent, in which case the basis for the finding shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the closed meeting (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11)).

She further moved that Board members may invite anyone they wish to be included in this closed session. Dr. Nugent seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

The open meeting recessed at 9:37 a.m. to go into closed session. The open meeting reconvened at 10:06 a.m.

5. Public Participation

There was no further public participation.

6. Consent Agenda

Chair Isoye reviewed the items under the consent agenda.

Dr. Hackett moved that the State Board of Education hereby approve the consent agenda. Dr. Nugent seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

The following motions were approved by action taken in the consent agenda:

Approval of Minutes

*Plenary Minutes: June 11, 2025

The Illinois State Board of Education hereby approves the June 11, 2025, meeting minutes.

Approvals

*Approval for Adoption – Part 100 (Requirements for Accounting, Budgeting, Financial Reporting, and Auditing) Reporting Requirements and Cleanup

The State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to submit the proposed rulemaking for Part 100 to JCAR for second notice.

Further, the Board authorizes the state superintendent of education to make such technical and non-substantive changes as the state superintendent may deem necessary in response to suggestions or objections of JCAR.

7. Discussion and Approval

A. Approval of Unified Standard Setting: Performance Levels and Cut Scores for IAR, ISA, and ACT Suite

Dr. Isoye asked if there were any further questions from the Board members, as this item was part of the committee discussion the day before. Dr. Sanders stated that in addition to the presentation that was shared, he briefed every Board member individually on the proposal, which allowed time to process and to give any feedback.

Dr. Chavarria stated that part of the presentation showed how individual students, based our previous cut scores, could have received information that they weren’t ready for college when they really were. She asked if with the new cut scores, perhaps students will be told they are ready for college when they’re not. She further asked if there was a concern about these new scores.

Dr. Sanders shared that they looked at cut scores from universities across Illinois that are used for admission criteria and what the probability of a student getting that score on the ACT and their success rate of going into college and being successful without remediation. The data showed a preponderance of students at the new cut scores could enter college without remediation and earn a “C” or higher in college courses. He noted that the former cut scores reflected that a student would be able to go to college and get an “A” on every single course. They are now saying college ready means you can get to college and actually pass the classes with a “C” or higher.

Dr. Isoye read a statement from Vice Chair, Dr. Leak, who was unable to be in attendance for the Board meeting. She noted the process at which cut scores arrived has shown substantial growth over the past 36 years of her career in education. She thanked the ISBE staff for bringing this to fruition. In addition, she thanked the staff and Dr. Sanders for their transparency in the process and stated her full support for the updated assessment cut scores for the state of Illinois.

Dr. Nugent expressed gratitude for all of the work and thanked the ISBE staff.

Dr. Chavarria stated a strong appreciation for the process that both considered the technical expertise of people from the field and also engaged educators, students, and multiple stakeholders. She thanked the staff for a thoughtful, engaged process.

Ms. Gonzalez echoed the sentiments thanking the staff for the amazing work.

Dr. Isoye thanked Dr. Sanders and ISBE staff for taking on this major project with transparency and involving and partners out in the field. He stated that it was truly incredible in terms of how the agency has developed projects, looked and heard what people in the field who work with ISBE are saying and the impact it all has on parents, students, teachers, and administrators.

Dr. Nugent moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to adopt the recommended performance levels and associated cut scores for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), the PreACT Secure 9, the PreACT Secure, and the ACT with Writing to be applied beginning with the assessments administered in the spring of 2025.

Dr. Hackett seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

Dr. Isoye shared that the next series of approvals for contracts and grants were discussed the prior day in the Finance and Audit Committee of the Whole meeting.

B. Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval of Grant Award for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program

Dr. Helfer answered questions that were asked during the committee meeting in regard to the structure of the program in Illinois and the county coverage. He provided information about the population dense communities and how they may have more than one partner versus a less populated community.

Dr. Rice moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the award of a sole source grant to the Dollywood Foundation in the amount of $3,037,400 to provide registration access to every child aged 0-5 in Illinois so they can receive a free, age-appropriate book each month. The initial term of the grant will begin July 1, 2025, and extend through June 30, 2026.

Dr. Nugent seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

C. Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval of Sole Source Grant to Valley View Itinerant Services for Children with Developmental Delays and Disabilities

Dr. Isoye shared that this item and several others today were member initiatives and he provided clarification that is it a legislative member initiative that was approved by legislators.

Dr. Chavarria moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to award a sole source grant in the amount of $1.25 million to Valley View Community School District 365-U for itinerant services for children with developmental delays and disabilities, particularly services that emphasize partnerships between schools and community-based settings. The grant period is July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

Dr. Hackett seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

D. Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval to Release and Award a Sole Source Grant to YouthBuild Dr. Isoye shared that this item was vetted the prior day in committee meetings.

Ms. Gonzalez moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to award a sole source grant to YouthBuild Illinois in the amount of $5.5 million for fiscal year 2026.

Dr. Nugent seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

E. Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval to Release and Award a Sole Source Grant to the Illinois Education Association

Dr. Nugent thanked staff for reaching out to the teacher prep program as part of the mentorship.

Dr. Hackett moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to release and award a sole source grant, in the amount of $5 million, to the Illinois Education Association for the FY 2026 Virtual Coaching and Mentoring program.

Dr. Nugent seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote. Ms. Gonzalez abstained from the vote.

F. Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval of Sole Source Grant to the Southwest Organizing Project Parent Mentor Program

Dr. Nugent moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to release a sole source grant not to exceed the amount of $20 million to the Southwest Organizing Project for the Parent Mentor Program. The grant term will be July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

Dr. Hackett seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

G. Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval to Release and Award a Sole Source Grant to After School Matters

Dr. Rice moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to award a sole source grant to After School Matters to provide out-of-school opportunities to teens in Chicago. The estimated total cost of the grant will not exceed $12 million in FY 2026 with a term ending June 30, 2026, unless extended.

Dr. Hackett seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

H. Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval of After-School Grant Program Pursuant to Part 268 Rules

Dr. Nugent noted that the grant was not a member initiative and clarified that it was an extension of additional monies on a contract that had been previously voted on. Mr. Judge confirmed.

Dr. Chavarria moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to execute grant agreements for FY 2026 with school districts based upon a prescribed methodology and formula and award districts an amount not to exceed a total of $17 million. In addition, the State Board of Education authorizes the release of the After Schools Program – Non-School Districts NOFO/RFP and to award successful applicants an amount not to exceed a total of $18 million.

The State Board of Education further authorizes the state superintendent to execute grant agreements within defined parameters to any entity eligible to receive more than $1 million for a single award.

Ms. Gonzalez seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

I. Contracts & Grants Over $1 Million – Approval to Release and Award a Sole Source Grant to the Alternative Schools Network

Ms. Gonzalez moved that the State Board of Education hereby authorizes the state superintendent to award a sole source grant to the Alternative Schools Network for costs associated with operating expenses. The estimated total cost of the grant will not exceed $1 million in FY 2026 with a term ending June 30, 2026, unless extended.

Dr. Rice seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote.

8. Announcements and Reports

Superintendent/Senior Staff Announcements

Dr. Sanders started by welcoming superintendents, principals, teachers, staff, and students to the 2025-26 school year. He said it was going to be a fantastic year and he hoped everybody makes the best out of it.

There were no senior staff announcements.

Chair of the Board’s Report

Chair Isoye welcomed Dr. Hackett to the Board since he wasn’t at the June Board meeting. He told Board members to go on the NASBE exchange if they have a change. He reminded them about the NASBE annual conference in Austin, Texas, at the end of October. He noted the Board retreat on September 16 and asked all Board members to please be there in person. He wished districts, schools, students, staff, and the agency a wonderful year.

Member Reports

Ms. Gonzalez shared that she was able to work the summer school program with students who were engaging in learning over the summer. She thanked everyone who worked this summer on professional development to continue to learn and be better as educators for the students. She welcomed back everyone for the start of the new school year and to those who have already worked this summer.

9. Information Items

ISBE Fiscal & Administrative Monthly Reports

Freedom of Information Act Monthly Report

10. Motion for Adjournment

Chair Isoye stated that the next Board meeting will be held on September 17, 2025, with the Board retreat and committee meetings being held on September 16.

Dr. Hackett moved to adjourn the August 13, 2025, meeting of the Illinois State Board of Education.

Ms. Gonzalez seconded the motion, and it passed with a unanimous roll call vote. The meeting adjourned at 10:36 a.m.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/isbe/Board.nsf/files/DLKHRF49766D/$file/DRAFT%20Plenary%20Minutes%20-%20August%2013%2C%202025.pdf