Leadership Matters June 2014

Vision 20/20 initiative being prepared for launch After one of the most challenging years for public education that I can recall, I want to thank each of you for continuing to focus on what’s best for the students we are charged with preparing for college and careers. Education is a noble profession -- and a rewarding one when you see graduates walk across the stage and you know that, despite the odds, you, your staff and your teachers helped equip them to was a batter deciding ahead of time to swing at the second and fifth pitch instead of swinging when there is a good pitch to hit. Until the time is right, we are going to hold our work to date close in order for the plan not to be short circuited by entities that might try to undermine the initiative for their own agenda. But, in general terms, I can tell you that the plan will address four major areas, including:  Shared Governance  21 st Century Learning  Highly Effective Educators Message from the Executive Director Dr. Brent Clark

 Equitable and Adequate Funding When that time is right, we will brief you on the details and call on you to help launch a powerful grassroots campaign to let people in every community in Illinois know what we as educators and practitioners believe is the best path forward for public education. The effort has gained momentum and strength as we have been joined by our Alliance partners the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the Illinois Principals Association (IPA) and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) as well as the Superintendents Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity (SCSDD) and the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS). As I said earlier, we have an awesome responsibility. But we also have an incredible opportunity to help shape the future education for the more than 2.1 million children in this state who depend on us to educate and prepare them for the global economy of the 21 st century. Have a great summer, recharge your batteries and come back in the fall ready to help change the landscape of public education!

be successful. It also is an awesome responsibility. That responsibility is why IASA chose more than a year ago to undertake Vision 20/20, perhaps the most daunting initiative we’ve ever tackled. To our knowledge, it is the first-ever attempt by practitioners to develop a road map for public education that is created by Illinois educators for Illinois educators. Thanks to the hard work of a small army of superintendents representing every region of the state, we are close to having that blueprint for the future. But it’s not “street ready” just yet. As we often say about legislation that comes out of Springfield, the devil is in the details and we still are in the process of fine-tuning those details. The Vision 20/20 plan is expected to be submitted for review by the IASA Board of Directors at its meeting near the end of July. After a final draft is approved by the Board, the challenge becomes when and how to take the plan from our meeting rooms and spread it across our state. That will be followed by a phase in which we transform the vision into actionable items. Politically, timing is everything. The analogy I used at our most recent Vision 20/20 meeting in June

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