LM Apr 2025

With State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders: HOW ISBE is seeking better systems for better outcomes Q & A

The Illinois State Board of Education is engaging stakeholders in the redesign of its system of assessment, accountability and statewide support. To learn more about the initiative, IASA spoke with Dr. Sanders. The following is a condensed version of an interview recorded on the IASA Podcast. To listen to the full interview, click here. Additional information, including dates for the ISBE Listening Tour, are available on the ISBE website. Click here to visit.

IASA: Could you share how long you’ve been in your role and what you’ve enjoyed most about being the state superintendent in Illinois? TS: This is the job I’ve wanted since entering education. I’m a second-generation state superintendent, following in my father’s footsteps. I’ve been in the role for a little over two years, and I love supporting our school leaders, district leaders, and students statewide. IASA: Today we’re discussing support, accountability, and assessment redesign. Let’s start with the big picture - why are you passionate about transforming this system comprehensively? TS: As a former local superintendent at U-46, where I oversaw 57 schools, I never fully understood how schools received different labels. I couldn’t grasp why some schools were Commendable while others were Targeted or Comprehensive. When I took this state role, I began questioning our assessment and accountability systems, recognizing we needed shifts, which prompted our current review. IASA: What are the overarching goals for assessments, accountability, and statewide systems of support? TS: Step one is ensuring our assessment data is actionable by reviewing proficiency benchmarks to accurately communicate student performance. Second is our accountability system,

making sure schools have actionable data with clearly defined designations. Finally, school improvement - ensuring every school and district engages in continuous improvement processes. IASA: Can you update us on the timeline? TS: For assessments, we’re moving from SAT to ACT and setting new performance standards. The next report card in October 2025 will show new performance levels for students. Currently, Illinois sets performance metrics higher than what the College Board considers college-ready, making it harder for Illinois students to be considered college and career ready than anywhere else. We’re fixing that first. For accountability, we’ll need more time. We’re gathering field input through listening sessions with the intent of having new school designations by October 2026. IASA: If someone can’t attend your listening sessions, how can they share feedback with ISBE? TS: You can email assessment@isbe.net or ESSA@isbe.net, or contact us through any channel. I make myself available, as does my team. IASA: What are the main challenges with the current assessment system? TS: Our system has been mislabeling students. It’s harder

6 LM April 2025