Governor Bruce Rauner released the following statement Wednesday following the Illinois State Board of Education’s adoption of a comprehensive educational plan in response to the Every Student Succeeds Act. Every state must develop a plan outlining its approach to school accountability, support, and use of federal funds. The state plan now moves to the U.S. Department of Education for final approval.
“This is an historic day for Illinois schools. One of our Administration’s top priorities has been to implement a rigorous accountability system and a robust support system for our schools to ensure that children in every neighborhood and community have access to a high-quality education. The Every Student Succeeds Act gives us an opportunity to do just that.
“Our state implementation plan will guarantee that parents across Illinois can clearly see whether local schools are meeting the needs of their children. Through a clear and concise ratings system based primarily on student growth, teachers and administrators will understand where they’re succeeding and what needs improvement. At the same time, the plan’s early childhood, arts, and other indicators will ensure that Illinois continues innovating to support the whole child.
“Congratulations to Superintendent Dr. Tony Smith and the Board on an extraordinary job implementing input from thousands of community-based stakeholders, union leaders, administrators, advocates and statutory bodies like the P-20 Council and the Illinois Balanced Accountability Measure Committee. I applaud their efforts and strongly support this plan.”
