Reviewing Revised State Plans

Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) Goal

State: ILLINOIS

Date: 7/27/06

Peer Review Panel's Consensus Determination:

\_\_\_\_\_ The plan is acceptable

\_\_X\_\_\_ The plan has the deficiencies described below.

Comments to support determination:

Overall, the plan has many strong components. The proposed revised data
collection system shows a thoughtful means of addressing the data
collection needs. Attention needs to be paid to the areas of: data
analysis, data integrity, prioritizing services to districts and
schools, and then phasing out the HOUSSE. Special attention should be
paid to reporting and analyzing teacher experience data that fully
allows the SEA to determine equity. The SEA needs to clearly define how
AMO is determined and then identify schools and districts not meeting
the AMO. The plan provides several professional development
opportunities, but the SEA should help distinguish which of those
opportunities are directed toward helping teachers become HQT and which
are directed toward building teacher effectiveness across the state. See
comments within the subcategories for details in these areas.

Requirement 1: The revised plan must provide a detailed analysis of the
core academic subject classes in the State that are currently *not*
being taught by highly qualified teachers. The analysis must, in
particular, address schools that are not making adequate yearly progress
and whether or not these schools have more acute needs than do other
schools in attracting highly qualified teachers. The analysis must also
identify the districts and schools around the State where significant
numbers of teachers do not meet HQT standards, and examine whether or
not there are particular hard-to-staff courses frequently taught by
non-highly qualified teachers.

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y/N/U/NA      | Evidence                                             |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the revised plan include an analysis of classes |
|               | taught by teachers who are not highly qualified? Is  |
|               | the analysis based on accurate classroom level data? |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan includes an analysis of the % of classes    |
|               | taught by teachers who are not highly qualified and  |
|               | indicates the number of schools in each LEA that are |
|               | in School Improvement status. It does not identify   |
|               | the courses taught by teachers who are not highly    |
|               | qualified since data are not available. The SEA sent |
|               | a survey to LEAs reporting courses taught by         |
|               | teachers who are not highly qualified to determine   |
|               | the number of classes taught by teachers who are not |
|               | highly qualified. The survey results indicate that   |
|               | special education classes; secondary school classes  |
|               | taught by certified general education teachers who   |
|               | have not demonstrated subject-matter knowledge;      |
|               | elementary school classes taught by teachers who are |
|               | not fully certified; and elementary school classes   |
|               | taught by teachers who did not pass a                |
|               | subject-knowledge test or demonstrate knowledge      |
|               | through HOUSSE are the most prevalent. It is         |
|               | difficult to determine if the data are inaccurate or |
|               | incomplete.                                          |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Generally, high poverty and low-performing LEAs have |
|               | greater percentages of courses taught by teachers    |
|               | who are not highly qualified. The data submitted by  |
|               | the SEA in this plan do not substantiate that        |
|               | concept---this report indicates East St. Louis       |
|               | School District 0%, Rockford. 0.6%, and Springfield  |
|               | 0% courses taught by teachers who are not highly     |
|               | qualified.                                           |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the analysis focus on the staffing needs of     |
|               | schools that are not making AYP? Do these schools    |
|               | have high percentages of classes taught by teachers  |
|               | who are not highly qualified?                        |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The analysis identifies the HQT differences between  |
|               | schools in SI status and those not in SI status.     |
|               | 53.5% of schools in SI status and 10% of schools not |
|               | in SI status report they have courses taught by      |
|               | teachers who are not highly qualified. The median    |
|               | percentage of courses taught by teachers who are not |
|               | highly qualified is 3.7% in SI schools and 0% in     |
|               | non-SI schools.                                      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| N             | Does the analysis identify particular groups of      |
|               | teachers to which the State's plan must pay          |
|               | particular attention, such as special education      |
|               | teachers, mathematics or science teachers, or        |
|               | multi-subject teachers in rural schools?             |
|               |                                                      |
|               | That type of data is not currently available but the |
|               | plan calls for modifications to the data collection  |
|               | instrument to collect that data for 2006-07. The     |
|               | modified system will allow the SEA to:               |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Cross-reference school personnel to school       |
|               |     improvement status                               |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Identify the staffing needs of schools in SI     |
|               |     status                                           |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Identify specific groups of teachers by content  |
|               |     and grade level as well as type of school        |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Calculate the percentage of teachers not highly  |
|               |     qualified in buildings not making AYP            |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the analysis identify districts and schools     |
|               | around the State where significant numbers of        |
|               | teachers do not meet HQT standards?                  |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The analysis identifies LEAs where some percent of   |
|               | the courses are taught by teachers who do not meet   |
|               | HQT standards. Data do not provide the numbers of    |
|               | teachers or courses at the SEA, LEA, or building     |
|               | level. The exception to this is data provided by the |
|               | Chicago Public School District identifies the number |
|               | of core courses at the elementary and secondary      |
|               | levels taught by teachers who are not highly         |
|               | qualified. Specific courses are not identified,      |
|               | however. These issues should remedied by planned     |
|               | modifications to the data collection system.         |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| N             | Does the analysis identify particular courses that   |
|               | are often taught by non-highly qualified teachers?   |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The analysis does not identify particular courses    |
|               | often taught by non-highly qualified teacher, but    |
|               | the plan calls for modifications to the data         |
|               | collection instrument to collect that data for       |
|               | 2006-07. The modified system will allow the SEA to:  |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Cross-reference school personnel to school       |
|               |     improvement status                               |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Identify the staffing needs of schools in SI     |
|               |     status                                           |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Identify specific groups of teachers by content  |
|               |     and grade level as well as type of school        |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Calculate the percentage of teachers not highly  |
|               |     qualified in buildings not making AYP Changes    |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

Y=Yes; N=No; U=Undecided; NA=Not applicable

[Finding]{.underline}:

\_\_\_ Requirement 1 has been met

\_X\_\_ Requirement 1 has been partially met

\_\_\_ Requirement 1 has not been met

\_\_\_ Additional information needed to make determination

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Date Requested \_\_\_\_\_\_ Submission Deadline

[Supporting Narrative:]{.underline}

Planned changes to the data collection system and attention to data
analysis should allow the SEA to meet these requirements in the future.
See comments above.

Requirement 2: The revised plan must provide information on HQT status
in each LEA and the steps the SEA will take to ensure that each LEA has
plans in place to assist teachers who are not highly qualified to attain
HQT status as quickly as possible.

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y/N/U         | Evidence                                             |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| N             | Does the plan identify LEAs that have not met annual |
|               | measurable objectives for HQT?                       |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan does not state how the annual measurable    |
|               | objective for HQT is calculated. The plan does       |
|               | identify districts with a percent of courses taught  |
|               | by teachers who are not highly qualified. The SEA    |
|               | needs to define how the AMO is determined and then   |
|               | provide a list consistent with that definition.      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan include specific steps that will be    |
|               | taken by LEAs that have not met annual measurable    |
|               | objectives?                                          |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan does include a template for LEA Plans for   |
|               | Non-Highly Qualified Teachers to Become HQT.         |
|               | Districts are expected to submit the plans to        |
|               | Regional Offices of Education (ROEs) by December 31, |
|               | 2006.                                                |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan delineate specific steps the SEA will  |
|               | take to ensure that all LEAs have plans in place to  |
|               | assist all non-HQ teachers to become HQ as quickly   |
|               | as possible?                                         |
|               |                                                      |
|               | All plans will be reviewed by Regional Office of     |
|               | Education. Random audits of teachers will be         |
|               | conducted by the SEA and the ROEs. Teachers will     |
|               | complete the electronic teacher worksheets for       |
|               | Illinois HOUSSE and the Educator Certification       |
|               | System (ECS) will incorporate a feature to record    |
|               | the core content subjects in which every teacher in  |
|               | the state is highly qualified. Individual teacher    |
|               | plans will also be monitored.                        |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

Y=Yes; N=No; U=Undecided

[Finding]{.underline}:

\_\_\_ Requirement 2 has been met

\_X\_\_ Requirement 2 has been partially met

\_\_\_ Requirement 2 has not been met

\_\_\_ Additional information needed to make determination

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Date Requested \_\_\_\_\_\_ Submission Deadline

[Supporting Narrative:]{.underline}

The SEA needs to clearly define how AMO is determined. See comments
above.

Requirement 3: The revised plan must include information on the
technical assistance, programs, and services that the SEA will offer to
assist LEAs in successfully completing their HQT plans, particularly
where large groups of teachers are not highly qualified, and the
resources the LEAs will use to meet their HQT goals.

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y/N/U         | Evidence                                             |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan include a description of the technical |
|               | assistance the SEA will provide to assist LEAs in    |
|               | successfully carrying out their HQT plans?           |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Yes. Technical assistance will be provided by SEA,   |
|               | ROEs and Regional Education Service Providers        |
|               | (RESPROs). Assistance will include professional      |
|               | development in content areas or for preparation for  |
|               | a content test, conferences and workshops to meet    |
|               | HOUSSE requirements and/or methods of instruction    |
|               | specific to high-poverty students. An Administrator  |
|               | Academy course re: HQT will be delivered initially   |
|               | in August 2006 for Illinois school principals.       |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan indicate that the staffing and         |
|               | professional development needs of schools that are   |
|               | not making AYP will be given high priority?          |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Once HQT data are available through the Educator     |
|               | Certification System, the RESPROs are expected to    |
|               | focus their support on schools that do not make AYP. |
|               | The Administrator Academy will be offered to a       |
|               | minimum of 150 principals in three high-need         |
|               | locations to target high poverty and/or low          |
|               | performing schools. High poverty and/or low          |
|               | performing schools are not necessarily the same      |
|               | schools not meeting AYP. The Educator Certification  |
|               | System, scheduled for completion in September 2006,  |
|               | is expected to allow the SEA to target greater       |
|               | assistance to districts. Currently Title I           |
|               | assistance is targeted toward schools not making     |
|               | AYP. The plan should clarify that schools not making |
|               | AYP will receive priority attention in the area of   |
|               | HQT staffing and professional development.           |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The SEA might review its decision to begin the       |
|               | Administator's Academy at the three locations        |
|               | selected since none of those districts report        |
|               | substantially high percentages of courses taught by  |
|               | teachers who are not highly qualified\--East St.     |
|               | Louis School District 0%, Rockford. 0.6%, and        |
|               | Springfield 0% courses taught by teachers who are    |
|               | not highly qualified.                                |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan include a description of programs and  |
|               | services the SEA will provide to assist teachers and |
|               | LEAs in successfully meeting HQT goals?              |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan includes general information on service     |
|               | providers, scholarship assistance to help get        |
|               | candidates into the teaching profession, and other   |
|               | programs such as Illinois Virtual High School        |
|               | (IVHS), Grow Your Own Teacher Initiative, National   |
|               | Board for Professional Teacher Standards (NBPTS),    |
|               | and Beginning Teacher Pilot Induction Programs,      |
|               | Reading First, and Foreign Language Program, among   |
|               | others. Some of these programs are not related to    |
|               | HQT or to the Critical Shortage areas identified in  |
|               | Requirement 1. The SEA might consider strengthening  |
|               | the plan by focusing on programs directly related to |
|               | helping teachers become Highly Qualified under NCLB. |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan specifically address the needs of any  |
|               | subgroups of teachers identified in Requirement 1?   |
|               |                                                      |
|               | No subgroups of teachers were specifically           |
|               | identified in Requirement 1 due to data limitations. |
|               | Those limitations will be rectified shortly.         |
|               | However, the higher education portion of Title II,   |
|               | Part A is being used for partnership grants of       |
|               | colleges and universities and high needs public      |
|               | school districts. A minimum of 70% of the grants     |
|               | focus on professional development for mathematics    |
|               | and science teachers. Eleven of the 22 grants        |
|               | include Chicago Public Schools as the high-need      |
|               | district. The Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT)    |
|               | degree is designed to increase the numbers of highly |
|               | qualified teachers by reaching out to students who   |
|               | may need to stay close to home. Students may start   |
|               | their degree at a participating community college    |
|               | (CC) and complete their degree at a 4-year           |
|               | institution starting their junior year. The AAT is   |
|               | limited to: secondary mathematics (offered at 18     |
|               | CCs), secondary science (at 2 CCs), special          |
|               | education (at 2 CCs), and early childhood education  |
|               | (at 1 CC). Several of the CCs are located at rural   |
|               | locations.                                           |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Once the data modifications are fully implemented,   |
|               | data should be analyzed to identify specific         |
|               | subgroups and then ensure that programs are directly |
|               | targeted to meeting the needs identified by the      |
|               | data.                                                |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| N             | Does the plan include a description of how the State |
|               | will use its available funds (e.g., Title I, Part A; |
|               | Title II, Part A, including the portion that goes to |
|               | the State agency for higher education; other Federal |
|               | and State funds, as appropriate) to address the      |
|               | needs of teachers who are not highly qualified?      |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan does not clarify that the IHE partnership   |
|               | grants are intended to develop HQT. The AAT is       |
|               | intended to develop teachers for the profession who  |
|               | will enter as HQTs not to help existing teachers     |
|               | become highly qualified. The SEA should review       |
|               | current programs to distinguish which elements of    |
|               | the grants are focused on helping teachers become HQ |
|               | as well as effective.                                |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan for the use of available funds         |
|               | indicate that priority will be given to the staffing |
|               | and professional development needs of schools that   |
|               | are not making AYP?                                  |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Several of the programs are focused on professional  |
|               | development for schools in high-need districts such  |
|               | as Chicago.                                          |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

Y=Yes; N=No; U=Undecided

[Finding]{.underline}:

\_\_\_ Requirement 3 has been met

\_X\_\_ Requirement 3 has been partially met

\_\_\_ Requirement 3 has not been met

\_\_\_ Additional information needed to make determination

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Date Requested \_\_\_\_\_\_ Submission Deadline

[Supporting Narrative:]{.underline}

The plan provides several professional development opportunities. The
SEA should help distinguish which of those opportunities are directed
toward helping teachers become HQT and which are directed toward
building teacher effectiveness across the state. See comments above.

Requirement 4: The revised plan must describe how the SEA will work with
LEAs that fail to reach the 100 percent HQT goal by the end of the
2006-07 school year.

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y/N/U         | Evidence                                             |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan indicate how the SEA will monitor LEA  |
|               | compliance with the LEAs' HQT plans described in     |
|               | Requirement 2 and hold LEAs accountable for          |
|               | fulfilling their plans?                              |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The new Educator Certification System (ECS) will     |
|               | compare assignments of teachers with their highly    |
|               | qualified status. The data will be available to the  |
|               | ROE who will receive district HQT plans. Targeted    |
|               | assistance from the RESPROs will be focused on       |
|               | schools that do not meet the current AYP             |
|               | requirements. At the end of the 2005-06 school year, |
|               | each district must report to the ISBE its progress   |
|               | toward ensuring all core content teachers are highly |
|               | qualified. Districts where teachers are not HQT by   |
|               | the end of the 2006-07 school year must develop a    |
|               | HQT plan.                                            |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan show how technical assistance from the |
|               | SEA to help LEAs meet the 100 percent HQT goal will  |
|               | be targeted toward LEAs and schools that are not     |
|               | making AYP?                                          |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The new Educator Certification System (ECS) will     |
|               | compare assignments of teachers with their highly    |
|               | qualified status. The data will be available to the  |
|               | ROE who will receive district HQT plans. Targeted    |
|               | assistance from the RESPROs will be focused on       |
|               | schools that do not meet the current AYP             |
|               | requirements.                                        |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The Administrator's Academy is being provided first  |
|               | to targeted high-poverty and/or low performing       |
|               | schools. Low performing and /or high poverty are not |
|               | the same as AYP. The Academy will help principals    |
|               | with strategies and knowledge to develop HQT plans.  |
|               | The ISBE identifies several strategies to assist     |
|               | teachers become highly qualified. The SEA should     |
|               | clarify how they will focus HQT support to schools   |
|               | and LEAs not making AYP.                             |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan describe how the SEA will monitor      |
|               | whether LEAs attain 100 percent HQT in each LEA and  |
|               | school:                                              |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   in the percentage of highly qualified teachers   |
|               |     at each LEA and school; and                      |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   in the percentage of teachers who are receiving  |
|               |     high-quality professional development to enable  |
|               |     such teachers to become highly qualified and     |
|               |     successful classroom teachers?                   |
|               |                                                      |
|               | District reports and the new ECS appear adequate to  |
|               | determine whether LEAs attain 100 percent HQT in     |
|               | each LEA and school. Districts will monitor the      |
|               | individual teacher road maps to HQ status. Teachers  |
|               | failing to attain reasonable benchmarks in their     |
|               | plans are subject to local practices and union       |
|               | agreements and may face terminations by the district |
|               | if found to be insubordinate.                        |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Consistent with ESEA §2141, does the plan include    |
|               | technical assistance or corrective actions that the  |
|               | SEA will apply if LEAs fail to meet HQT and AYP      |
|               | goals?                                               |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Yes. The ISBE adequately articulates required steps  |
|               | under section 2141.                                  |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

Y=Yes; N=No; U=Undecided

[Finding]{.underline}:

\_X\_\_ Requirement 4 has been met

\_\_\_ Requirement 4 has been partially met

\_\_\_ Requirement 4 has not been met

\_\_\_ Additional information needed to make determination

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Date Requested \_\_\_\_\_\_ Submission Deadline

[Supporting Narrative:]{.underline}

The panel identified an area related to targeting technical assistance
to schools that needs some technical changes. High poverty/low
performance are closely aligned with AYP but are not the same. The SEA
should clearly show how their Academies are being focused toward
districts/schools not making AYP. See comments above.

Requirement 5: The revised plan must explain how and when the SEA will
complete the HOUSSE process for teachers not new to the profession who
were hired prior to the end of the 2005-06 school year, and how the SEA
will limit the use of HOUSSE procedures for teachers hired after the end
of the 2005-06 school year to multi-subject secondary teachers in rural
schools eligible for additional flexibility, and multi-subject special
education who are highly qualified in language arts, mathematics, or
science at the time of hire.

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y/N/U         | Evidence                                             |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| N             | Does the plan describe how and when the SEA will     |
|               | complete the HOUSSE process for all teachers not new |
|               | to the profession who were hired before the end of   |
|               | the 2005-06 school year?                             |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Illinois adopted new rules for HQTs, including the   |
|               | use of HOUSSE in February 2006. Because the plan and |
|               | the ECS which provides the data are relatively new,  |
|               | the plan is describing a more cautious approach      |
|               | until the ISBE is fully aware of:                    |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   who is highly qualified and in what core         |
|               |     academic subjects,                               |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   who has yet to be highly qualified and in what   |
|               |     categories, and                                  |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   what remains to be done to help them move to the |
|               |     highly qualified status.                         |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| N             | Does the plan describe how the State will limit the  |
|               | use of HOUSSE after the end of the 2005-06 school    |
|               | year to the following situations:                    |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Multi-subject secondary teachers in rural        |
|               |     schools who, if HQ in one subject at the time of |
|               |     hire, may use HOUSSE to demonstrate competence   |
|               |     in additional subjects within three years of the |
|               |     date of hire; or                                 |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Multi-subject special education teachers who are |
|               |     new to the profession, if HQ in language arts,   |
|               |     mathematics, or science at the time of hire, may |
|               |     use HOUSSE to demonstrate competence in          |
|               |     additional subjects within two years of the date |
|               |     of hire.                                         |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan describes the use of HOUSSE as specified    |
|               | above but also indicates it will use HOUSSE on a     |
|               | limited basis:                                       |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   After September 1, 2007 for veteran teachers who |
|               |     are reassigned to a core content area in which   |
|               |     they are not HQT and,                            |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Where a district, despite its best efforts to    |
|               |     hire only HQTs, must hire a new teacher who is   |
|               |     not highly qualified and that teacher becomes    |
|               |     HQT over time.                                   |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan describes limited use of the HOUSSE         |
|               | somewhat beyond the intent of this rubric.           |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

Y=Yes; N=No; U=Undecided

[Finding]{.underline}:

\_\_\_ Requirement 5 has been met

\_X\_ Requirement 5 has been partially met

\_\_\_ Requirement 5 has not been met

\_\_\_ Additional information needed to make determination

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Date Requested \_\_\_\_\_\_ Submission Deadline

[Supporting Narrative:]{.underline}

The SEA understands that accurate data are necessary to help inform
decisions related to continued use of HOUSSE. Once their data clarify
the issues, they should modify the plan accordingly. See comments above.

Requirement 6: The revised plan must include a copy of the State's
written "equity plan" for ensuring that poor or minority children are
not taught by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers at
higher rates than are other children.

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y/N/U         | Evidence                                             |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the revised plan include a written equity plan? |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Yes.                                                 |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan identify where inequities in teacher   |
|               | assignment exist?                                    |
|               |                                                      |
|               | State data show a mismatch between teachers with     |
|               | strong qualifications and students of color and/or   |
|               | poverty. The greatest inequities in teacher          |
|               | distribution occur in large, multi-building          |
|               | districts with a range of student demographics       |
|               | across schools.                                      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan delineate specific strategies for      |
|               | addressing inequities in teacher assignment?         |
|               |                                                      |
|               | In the plan, district responsibilities focus on      |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Effective hiring strategies, including early     |
|               |     scheduling and incentives                        |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Partner with colleges/universities to create     |
|               |     Grow Your Own programs for teachers and          |
|               |     principals                                       |
|               |                                                      |
|               | -   Provide on-going support for high-need schools   |
|               |     teachers and principals.                         |
|               |                                                      |
|               |     -   Offer salary differentials for service in    |
|               |         HNS                                          |
|               |                                                      |
|               |     -   Provide conducive working conditions in HNS  |
|               |                                                      |
|               |     -   Provide ongoing PD opportunities for HNS     |
|               |         educators.                                   |
|               |                                                      |
|               | Salary differentials could help address assignment   |
|               | inequities.                                          |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| Y             | Does the plan provide evidence for the probable      |
|               | success of the strategies it includes?               |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan was developed by an Illinois working group  |
|               | comprised of ISBE, teacher unions, school            |
|               | administration and governance, higher education,     |
|               | business organizations, and research entities. The   |
|               | recommendations focused on some key issues that were |
|               | then assigned with more detail to the SEA, higher    |
|               | education or to districts and schools. There is      |
|               | sufficient input and research involved to expect     |
|               | some success from the plan implementation.           |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| N             | Does the plan indicate that the SEA will examine the |
|               | issue of equitable teacher assignment when it        |
|               | monitors LEAs, and how this will be done?            |
|               |                                                      |
|               | The plan includes establishing a comprehensive       |
|               | system for collecting and analyzing teacher data.    |
|               | The SEA shows every sign that they will consistently |
|               | monitor their data. The SEA must ensure that teacher |
|               | experience and HQT status are used to help determine |
|               | inequitable assignments within LEAs. The data will   |
|               | include school-by-school salary reporting.           |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

Y=Yes; N=No; U=Undecided

[Finding]{.underline}:

\_\_\_ Requirement 6 has been met

\_X\_\_ Requirement 6 has been partially met

\_\_\_ Requirement 6 has not been met

\_\_\_ Additional information needed to make determination

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Date Requested \_\_\_\_\_\_ Submission Deadline

[Supporting Narrative:]{.underline}

The SEA must assure that teacher experience is used in combination with
HQT status in making equitable assignments of teachers within LEAs. See
comments above.