Illinois Literacy

Project Lead: Cory Stai

During the 2023 legislative session, Illinois passed a law requiring the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to create a comprehensive state literacy plan by January 2024 and develop additional literacy resources for districts by July 2024. R9CC’s goal in this project is to help ISBE produce a high-quality literacy plan and accompanying resources that will receive the support and implementation of educators and advocates across Illinois. R9CC has supported ISBE throughout this process in the following ways:

Fall 2022

• Facilitated an initial literacy retreat with Illinois stakeholders
  • Literacy Stakeholder Engagement Meeting, October 25, 2022: Summary of Themes

Spring 2023

• Co-planned and supported facilitation of a writing group of Illinois educators creating a first draft of the state literacy plan (plan drafts are available on the ISBE webpage, linked below)

Summer 2023

• Co-planned, took notes, and summarized themes from the first round of community feedback opportunities (listening sessions, focus groups, and written comments) soliciting feedback on the first draft to support revisions leading to the second draft of the plan
  • Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan Community Feedback, Summer 2023: Summary of Themes

Fall 2023

• Co-planned, took notes, and summarized themes from the second round of community feedback opportunities (listening sessions, focus groups, and written comments) soliciting feedback on the second draft to support revisions leading to the third draft of the plan
  • Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan Community Feedback, Fall 2023: Summary of Themes
• Provided subject matter expert review and feedback on the revised third draft of the comprehensive state literacy plan and the design of the final plan, which was approved by the state board on January 24, 2024

Winter 2024

• Developed resources to support understanding of ESSA tiers of evidence and evidence that supports literacy policy that were shared through a webinar conducted by the Region 1 Comprehensive Center
  • Know the Difference: Sciences that Inform Literacy Policy and Practice
  • ESSA Tiers of Evidence Decision Tree; ESSA Tiers of Evidence Placemat
• Conducted a resource review of guidance and models to support development of a local literacy plan template aligned with the state plan

Spring 2024

• Development of resources to support implementation of a local literacy coaching model
  • Literacy Coaching Guidance Presentation; Literacy Coaching Checklist

Summer 2024

• Creating additional materials to support development and implementation of local literacy plans

To access the final 2024 Illinois Comprehensive State Literacy Plan and related resources, see the ISBE Comprehensive Literacy Plan webpage.