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  • Thursday, February 26, 2026
  • Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Illinois
  • Education, workforce, government, policy, and community leaders

The Illinois Education and Career Success Network’s 13th annual conference is designed for a diverse group of stakeholders committed to enhancing equitable postsecondary attainment across Illinois. ​The conference serves as an engaging learning opportunity where attendees collaborate to share best practices, explore innovative strategies, and discuss systemic challenges affecting students, particularly those from marginalized communities. Participants can expect a dynamic environment that fosters networking, knowledge exchange, and actionable insights aimed at driving systemic change to support student success throughout Illinois. Explore recordings, photos, and resources from past conferences.

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Early Bird Registration

Early bird pricing is available now through December 31, 2025, or until the first 150 tickets are sold — whichever comes first.

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Keynote Speaker

Dr. Jeff Strohl

Director, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

Dr. Strohl was one of the founding staff of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) and has served as director of research since 2008. He leads the center’s research agenda, focused on the intersection of education and labor market analyses and their impact on policy. Dr. Strohl also researches biases in postsecondary and labor market outcomes.

Previously, Dr. Strohl was a senior analyst and project director at Westat, Inc., and was primarily involved in program evaluation and analysis of education outcomes. He helped design and direct several projects that investigated socioeconomic diversity in American education and sought to affect postsecondary admissions policies. Dr. Strohl received his BA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his MA and PhD in economics from American University. His dissertation was a cross-country study of how education can enhance overall economic flexibility in times of economic crisis and structural shift.

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Preliminary Agenda

Additional sessions and descriptions are coming soon.

8:00–9:00 a.m. | Breakfast & Networking

9:00–10:15 a.m. | Welcome & Opening Plenary

The Future of Work: Navigating the Next Decade of Jobs, Skills, and Opportunity
with keynote speaker Jeff Strohl, PhD, Research Professor & Director, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

10:25–11:20 a.m. | Concurrent Sessions

  • From Data to Action: Shaping Illinois’ Workforce Future
  • A Glimpse Behind the Industry Curtain: Real-World Student Connections
  • Supporting Students with Disabilities To and Through Their Postsecondary Journeys: A Learning Case Workshop with the To&Through Project
  • Keeping Pace with Federal Shifts: Responding to Changes for Illinois Students
  • Communicating Career Pathways to Families
  • Direct Admission Illinois: A Collaborative Effort with a Statewide Impact

11:30 a.m.–12:25 p.m. | Concurrent Sessions

  • From Classroom to Career: Navigating Postsecondary Futures with Artificial Intelligence
  • Bridging the Gap: Cross-Sector Collaboration for Student Success
  • Campus Resilience and Student Supports After Federal Policy Shifts
  • A Comprehensive Approach to Understanding and Improving Chronic Absenteeism
  • Dual Credit Through Intercampus Collaboration
  • Understanding Young People’s Perceptions of College

12:35–2:00 p.m. | Lunch & Student Voices

2:15–3:10 p.m. | Concurrent Sessions

  • Aligning Programs of Study to the Modernized Career Cluster Framework
  • Accelerating Opportunity: Current Illinois Dual Credit Policy, Resources, and Guidance
  • The State We’re In: A Report on Public Education in Illinois
  • The Role of School Counselors in Advancing Career Pathways
  • Illinois’ Apprenticeship Expansion Framework: Systems Building for Career-Connected Learning
  • High School Internships Utilizing Construction Projects

3:20–4:15 p.m. | Concurrent Sessions

  • The Trade Collective: Creating Awareness and Opportunities in the Skilled Trades
  • Where Policy Meets Practice: Policy Updates and Emerging Challenges
  • Collaborative Efforts to Increase Holistic Student Supports
  • Building a Shared Practice of Data Use

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Having trouble? Register on the Eventbrite website.