The LaSalle County Regional Office of Education (ROE) in partnership with Illinois Valley Community College sponsored a Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework event earlier this year for regional middle and high school administrators and teachers. The purpose of the event was to develop a PaCE framework for the region to ensure that each student in 8th– 12thgrade would have an individualized learning plan to help guide decisions about career and post-secondary education or training. The program, facilitated by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), walked implementation teams from nine area schools through the development of a PaCE model. In addition, educators, workforce, and industry representatives contributed to the discussion. As a result, ROE #35 was the first cohort in the State of Illinois to develop a regional PaCE model.
Principal, Clayton Theisinger, of Putnam County High School, took time with his staff during early dismissals last year discussing the standards that were identified by the ROE. “Using small groups, we had them identify the standards they agreed with and those that may need to be moved to fit more within our local needs. We also had them identify standards they deem as important but may not have been included in the framework. With a more refined framework, we are going to take some time this quarter to identify the standards we feel we are adequately addressing as well as identify gaps in our curriculum. Our goal is to spread the standards out across the school rather than placing responsibility on individual courses and the guidance office.”
