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Northwest Educational Council for Student Success (NECSS)

Leadership Community

The Northwest Educational Council for Student Success (NECSS) is a secondary and postsecondary regional educational collaborative. It brings together influential champions, provides resources to support planning processes and has created an infrastructure to allow for collective impact. This partnership focuses on student success and opportunities, teacher qualifications and professional development, and enriching collaboration among all district partners and the local communities.

NECSS partners include Township High School Districts 211, 214, Community Unit School District 220, Harper College, and Education for Employment (EFE) 070. Each entity plays a vital role in ensuring students are college and career-ready at the secondary and postsecondary education levels. Consortium members work together to structure learning environments where all students have the opportunity to succeed educationally and acquire the knowledge and skills that business and industry require.

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Northwest Educational Council for Student Success (NECSS)

Areas of Expertise

  • Dual Credit
  • College and Career Pathway Endorsements
  • Employer Engagement
  • Core Curriculum Alignment
  • Credentialing
  • Regional Collaboration
  • Career Exploration

Prioritized Focus Areas

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Health Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • Education

Key Successes

  • Beginning in 2018–2019, students worked towards obtaining College and Career Pathway Endorsements in health science pathways. For the Class of 2022, NECSS students achieved 448 of 575 of the state’s total certifications or 78% of all endorsements issued in Illinois. The three school districts offer endorsements in five areas: finance and business services; human and public services; health and science technology; information technology; and manufacturing, engineering, technology, and trades.
  • From 2018 to 2022, the NECSS region has seen a 60% increase in dual credit hours earned through Harper College. In 2022, 468 sections of dual credit courses were taught in the high schools, and 24,582 dual credit hours were earned. Over the past five years, regional savings for NECSS students have exceeded $13.6 million by earning over 102,000 dual credit hours.
  • Of the first cohort of Harper Promise recipients who entered Harper College in fall 2019, over 40% completed a credential. Harper Promise-eligible students entering Harper College in fall 2021 completed the requirements for semesters one and two. Over 40% remain enrolled at Harper as continuing Promise scholars for Semester 3 in fall 2022.
  • NECSS was awarded the Scaling Transformative Advanced Manufacturing Pathways (STAMP) initiative through IMA and Education Systems Center at NIU. This grant is intended to increase the number of students who earn the College and Career Pathway Endorsement in manufacturing across the region, focusing on workplace learning opportunities for students to fulfill the 60-hour requirement of the endorsement.
  • As a leader in transitional coursework, NECSS students were able to enroll in the first cohort of the portable, regional transitional English course and completed the course in May 2022. Relying on the lessons learned with transitional math, the region worked to align with the Illinois Learning Standards of this approved course. Through the transitional English course, districts can provide students with a strong English foundation for college-bound high school seniors. Successful students who demonstrate the process and content competencies receive a guaranteed placement at any Illinois community college.

2-Year Goals

Equity for All

Continuing the work from FY22, the equity task force will review trend data around college readiness in the region to assess the impact of transitional courses. Additionally, the group will collaborate with NECSS committees and task force groups to ensure the focus area goals are examined through an equitable lens, aligning with our regional mission.

Regional Alignment

The NECSS Partnership’s commitment to the Power of 15 is evident through the consistent annual increase in credit hours earned across the region. In 2023, over 42% of graduating seniors achieved 15 or more postsecondary credits. Since 2016, the percentage of students graduating with college credit has risen from 67% to 83%, thanks to the partnership’s structure and dedication to expanding opportunities for students.

NECSS prioritizes student achievement through career planning, teacher qualifications, professional development, and strong collaboration between district partners and local communities. In support of its mission, NECSS is developing a comprehensive dual enrollment program that will enable high school students to earn an Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree by the time they graduate.

The growing teacher shortage in Illinois presents a significant challenge as districts across the state struggle to fill positions left by retiring or departing educators. In response, NECSS, now in the first and second years of renewed CTE Education Pathway grants, is working to recruit more students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds into the teaching profession. In partnership with NIU, NECSS will host a future educator event to highlight education pathways and focus on teacher equity and the impact of community in education. The event will include interactive breakout sessions, small group discussions with educators from various fields, and information on local career opportunities.

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Network Organizers: Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission