The Policy Committee‘s quarterly meeting on December 3, 2025, featured insights into statewide access and achievement, overall student wellbeing, and its impact on chronic absenteeism.
Stand for Children Illinois shared findings from recent focus groups with Illinois students and families on chronic absenteeism, including both systemic and local-level root causes and recommendations. Stand found that high school chronic absenteeism rates remain stubbornly high post-pandemic, career pathways programs and mental health supports, among other targeted interventions, have proven promising in motivating students to attend school consistently.
Advance Illinois shared their biennial report, The State We’re In, giving an aerial view of student access and achievement and barriers to success historically through 2024. As with Stand, Advance’s analysis indicates worrisome trends in student wellbeing and mental health, contributing to chronic absenteeism and decreasing postsecondary enrollment. Despite these challenges, equity gaps are closing in key indicators like 9th Grade on Track and graduation rates, as well as increased participation in dual credit, CTE coursework, and College and Career Pathway Endorsements.
EdSystems shared top-level state and federal policy updates, including the Illinois State Board of Education’s proposed new accountability framework, and upcoming rulemaking and public comment for the Dual Credit Quality Act amendment. On the federal level, developments such as the proposed merger of the Department of Education and Department of Labor, as well as Workforce Pell, will have implications for college and career readiness policy in Illinois.