Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Our new report looks at how equity gaps in dual credit and Advanced Placement coursework changed in Illinois after launch of an automatic enrollment policy. The greatest participation increase was for English Learners (ELs) in AP coursework. Learn more: iwerc.education.illinois.edu/dual-credit/ 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 06/10/2026⭐ NEW REPORT ⭐ Today we released an analysis of dual credit (DC) and Advanced Placement (AP) coursework participation trends before and after a new automatic enrollment policy in Illinois took effect. Read the report: iwerc.education.illinois.edu/dual-credit/ 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026IWERC recently published a descriptive landscape report on Illinois rural and high-need rural districts and SMT retention in these districts. What did we learn about SMT retention? Swipe to learn more. A research brief and the full report can be found at go.illinois.edu/RuralSMT. 110
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026As part of a series on science and mathematics teacher (SMT) retention in rural Illinois, IWERC recently released a landscape analysis to understand the characteristics of the SMT workforce. A research brief and the full report can be found at go.illinois.edu/RuralSMT. 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026CPS now offers College and Career Pathway Endorsements (CCPE) in all seven endorsement areas. Our latest report found that the CCPE system is key to CPS’s vision of career-connected learning. Learn more: iwerc.education.illinois.edu/career-conne... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Our newest report on career-connected learning in CPS describes the postsecondary plans of students, showing how these plans vary by career and technical education (CTE) participation. Read more: iwerc.education.illinois.edu/career-conne... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026In our newest report with UChicago Consortium on School Research and CPS, we found that CPS district leaders have advanced career-connected learning in part by strengthening existing career and technical education programs of study. Read the report at: iwerc.education.illinois.edu/career-conne... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 15/09/2026NEW REPORT! In partnership with the UChicago Consortium on School Research and Chicago Public Schools, we released our newest report, focused on Career-Connected Learning. Read the report here: iwerc.education.illinois.edu/career-conne... 011
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 14/09/2026IWERC recently conducted a landscape analysis on science and mathematics teacher retention in rural Illinois. The first step of this study was to understand the characteristics of rural public school districts. Find out more at go.illinois.edu/RuralSMT. 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 11/09/2026IWERC recently published a descriptive landscape study examining science and mathematics teacher retention in rural Illinois, and in particular, in high-need rural districts. To find out more, go to go.illinois.edu/RuralSMT. 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 10/09/2026New reports out today! Two new reports from IWERC and NORC at the University of Chicago examine the science and mathematics teacher workforce in rural Illinois. Read the reports here: go.illinois.edu/RuralSMT. 031
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Among children enrolled in Preschool for All, outcomes varied by program characteristics. Those who attended full-day programs, attended for 2 years, and/or attended in school-based settings had the most favorable outcomes. Read more here: iwerc.education.illinois.edu/kindergarten... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026What do people in education, HR, manufacturing, specialty foods, workforce development, civic leadership, and healthcare say about the skills artists bring to their field? Find out in the latest report by the Illinois creative workforce partnership. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/illinois-cre... 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Kindergarten readiness rates were higher among students who attended Preschool For All (PFA), compared to those who did not, especially among prioritized groups. Read the new IWERC report to learn more about early childhood experiences in Illinois. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/kindergarten... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 03/09/2026A new report by the Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership looks at what employers, recruiters, and other workforce intermediaries say about the skills artists bring to a variety of fields. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/illinois-cre... 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Preschool For All successfully enrolled its priority students - those who are FRPL-eligible, are English Learners, or have an IEP - at higher rates. Read the new IWERC report to learn more about early childhood experiences in Illinois. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/kindergarten... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 01/09/2026What do employers, recruiters, and other workforce intermediaries say about the skills artists bring to a range of industries? Find out in a new report by the Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/illinois-cre... 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 31/08/2026New report out today! Learn what employers say about the skills artists bring to the workplace, the challenges employers or recruiters might face in hiring them, and the mindset shifts that are needed for people to engage this segment of the workforce. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/illinois-cre... 011
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Enrollment in Preschool For All (PFA) increased nearly 10% between 2015-16 and 2019-20, led by PFA-Expansion, before dipping at the onset of the pandemic, and then partly recovering in SY2021-22. Read our report to learn more about early childhood experiences in Illinois. go.illinois.edu/KIDS 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 27/08/2026ISBE’s Prevention Initiative programs for children aged birth to three served nearly twice as many families in 2018-19, compared to the previous year, but the number gradually declined afterwards. Read the new IWERC report to learn more: go.illinois.edu/KIDS 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 26/08/2026New report! In the third installment of our series on kindergarten readiness in Illinois, we describe the expansion and availability of early childhood programs in Illinois and examine how these relate to student outcomes in kindergarten and beyond. go.illinois.edu/KIDS 011
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 24/08/2026How is job quality measured and how do these measures align with research on creative worker conditions? Read the new report by the Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership to find out. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/files/2026/0... 011
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 21/08/2026What knowledge gaps need to be filled to improve arts labor conditions? Read the new report by the Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership to find out. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/files/2026/0... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 20/08/2026What measures can we use to understand and improve creative worker conditions? The new report by the Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership raises this and other questions about job quality and arts jobs. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/files/2026/0... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 19/08/2026How does what we know about creative work align with current job quality benchmarks? Read the new report by the Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership to find out. iwerc.education.illinois.edu/files/2026/0... 012
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Today we focus on building workforce capacity to support multilingual learners in Illinois early childhood settings, from our new report created in partnership with @latinopolicyforum.org and 13 community-based childcare organizations. Read more at go.illinois.edu/ECE_ML 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 28/07/2026There is still time to make your voice heard about the state's new attainment goal! There are six sessions coming up in August/September. For more information and to RSVP, see www.ibhe.org/AttainmentWG... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 27/07/2026We are continuing to elevate our new report on multilingual learners in Illinois early childhood settings, from a partnership with @latinopolicyforum.org and 13 community-based childcare organizations. Today's focus is instructional practices. Read more at go.illinois.edu/ECE_ML 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Over the next week, we'll be uplifting findings from our new report on multilingual learners in Illinois early childhood settings, derived from a partnership with @latinopolicyforum.org and 13 community-based childcare organizations. Read more at go.illinois.edu/ECE_ML 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 17/07/2026This week, IWERC helped gather and synthesize feedback in Galesburg and Bloomington/Normal about the state's new postsecondary attainment goal. These conversations are shaping how the state's working group defines credentials of value and measures successful attainment of those credentials. 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 29/06/2026IWERC's director Meg Bates chaired a panel discussion at the Early Childhood Research Alliance of Chicago (EC*REACH) conference on early childhood workforce. The panel featured initiatives related to training, mentorship, and professional learning. 110
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Yesterday, Latino Policy Forum and IWERC held an event to discuss research and policy related to multilingual learners in early childhood. We shared findings from our work with 13 childcare organizations on improving identification and services to young multilingual children. 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 16/06/2026The Dual Language listening tour continues, with recent stops in DeKalb and Lombard. IWERC is honored to support Illinois State Board of Education in this important work, and there's still time to give your feedback! Two stops left: Chicago and Virtual. Learn more here: www.isbe.net/Pages/Dual-L... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 12/06/2026The IWERC team was honored to present our research on equity in CS education and economic outcomes to City Colleges of Chicago's Tech Advisory Council meeting on Industry Trends. IWERC has been closely following the work City Colleges has been doing around workforce equity and alignment in tech. 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 11/06/2026Congrats to IWERC’s Stephanie Werner and Ying Chen on receiving an exemplary paper award from the ACM RESPECT Conference! Their paper explored how to measure equity in CS using statewide data. Read the paper here: dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 27/05/2026The IWERC team has been traveling the state to support Illinois State Board of Education in the development of Dual Language guidance. IWERC is supporting the synthesis of stakeholder feedback on draft guidance. To learn more about the plan, see www.isbe.net/Pages/Dual-L... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 20/05/2026IWERC's Shereen Oca Beilstein and Meg Bates presented evaluation findings at Illinois State Board of Education's Teacher Vacancy Grant summit yesterday in Springfield. The IWERC team enjoyed hearing from school leaders and ISBE staff about their lessons learned from the program. 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 04/05/2026IWERC's team participated in a recent meeting of the Illinois Higher Education Futures Table. We shared different ways of measuring credentials of value and received valuable feedback on how higher education leaders think about value in their work with students and surrounding communities. 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 01/05/2026IWERC was proud to co-host an event with Institute for Racial Justice, Loyola University Chicago on Black Student Success in Illinois. This convening engaged diverse stakeholders in discussing Black student experiences from cradle to career. Learn more here: go.illinois.edu/BlackStudentSuccess 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 14/04/2026IWERC's director is presenting today at the PFA/PFAE administrators conference hosted by Early Childhood Professional Learning (ECPL) and Illinois State Board of Education. She will share IWERC's synthesis of early childhood workforce research around quality, compensation, and working conditions. 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 27/03/2026The IWERC team has been traveling the state to support Illinois State Board of Education in gathering feedback to revise the Illinois Comprehensive Numeracy Plan. It is a great privilege to visit schools and communities across Illinois. Learn more about the plan here: www.isbe.net/Pages/Illino... 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 25/03/2026Yesterday, IWERC co-hosted an event on the Illinois Creative Workforce. This event brought artists, educators, researchers, and policymakers together to consider how to uplift the creative work that brings in $30B to our state economy and generates countless intangible benefits for our residents. 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 23/03/2026The IWERC team was out in force at the @aefpweb.bsky.social conference in Chicago. We shared findings and reflections on attendance, teacher shortages, career development opportunities, rural higher education, dual credit, early childhood research/policy, and more. 011
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 18/03/2026ICYMI: Findings from our new kindergarten readiness brief. Read more here: ws.engr.illinois.edu/sitemanager/... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 16/03/2026The IWERC team will be presenting this week at the @aefpweb.bsky.social meeting in Chicago! Come join us at the events below (all at Swissôtel Chicago). 034
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 13/03/2026ICYMI: IWERC researchers Jazz & Ying joined Township High School District 214 for its IT Pathway Reboot Convening, bringing together national and local employers, industry leaders, researchers, and education partners to discuss how to strengthen technology pathways in the district. 010
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 11/03/2026ICYMI: IWERC recently released a qualitative evaluation of the Teacher Vacancy Grant. Read the full report here: go.illinois.edu/teachervacan... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 09/03/2026On Friday, IWERC & the Kersten Institute for Urban Education co-hosted an event on student attendance. We were honored to bring together over 200 participants to build connections across sectors and learn from students, educators, policymakers, and researchers on this important issue. 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 06/03/2026Findings from IWERC’s qualitative evaluation of the Teacher Vacancy Grant indicate that program-participating districts plan to prioritize effective recruitment and retention efforts upon grant completion. Visit go.illinois.edu/teachervacan... 000
Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative @iwerc.bsky.social · 05/03/2026Districts participating in the Teacher Vacancy Grant devised plans to reduce teaching vacancies based on staffing needs and local contexts. Our new report features the experiences of nine participating districts. Visit go.illinois.edu/teachervacan... 000