The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act takes a student-centered and competency-based approach to create four strategies to help students prepare for postsecondary and career opportunities: offering a Postsecondary and Career Expectations framework, piloting competency-based high school graduation requirements, supporting students to avoid remediation in college through targeted math instruction during the senior year, and creating a new system for school districts to award college and career pathways endorsements on high school diplomas.
Public Act 99-0674
, was signed into law on July 29, 2016. The Act was amended in 2018 by
Public Act 100-0599.
Help Students become College and Career Ready!
Transitional English
In partnership with the Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Board of Higher Education, and Education Systems Center, ISBE announces the recent adoption of the
Transitional English Course Parameters, Competencies, and Policies document. The design of these course competencies is intended to guide secondary school districts in partnership with local community colleges to implement a transitional English course successfully. Transitional English courses can be used as a fourth-year Language Arts class to meet the state and local high school graduation requirements either as a new course or through the transformation of an existing fourth year English course.
What’s next? This Spring, stage agencies will designate a panel to approve Transitional English courses for statewide portability, and kick-off a workgroup to advise on curriculum and professional development supports. This workgroup will build from materials currently used by sites implementing Transitional English, including recipients of the
ICCB English Pilot Grant awards, to support teachers in aligning their resources with the statewide competencies.
Learn More About Transitional English
In partnership with ISBE, ICCB, and IBHE, the Statewide Advisory Group for Transitional English is convening a group of educators to provide guidance on professional development and curricular resources to support implementation. The Statewide Advisory Group is comprised of secondary and postsecondary representatives to advise on the approach for professional development, curricular resources needed, and a review of materials currently in use by communities implementing Transitional English. Check this space for more information from the group!
An overview webinar of the Statewide Transitional English course parameters, competencies, and policies.
Friday, February 19, 2021
Postsecondary and Career Expectations
The Postsecondary and Career Expectations framework outlines what students should know and actions they should take from middle school through 12
th grade to select the right postsecondary option, prepare for careers, and access financial aid opportunities.
Competency-Based Education Pilot
Competency-based programs assess and advance students based on their demonstrated mastery of skills and knowledge. The competency-based model removes the constraints of “seat time" and allows for student-driven learning inside and outside of the classroom. This approach can make education more relevant both to students and to employers.
Transitional Mathematics
The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act includes a comprehensive model of helping students seamlessly transition from secondary education to postsecondary education and the workforce. The transitional math instruction provides high school students a means to address college readiness in mathematics before high school graduation, enabling students to earn guaranteed placement into college-level math classes at all Illinois community colleges and accepting universities.
College and Career Pathway Endorsement
The PWR Act includes a voluntary process for school districts to award
College and Career Pathway Endorsements to high school graduates. Students earn endorsements by completing an individualized learning plan, a career-focused instructional sequence, and professional learning opportunities. By June 30, 2019, eligible school districts will submit information to offer College and Career Pathway Endorsement programs for 2020 high school graduates.
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