Held every year by the Illinois State Board of Education, the Career Connections Conference will be taking place April 25th.

Educational leaders in Career & Technical Education are connecting virtually this year to focus on best practices for student equity, accessibility, integration of core academics with CTE courses, and community outreach through partnerships.

It is not too late to register for the conference. "Join us to hear their successes and insights, engage with other CTE educators and industry partners, and learn how to reshape the narrative of what career and technical education can look like for all of your students."

View the conference schedule on the Career Connections site and register for the conference. 

ISBE TO HOLD REGIONAL MEETINGS WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ABOUT CTE STANDARDS

Educational leaders at all levels see the advancement of Career and Technical Education (CTE) as a high priority for students in middle school, high school, and in the full range of postsecondary institutions. As part of these efforts, ISBE is developing Illinois' first set of statewide student learning standards for CTE instruction. The CTE standards will provide broad targets for school districts to develop their local CTE curriculum and provide a focus to teachers in creating student learning opportunities. 

ISBE is planning regional meetings to gather feedback from professionals across a wide range of industries on the knowledge and skills that students need to be successful as they move into our current and future workplaces.

• April 15 - 9 a.m. — Mount Vernon Airport
• April 18 - 1 p.m. — Heartland Community College
• April 19 - 10.30 a.m. — Elgin Community College
• April 22 – 9 a.m. — Virtual (Zoom information will be sent to registered participants April 21.)

Registration is free and open to individuals across all industries and professions.

The results of these meetings will be used by educators across Illinois in June to engage in similar activities pertaining to the CTE standards. We hope to have a large turnout to support these efforts and ensure that our educational outcomes are on target for our students, so please share this information with colleagues.

Be sure to follow the Illinois workNet Event Calendar for upcoming events: 

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