Career-focused education, customized student achievement metrics and funding public education are among some of the big-picture concepts encapsulated in a recently unveiled long-range planning document.
Vision 2030 was assembled with input from administrators and board of education members across Illinois — including two within Naperville School District 203.
Navigating a post-pandemic environment
Several years have passed since pandemic-related lockdowns were lifted in schools, and the public education environment has returned to normal. But educators have frequently stated COVID-19 had a measurable impact on the learning environment.
“In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape of public education has changed, presenting challenges for districts and boards of education that focus on their governance and fiduciary responsibilities,” Superintendent Dan Bridges said as he discussed the foundation of Vision 2030 at a board of education meeting on Monday, Dec. 16.
Bridges was among the participants that helped craft the goals and statements articulated within Vision 2030. He was a representative within the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA). District 203 board member Kristin Fitzgerald also was a participant, representing the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB).
“I felt very happy that our district was able to be represented,” Fitzgerald said. “The dialogue was comprehensive, and I feel like there were efforts by everyone in the group to really take a look at where we’re trying to go, which I think we sometimes don’t have time to think through. We’re too busy working on the present.”
What’s in the planning document
Vision 2030 has a number of goals and objectives wrapped up within it, all around the theme of, as the document states, “fulfilling the promise of public education in Illinois.”
At its core, it centers around four concepts:
- Keeping students safe
- Keeping high-quality educators in front of students
- Enhancing post-secondary success
- Improving measurement of what is working
The concepts are rolled into recommendations that could be presented to state lawmakers in the upcoming legislative cycle — particularly in the areas of student assessments and state funding for public education.
Bridges said the concepts incorporated into Vision 2030 were the result of a series of meetings that initially took place in October of 2023.
“This policy framework is the culmination of multiple in-person sessions and a statewide engagement effort that included input from more than 1,000 stakeholders, ranging from the southern tip of Illinois through the northern Chicago suburbs,” Bridges said.
District 203 Board to vote on Jan. 7
The District 203 board had a preliminary discussion of Vision 2030 at the Dec. 16 meeting. The board is slated to vote on a resolution that will put the district on record in support of Vision 2030 at the upcoming meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Based on preliminary comments, the board appeared to be in support of the document.
Board member Amanda McMillen said she was grateful District 203 representatives were a part of the visioning process for the new statewide plan.
“It speaks a lot to the respect of this district and the community,” McMillen said. “I also was really proud of the fact that it seemed like a lot of the things they are setting forward we’re already doing. I felt like that already confirmed a lot of the innovation this administrative team is really pushing forward as the pulse of the future of what education is supposed to be.”
Fitzgerald said she is hopeful widespread adoption of Vision 2030 will lead to conversations to improve public education across Illinois.
“It’s something that we’re hoping our legislative body welcomes,” Fitzgerald said. “I expect that there will be collaboration through the process, to look at ways where we can, both legislatively and by administrative action, have fruit that comes from this.”
Speaking specifically to District 203, Fitzgerald said, “I am thrilled to support this. I’m glad that we’re one of the first boards to put a resolution forward.”
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