The Mahomet-Seymour board of education will vote on resolution to supporting Vision 2030, a statewide educational initiative to to reshape public education in the state through three core initiatives: future-focused learning, shared accountability, and predictable funding, on Jan. 21. 

Vision 2030 is supported by Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Principals Association, Illinois Association of School Business Officials, Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, Superintendents’ Commission, The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools, and The Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Educators.

The strategy proposes overhauling Illinois’ standardized testing system to ensure assessments provide timely, relevant insights into student growth and proficiency. It also aims to broaden the recruitment of educators, safeguard the robustness and allocation of funds under the state’s evidence-based funding model, and modify pension schemes to bolster public education further.

The Vision 2030 document outlines a comprehensive plan to enhance public education in Illinois, focusing on three main priorities for the next decade: future-focused learning, shared accountability, and predictable funding.

Future-Focused Learning

Vision 2030 emphasizes “future-focused learning” to adapt education to the evolving global economy and technological advancements. Key aspects include:

• Encouraging early college and career exploration through expanded partnerships with higher education and local businesses.
• Promoting curriculum and instructional flexibility to address local community needs.
• Attracting and retaining a high-quality and diverse educator pipeline by developing flexible certification pathways and innovative professional development opportunities.

Shared Accountability

For “shared accountability,” Vision 2030 proposes reforms to make assessments and accountability systems more reflective of student growth and proficiency over time. The goals include:

• Reforming the Illinois assessment system to provide real-time data to teachers.
• Modifying school ratings to focus on growth and proficiency, rather than just annual test scores.
• Establishing a more holistic view of student success that goes beyond test scores to include measures of well-being and engagement.

Predictable Funding

Finally, “predictable funding” aims to ensure sustained and equitable financial support for schools. This involves:

• Protecting and enhancing the state’s evidence-based funding formula.
• Addressing pension reforms and other long-term financial obligations.
• Increasing financial flexibility for school districts to meet local needs, including capital improvements and safety enhancements.

Vision 2030 is an expansion on Vision 2020, which provided the Evidence-Based Funding model, which allocates a minimum of $350 million in annual Evidence-Based Funding to districts.