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SEPTEMBER 3, 2025
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Governor JB Pritzker joined Dr. Tony Sanders to celebrate the start of the 2025-26 school year with students and staff at Wagoner Elementary School in Community Consolidated Schools District 168 in Sauk Village.
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Dear Colleagues:
It’s official! Labor Day has come and gone, meaning all Illinois public schools are open and serving kids. Nothing competes with back-to-school energy! It’s infectious. We all love the smiles we see on the faces of students as they enter our classrooms. We feed off the energy of back-to-school events, like curriculum nights and ice cream socials.
How do we harness that energy and keep it going throughout the school year? What practices could we consider implementing to ensure that every student feels a sense of belonging when they enter our schools?
There are many reasons students don’t make it to school, and a new law created the Illinois Chronic Absence Task Force will work over the next year to identify strategies to tackle this problem. We look forward to engaging with this committee on this important work. The task force will submit a final report to the General Assembly by Dec. 15, 2027.
Other significant initiatives that educators should anticipate this year:
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Illinois is preparing for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation on July 4, 2026. Watch for art contests and other opportunities to uplift this celebration in your classrooms throughout the school year.
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Our Comprehensive Literacy Plan continues to be implemented. Literacy is key to student success. All districts and schools need to be working to align their curriculum and instructional practices to the plan.
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We also continue our work to finalize a Comprehensive Numeracy Plan. Stay tuned for more information throughout the school year.
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One of the benefits of undergoing our recent changes to our assessment system is the new Performance Level Descriptors. The power of these descriptors for teachers cannot be overstated. I encourage teachers to dig into the PLDs – aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards by grade level and subject – because these PLDs really give you a picture of what students will need to know or be able to do to be proficient.
As I’ve done in the past, I try to be as visible in schools as possible. I want to thank all the schools who have hosted me thus far this school year, including Rotolo Middle School in Batavia Public School District 101; Congress Park Elementary, Cossitt Elementary, and Park Junior High in La Grange School District 102; Riverside-Brookfield High Township SD 208; and Wagoner Elementary School in Sauk Village CCSD 168. I also want to thank Governor Pritzker for joining me for the visit to Wagoner!
This year, I have also begun putting my collection of T-shirts from Illinois schools on display by wearing one every Tuesday and posting a photo of it online with the hashtag #TshirtTuesday. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, on X at @TonySandersSupt, or LinkedIn.
On a final and more serious note, let me take this moment to re-emphasize that all students deserve the comfort of knowing that they belong in our schools – without fear. Public schools should be safe havens, and parents should be assured that their children will be protected while in our care. With talk of additional immigration raids and potential deployment of our National Guard, I strongly encourage all administrators to refresh yourselves and your staff with our Non-Regulatory Guidance on Immigration Enforcement Actions. I encourage you to share publicly available resources, such as the “know your rights” materials provided by Illinois Immigration Information, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, with families who have concerns about sending their children to school.
I am truly looking forward to another year of serving Illinois students, their families, teachers, administrators, and educational support personnel.
All my best,
Tony
Dr. Tony Sanders
State Superintendent of Education
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DATA STRATEGIES & ANALYTICS
2025 Report Card Overview Webinar
Join us for the 2025 Report Card Overview webinar from 10-11:30 a.m. Oct. 2. ISBE staff will review all new elements on the 2025 Report Card and walk through the Educator Preview tool. Additionally, staff will answer any questions regarding abnormal-looking data and any other questions you may have. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the ISBE Data Strategies & Analytics Webinars webpage. Register for the 2025 Report Card Overview Webinar.
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FINANCE
Quartile Rankings for FY 2026 Administrative Costs Now Available
Quartile rankings for the fiscal year 2026 Limitation of Administrative Costs Worksheet have been completed and can be found on ISBE’s Limitation of Administrative Costs page.
School districts with administrative expenditures in the 25th percentile or below (commonly called the 4th quartile), may waive the limitation following a public hearing and with the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the school board. An eligible district that realizes that its Limitation of Administrative Costs budgeted for FY 2026 is going to increase by more than 5 percent can plan to hold a hearing to waive the limitation on the same day as the hearing to adopt the FY 2026 budget, and approve the waiver at that same meeting. Alternatively, the district could hold this hearing on the same day as any regularly scheduled or special board meeting. Districts are welcome to use the sample resolution located at the previously referenced webpage for the 4th quartile administrative costs waiver.
Any district waiving the limitation must notify ISBE within 45 days, which can be done by sending a copy of the approved and signed board resolution as an email attachment to finance1@isbe.net.
Please contact Christy Morgan at 217-785-8779 or cmorgan@isbe.net if you have questions.
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Updated Annual Statement of Affairs Form Available
Significant changes have been made to the Annual Statement of Affairs (ASA) based on Public Act 104-0261. This legislation removes much of the duplicative reporting requirements previously contained in the ASA. The ASA form has been updated to reflect these changes, significantly reducing the amount of information required for the report.
Important notes about the new ASA requirements:
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Several sections were removed from the ASA. Information for the public about where to find the removed content is included on the cover page.
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The ASA is still required to be completed by Dec. 1 each year.
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The ASA is still required to be published in a local newspaper by Dec. 1 each year.
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The ASA is now required to be posted on the school district’s website by Dec. 1 each year.
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Districts do not need to submit the ASA form to ISBE.
The updated form is available on the ISBE Annual Statement of Affairs webpage. Please reach out to your Regional Financial Consultant for assistance with the updated form.
Important Annual Financial Report Submission Changes
ISBE is implementing important changes to financial reporting that will streamline the process for school districts, joint agreements, and regional offices of education. Please visit the Annual Financial Report (AFR) webpage for complete details.
Auditors
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Submit the AFR as normal through the School District Financial Reports System accessed through IWAS.
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Auditors no longer are required to upload a signed copy of the Auditor’s Questionnaire.
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If any AFRs for districts or joint agreements will be submitted after Oct. 15, auditors are asked to please provide ISBE with a list of impacted entities and approximate submission dates by emailing finance1@isbe.net.
Regional Superintendents/Executive Directors
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Regional superintendents no longer need to send completed AFRs to ISBE.
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Regional superintendents may prefer to receive the AFR through either paper submissions or email submissions. If regional superintendents have a preference, they should inform their districts.
District Superintendents/Joint Agreement Directors
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Superintendents and directors must digitally “sign” the AFR through a new AFR Confirmation System within the School District Financial Reports System accessed through IWAS.
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Superintendents must upload the Limitation of Administrative Costs Worksheet into this system.
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For districts and joint agreements with findings on the Auditor’s Questionnaire, a corrective action plan is required and must also be uploaded. A template is available.
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Please review the Annual Financial Report webpage and the AFR Confirmation system instructions for complete details.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: The AFR submission in not complete until the superintendent/director has completed the steps in the AFR Confirmation System. Please complete these steps within 10 days of receiving the AFR.
Contact finance1@isbe.net, 217-785-8779, or your Regional Financial Consultant with any questions.
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
DoIT Offers CrowdStrike Licenses for Illinois Public School Districts
The Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) is expanding their grant-funded initiative aimed at strengthening the cybersecurity posture of local units of government to include K-12 public school districts. DoIT is now able to provide CrowdStrike licenses at no cost to eligible districts, using funds from the federal State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. This program, managed by DoIT's Security Office, is designed to help you secure and protect your most critical infrastructure and services, with a particular focus on ransomware protection.
Why is this program important? In today's evolving threat landscape, safeguarding your district's vital systems is a priority. While the number of licenses is currently limited, this program prioritizes the security of your most critical servers and essential services, ensuring a defense against sophisticated cyber threats. It will not cover all endpoints within a district's network at this time.
What do districts receive?
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Exposure Management Support
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24x7x365 Threat Monitoring
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Live Support from DoIT’s Security Operations Center
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Proactive Threat Alerts
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No Cost to the District
Want more information? Districts interested in leveraging this resource should contact the DoIT Security Office’s Cyber Navigators team at DoIT.SLCGPinfo@illinois.gov.
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WELLNESS & STUDENT CARE
Student Mental Health Days
Public Act 102-0321 allows students to take up to five mental or behavioral health days per school year. A student is not required to provide a medical note and must be given the opportunity to make up any schoolwork missed during such absences. More information can be found under the “Legislation and Rules” section on ISBE’s Mental Health webpage.
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CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Save the Date - ISBE Career Connections Conference
Mark your calendars! The 2026 ISBE Career Connections Conference, "Ignite Learning: Spark Success in CTE," is set for May 5-6, 2026, at the Bone Student Center on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal. This event will bring together educators, administrators, and industry partners for a jam-packed two days of learning and networking with CTE professionals around the state of Illinois. More details about conference sessions, speakers, and registration will be shared in the coming months. Stay tuned!
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FINANCE
Deadline to File School Treasurer Bond Affidavit Sept. 1
Section 3-8 (105 ILCS 5/3-8) and Section 8-2 (105 ILCS 5/8-2) of the Illinois School Code require regional superintendents of schools to file a yearly affidavit with ISBE showing which treasurers of school districts in their region are properly bonded. This affidavit must be filed before Sept. 1. Please note: Copies of the actual school treasurer bond should not be filed with ISBE.
Each school district treasurer is required to be properly bonded. The bond shall be payable to the township trustees of schools or payable to the school board of the district, whichever is applicable. Recently passed Public Act 103-0049 requires the penalty of the treasurer bond to be determined by the school board in an amount no less than 10% of the total of all bonds, notes, mortgages, moneys, and effects of which the treasurer is to have custody as measured on the final day of the school district’s most recent fiscal year.
School districts must file the bond with the regional superintendent of schools, not with ISBE. The regional superintendent must carefully examine the bond of any school treasurer after it has been filed. If the bond is found to be according to law and the sureties sufficient, the regional superintendent must endorse his/her approval and file it with the papers of his/her office. If the bond is in any respect defective or if the sureties are insufficient, the bond shall be returned for correction.
For schools in Cook County, the responsibilities and duties of the regional superintendent concerning school treasurer bonds and the required affidavit filing will be assumed by the respective Intermediate Service Center.
An electronic version of the affidavit and other information can be found on the School Treasurer Bond webpage. For more information or questions, please contact Christy Morgan at 217-785-8779 or cmorgan@isbe.net.
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TEACHING & LEARNING
Educator Evaluation Training
Section 24A-3 of the School Code requires that an individual who conducts evaluations of teachers, principals, or assistant principals be prequalified and participate in a regularly scheduled retraining program, either of which must be developed or approved by ISBE before undertaking any evaluations.
A district that wishes to develop its own retraining program must notify ISBE by July 1 prior to the school year in which evaluators are trained and engage in teacher evaluation. Additional requirements include:
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Type of training to be offered,
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Names of the individuals presenting the training, and
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Date on which the school district-designated trainer completed the "train-the-trainers" program offered by, or on behalf of, ISBE.
Districts that wish to offer their own retraining for evaluations conducted during the 2025-26 school year and that indicated the desire to do so to ISBE prior to June 30, 2025, or districts that may wish to develop and implement their own retraining program for teacher evaluations conducted in the 2026-27 school year should contact Jason Helfer no later than May 1, 2026.
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IN BRIEF
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Educator Opportunities
Illinois Association of Title Directors Fall Conference
The IATD Fall 2025 Conference is a must-attend event for Illinois Title Administrators and program leaders. Get ready for a conference filled with helpful workshops and networking opportunities. The in-person event will take place Sept. 22-24 in Springfield. Don't miss out on the chance to connect with fellow practitioners and expand your knowledge. Register for the Illinois Association of Title Directors Fall 2025 Conference via Eventbrite.
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Ed Leaders Network
Rethinking School Lunch: A Principal’s Guide to Fresh Food
3 p.m. Sept. 9
Want to serve up better meals without overhauling your whole cafeteria? Presenter Greg Christian will share practical, proven ways school leaders are introducing fresher, healthier meals. Walk away with easy wins and real-life examples you can put into action right away.
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Resilience & Technology: Leading Through Change
3 p.m. Sept. 16
This interactive session, led by Barbara Applebaum at The Social Institute, will explore how education leaders have adapted to past technology shifts and provide practical strategies for tackling today’s digital challenges, from AI in student work to misinformation and evolving school policies. Through real-world examples, engaging discussions, and hands-on activities, attendees will strengthen their leadership skills and ensure their school’s approach to technology remains proactive, not reactive.
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Illinois Green Schools Project
Registration is now open for the 2025–26 Illinois Green Schools Project, a program from the Illinois Green Alliance that helps schools lead hands-on sustainability projects with students and staff. Schools are paired with a sustainability mentor, receive resources and support, and can apply for up to $1,000 in mini-grant funding. Registration is open through Sept. 26, but the sooner schools sign up, the sooner they can get started. Learn more and register your school for the Illinois Green Schools Project.
Illinois Education and Technology Conference
The 30th Anniversary Illinois Education and Technology Conference (IETC) is Nov. 12-14. This premier event brings together superintendents, district and school leaders, technology directors, IT staff, instructional coaches, and classroom educators for three days of learning, collaboration, and networking.
Explore over 200 sessions — including dozens focused on AI in education — plus inspiring keynote speakers, hands-on workshops, and opportunities to connect directly with edtech vendors. Register for the Illinois Education and Technology Conference.
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Student Opportunities
Applications for the U.S. Senate Youth Program Now Open
The United States Senate Youth Program is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school seniors and juniors interested in pursuing careers in public service.
Two student delegates and a first and second alternate will be designated by the chief school officer from each state, the District of Columbia, and Department of Defense Education Activity by Dec. 1. The students will meet their peers from across the nation, be immersed in a premier leadership experience, and receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship in the name of the U.S. Senate.
The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3. To learn more and download the application, please visit the ISBE United States Senate Youth Program webpage.
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Featured ISBE Career Opportunities
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The Illinois State Board of Education is the State Education Agency for Illinois. Our mission is to provide each and every child with safe and healthy learning conditions, great educators, and equitable opportunities by practicing data-informed stewardship of resources and policy development, all done in partnership with educators, families, and stakeholders.
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