About Illinois State Board of Education
Koya Partners is partnering with the Office of Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in the search for the State Superintendent of Education.
ISBE sets educational policies and guidelines to advance equity and excellence for all students. The policies and guidelines are for public and private schools, preschool through grade 12, as well as career and technical education. It analyzes the aims, needs and requirements of education and recommends legislation to the Board, General Assembly, and the Office of the Governor for the benefit of the approximately 2 million school children in Illinois.
The agency is guided by a Board that consists of nine members who are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. The Board appoints the State Superintendent, with input from the Office of the Governor, and evaluates the State Superintendent’s effectiveness based on the metrics established in their performance-based contract.
A critical function of state government, ISBE has a multi-faceted mission:
- 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.
- ISBE is driven by the pursuit of 3 main goals guided by the current strategic plan adopted by the Board in 2020. The plan was developed with input from stakeholders throughout the state.
- Student Learning: Every child will make significant academic gains each year, increasing their knowledge, skills, and opportunities so they graduate equipped to pursue a successful future, with the state paying special attention to addressing historic inequities.
- Learning Conditions: All schools will receive the resources necessary to create safe, healthy, and welcoming learning environments, and will be equipped to meet the unique academic and social and emotional needs of each and every child.
- Elevating Educators: Illinois’ diverse student population will have educators who are prepared through multiple pathways and are supported in and celebrated for their efforts to provide each and every child an education that meets their needs.
For more information on ISBE, please visit https://www.isbe.net/
Attributes
A visionary leader with a proven record of experience to promote educational excellence and equity for the students in the state of Illinois. To continue to make Illinois a leader in educational opportunities and outcomes. A commitment to a collaborative approach with the many stakeholders throughout Illinois.
Critical Priorities
Expectations and priorities for the next State Superintendent of Education include, but are not limited to:
- Improving outcomes for all students while focusing on schools designated as comprehensive and targeted support.
- Advancing plans to increase and diversify the number of well-qualified teachers in Illinois, especially in areas of identified shortage, in partnership with various stakeholders, the Illinois P-20 Council, and the Office of the Governor.
- Taking an equity-driven approach to strengthen services, programs, policies, and funding for students.
- Providing oversight to the rules, regulations, policies, programs, School Code, legislation, court rulings, initiatives, services, and organizational structure, under guidance of the Board and in partnership with the Office of the Governor.
- Providing ongoing guidance, leadership and direction to the Board, the Office of the Governor, and all associated parties regarding education policies, rules, procedures, and data.
- Providing leadership to the ongoing development, monitoring and implementation of an equity-driven strategic plan that provides direction and priority to the work of the agency.
- Facilitating partnership between ISBE and other State Agencies that serve children and families to ensure a continuity of care and support, pre-natal through career, including early childhood, community colleges, higher education, and health and human services.
- Developing and implementing programs designed to address specific student areas of social emotional learning such as isolation/restraint, bullying, LGBTQ+, racial inequities and other areas that may affect student well-being.
- Working with Illinois stakeholders, the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and Council for Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to advocate for and influence policy and practices that positively impact Illinois students.
- Overseeing ISBE’s DEI strategy creating alignment and synergy with the Office of the Governor’s DEI strategy for the state.
- Directing the operations and hiring of their leadership team of for the agency. In charge of an agency of approximately 500 staff.
- Partnering with and providing guidance to the 850+ school districts across the State of Illinois.
- Creating and supporting a culture that fosters empathy, understanding, and approachability.
Compensation
The salary for this role is $250,000-$300,000 based on qualifications and experience.
ISBE provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. We actively foster a culture of inclusion and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.
Illinois has an urgent and collective responsibility to achieve educational equity by ensuring that all policies, programs, and practices affirm the strengths that each and every child brings within their diverse backgrounds and life experiences, and by delivering the comprehensive supports, programs, and educational opportunities they need to succeed.
Contact
Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Marissa Delgado and George Theotokatos of Koya Partners will be leading the search process. To express interest in this role please submit your materials here or email directly at ISBE@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
ABOUT KOYA PARTNERS
Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.
