Below are upcoming opportunities to explore.

Why Developmentally Appropriate Practices impact student outcomes  Are you looking for ways to improve your student and program outcomes? Learn about Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) guidelines for effective teachers. Understand how DAP strengthens the birth-to-third grade system. Review the value of these practices and their alignment with Preschool for All (PFA) and Preschool for All Expansion (PFAE) programs.  The Birth-to-Third Grade Continuity Project is hosting a webinar about “Why Developmentally Appropriate Practices Impact Student Outcomes” from 3-4 p.m. Thursday, December 7, 2017.

Prevention Initiative RFP  The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Prevention Initiative (PI) program for FY2019. The RFP must be submitted by 4 p.m. February 9. Please note the FY2019 PI RFP is not available for electronic submission in the IWAS system. Eligible applicants must submit an Intent to Apply before submitting an application. Applicants proposing to provide services for children and families within the Chicago city limits must apply for funds through Chicago Public Schools. Please check the ISBE RFP page regularly for resources, including the RFP rubric  and updates. A Bidders Webinar is forthcoming. Questions should be directed to the Early Childhood Division of ISBE at (217) 524-4835 or emailed.

National Board Resource Center (NBRC) Professional Development Opportunity The NBRC is seeking administrators interested in a research-based ongoing professional development opportunity. There are currently 40 National Board Professional Development Schools in Illinois led by administrator leaders. The NBRC is expanding this program to include an additional 25 schools/districts to take part in this opportunity during the 2018-19 school year. This program is school based and includes several research-based instructional strategies that focus on implementing effective teaching approaches that nurture critical thinking. Application deadline is March 26, 2018. Call Debra Kasperski at (309) 438-1833 for more information or to set up an appointment.

Seeking Feedback on Agriculture Education Programs  The Illinois State Board of Education is seeking your opinions regarding agriculture education programs within your district. Your responses will provide key feedback to the state’s Agriculture Education Shortage task force and help inform its recommendations to the State Board. Please take time to complete the 10-question survey. Estimated completion time is less than three minutes. Please complete the survey on or before December 7.

Seeking Educator Feedback on College and Career Pathway Endorsement Competencies Feedback is being sought on draft competencies for College and Career Pathway Endorsements as part of the effort to implement the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. These competencies were developed by public-private committees in four areas: Finance and Business Services, Health Sciences, Information Technology, and Manufacturing and Engineering. The competency-mapping process will be extended to additional sectors starting in the spring. Feedback collected via this survey will be incorporated into edits and evaluation of the drafted statement, and educator voices are essential.  The survey is open until January 15. Please feel free to share the survey with colleagues and networks. Please contact Andrea Messing-Mathie at amessingmathie@niu.edu or Leah Moschella at lmoschella@jff.org with any questions.

Call for Evaluators – Early Childhood Request for Proposals: Prevention Initiative (PI) Birth to Age 3, Preschool for All (PFA) Ages 3-5, Preschool for All Expansion Model (PFAE) State  To apply, complete this survey. In submitting this application you are volunteering time and expertise to complete the evaluation of approximately 10 to 20 proposals.​ Questions may be forwarded to the Early Childhood Division at earlychi@isbe.net​.​

ESSA Fiscal Transparency: Whats and Whys of Per Pupil Funding & the New Reporting Requirement  Join AASA for a free webinar on the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) fiscal transparency reporting requirement, and what it means for school districts and the students they serve. Jonathan Travers of ERS Strategies and Ary Amerikaner, the director of P-12 resource equity at EdTrust, will walk participants through what the requirement entails, what it will mean for state and district leaders and things for districts to consider as they share this information with their communities.