What is the Consortium For Educational Change?
The Consortium for Educational Change (CEC) is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Illinois Education Association that works with teachers, school and district administrators, school boards and unions to improve student learning and achievement. CEC was founded in 1987 and has over 80 district members. To become a CEC member, district superintendent, board president and teachers’ union president must all agree to work together to improve student learning and achievement.
What does CEC do?
- Fosters continuous learning and improvement through evidence-based best practices
- Facilitates purposeful collaboration with school boards, administration and teachers unions
- Disseminates learning and proven best practices
What are the CEC’s Areas of Service?
System Assessment and Visioning
A system assessment provides a data-based analysis by a cross-functional team of inside stakeholders and outside experts of district or school policies, practices, and procedures using a continuous improvement framework. Through the visioning process, CEC facilitates the development of plans that help schools, districts and unions understand where they are, where they need to go, and what it will take to get there.
Standards-based Instruction and Assessment
CEC works with schools and districts to align standards, curricula, learning targets, assessments and interventions across schools, classrooms and grade levels.
Effective Professional Practice
CEC provides planning, training and support for new teacher and school leader induction and mentoring, teacher and principal evaluation, and targeted professional development.
Transforming Low-Performing Schools and Districts
CEC works with low-performing schools and districts to accelerate student learning and achievement through improved teacher practice, shared leadership, and consistent accountability for meeting clear performance targets. CEC also works with the district anchors--administration, board and teachers union and the community --to develop the capacity necessary to sustain transformation.
Union Reform
CEC helps local and state teachers unions expand their orientation from traditional industrial concerns to include a focus on improving the quality of teaching and obtaining equity for students through active engagement in the community.
Who are the Consortium For Eductional Change's staff and partners?
CEC consultants and trainers are teachers, principals, superintendents and union leaders who have been successful advancing evidence-based, collaborative change in schools, districts and unions. CEC has formal partnerships with other organizations including the Danielson Group, the New Teacher Center, Dolan and Associates, QLD Lerning and National-Louis University.
