JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

Increasing Shared Commitment through the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework

Event Information 

ISAC held the first annual Illinois PaCE Symposium on Thursday, April 21, 2022! This event provided educators with knowledge and skills to collaborate and advance postsecondary and career readiness efforts through the Illinois PaCE Framework.

The PaCE Symposium provided an opportunity for schools and organizations to share how they are using a PaCE Framework to strengthen postsecondary readiness efforts, implementing an Illinois PaCE or customized PaCE Framework, and hear updates on recent legislation and efforts towards PaCE & College and Career Readiness Indicators.

If you are interested in attending next year’s PaCE Symposium, revisit this page in February 2023 for more information! To receive the latest updates about ISAC and PaCE, subscribe to ISAC’S e-Messaging service, if you have not done so already.

Recordings

To access a recorded session, click on the plus sign (+) on the left side of the agenda, and view as your schedule permits.

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.: Welcome to the 2022 PaCE Symposium

We invite everyone to join us in launching the first annual PaCE Symposium! We will welcome participants with a brief background of Illinois PaCE, exciting updates, and tips to navigate the Illinois PaCE Symposium. This session will highlight the importance of adopting a framework to best prepare your students for life after high school and our newest PaCE resource – the PaCE Guide!

Speakers:
Jasmine Jetton-Gonzales, Capacity Development Coordinator, Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
Ana Moya, Professional Development Specialist, Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
Eddie Brambila, Director of Capacity Development and Training, Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)

pdf Welcome to the 2022 Illinois PaCE Symposium

10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.: Breakout Sessions 1

Session 1A

Orientation to the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework

We invite educators who are beginning to learn about the Illinois PaCE Framework to join this session to orient themselves with the foundation of the framework. During the session attendees will be provided with an overview of the IL PaCE Framework, support options, resources available, and how to get started with supporting students through a framework.

Speaker:
Dada Ibrahimovic, Professional Development Specialist, Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)

pdf Orientation to the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework



Session 1B

Leveraging Partnerships: High School, Area Career Center, and Education for Employment System

Implementing the On PaCE To Thrive framework requires partnership. Schools, especially small and rural schools, cannot implement the framework alone. Learn how Sandwich High School, and other Indian Valley Vocational Center (IVVC) sending high schools, are leveraging their participation in an Area Career Center (IVVC) and their membership in an Education for Employment System or CTE System (VALEES) to maximize opportunities for students to meet PaCE benchmarks. Examples of joint regional efforts to support PaCE including career roundtable breakfasts, college and career fairs, career exploration events, and much more will be shared.

Speakers:
Cassie Blickem, Director, Valley Education for Employment Systems (VALEES)
Laura Edwards, Assistant Director, Indian Valley Vocational Center (IVVC)
Jennifer Docherty, Counselor, Sandwich High School
Ashley Norton, Counselor, Sandwich High School

pdf Leveraging Partnerships: High School, Area Career Center, and Education for Employment System



Session 1C

Career Spark-JA Inspire: Collaborating with Employers to Help Educators Meet PaCE Framework Objectives Through an Interactive Work and Career Readiness Learning Experience

In this session, we will share how a central IL in-person and virtual learning experience centered around a career expo is helping educators meet PaCE Framework objectives for grades 8-12 and helping employers promote high growth, high demand careers in the region. An overview will be presented as well as measurable outcomes from the past 5 years of the program, best practices, and lessons learned.

Speakers:
Angie Houck, Program Director, Junior Achievement of Central Illinois
Mary Pille, President, Junior Achievement of Central Illinois

pdf CareerSpark-JA Inspire

11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.: Breakout Sessions 2

Session 2A

Aligning Your Acronym PaCE Crosswalk to CCRI

Connect the benchmarks from the On PaCE to Thrive framework to the Illinois State Board of Education required College and Career Readiness Indicator data collection. See the connections between the two and align your support of student career development to meet both. The first half of the presentation will focus on a crosswalk from the On PaCE to Thrive framework to the CCRI data collection. The second half of the presentation will feature a panel of four CTE System Directors sharing how their offices support the regional implementation of PaCE and CCRI.

Speakers:
Cassie Blickem, Director, Valley Education for Employment Systems (VALEES)
Nancy Awdziejczyk, Executive Director, Northwest Educational Council for Student Success
Amy Romito Kastory, Executive Director, NSERVE
Kaleb Smith, Director, Madison County CTE System

pdf Aligning Your Acronyms: PaCE Crosswalk to CCRI



Session 2B

Setting Your PaCE

This session illustrates how Evanston Township High School used PaCE to guide the structure and growth of post-high school planning programming for all pathways.

Speakers:
Beth Arey, College and Career Coordinator, Evanston Township High School
Michelle Vazquez, Post-Secondary Counselor, Evanston Township High School

pdf Setting Your PaCE

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.: Supports for Students Driven by State Policy

This session will highlight how the PaCE Framework fits into the broader Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act (PWR) of 2016 and can be leveraged to support students to meet College and Career Readiness Indicator (CCRI) that is part of Illinois’ ESSA School Quality framework. The session with begin with an overview of the PWR Act, which takes a student-based and competency-based approach to helping students achieve college and career readiness. Attendees will also learn about the CCRI, a multiple measures approach to student college and career readiness, and how it was designed in close alignment to the Illinois PaCE Framework to enhance the supports provided to students to be college and career ready. Participants will learn how the PWR frameworks, especially PaCE, can help them best support students to be college and career ready and meet the CCRI.

Speakers:
Heather Taylor, School Counseling Principal Consultant, Illinois State Board of Education
Education Systems Center at NIU

pdf Supports for Students Driven by State Policy

2:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.: Let’s Network to Stay in Touch

Come join us for some fun activities to unwind from a day of learning! This session will provide an opportunity to network and hold informal conversations between other educators. Attendees will have the opportunity to further collaborate and connect on initiatives occurring within their communities.

This session was not recorded to encourage participants to feel comfortable to engage.