In 2001, Illinois was one of fifteen states across America selected and funded by the Wallace Foundation, in cooperation with the National Council for State Legislatures, National Governors' Association, Education Commission of the States, Council of Chief State School Officers, and National Association of State Boards of Education, to identify and implement recommendations to strengthen education leadership with the potential for improving student learning within the state. This initiative, the Illinois State Action for Education Leadership Project (IL-SAELP), is housed in the Center for the Study of Education Policy.
From July 2001 through December 2003, a comprehensive study of education policy designed to strengthen leadership for learning by local school boards, superintendents, principals, and teacher leaders was conducted by IL-SAELP staff. This work was coordinated under the advisement of the Illinois Consortium for Education Leadership (pdf) (ICEL), a statewide group of leaders from education, business, and government. Based on the results of the study, nearly three dozen recommendations (pdf) were made for state action to strengthen leadership for learning. The recommendations were grounded in a set of eleven leadership for learning principles (pdf) . In April 2004, the Wallace Foundation announced it would continue its support for the second phase of the SAELP project.
During the first phase of IL-SAELP, several school leadership policy briefs and other information item were developed. Click here to view policy briefs and information items developed.
From 2002-2003, IL-SAELP hosted six meetings with its consortia members. Click here to view summaries and agendas from these meetings.
