January/February 2026

Feature Articles

• What Board Members Need to Know About The New Standard for Student Proficiency

  By John Gatta, Ph.D.

  Discover what school board members need to know about Illinois' New Standards for Student Proficiency with John Gatta, Ph.D., from ECRA Group. 

Regular Features

• Advocacy Angle: State and Federal Funding:: Priorities are in Order

  By Sarah Miller

  While this support of EBF must contin­ue, Illinois districts have become increasingly concerned about the insufficiency of other critical K-12 state funding sources that fall out­side of EBF. 

• Leadership Letter: Leading with Data: Turning Information into Impact

  By Kimberly Small, J.D.

  What is the key to navigating today's school board and district challenges effectively? Data.

• On Outreach & Training: Tiny Moments of Connection

  By Laura Martinez

  Boards that know each other better work better together ... Knowing where people are coming from and wanting to learn about each other helps build trust.