Rock Valley College has a new avenue in assisting at-risk students in gateway courses for CTE pathways. The Supplemental Instruction Program trains students who successfully completed a CTE gateway class to facilitate collaborative study sessions. The SI Program’s non-remedial approach to learning guides students toward completion by combining “What to Learn” with “How to Learn.” Through peer-led group study sessions outside of class, the SI Leader guides students through the most difficult course concepts. Students engage in collaborative group activities that enhance their knowledge of the course content.
Not only are current RVC students benefiting from a free and fun alternative to traditional learning but the RVC SI Leaders are also learning important leadership skills and improving their professional writing abilities. The Supplemental Instruction Program at RVC is a “Win-Win” situation for both the SI Students and the SI Leaders.
Rock Valley College has just completed a third semester of the Supplemental Instruction Program. The SI Program at RVC has been very successful and shows an increase in retention of students in Fall 2019 who attended an SI session in Spring 2019.
As the third largest community college system in the country, Illinois community colleges serve over 600,000 residents each year in credit, noncredit and continuing education courses. The Illinois community college system, made up of 48 colleges, has over 4,265 active, approved CTE programs spanning across all 16 Career Clusters®, which provide high-quality, accessible, cost-effective educational opportunities to the entire state.
To kick off the 2019-2020 academic year, the Illinois Community College Board invites community college administrators, staff, and faculty to a one-day training on processes that foster high-quality programming in career and technical education. Participants will learn about quality program development, the newly revised Program Approval Manual (will be released in August), and continuous quality improvement through processes such as program review. In addition, participants will be provided with resources and will have ample time to network with their peers. For those traveling to Springfield the night of the 9th, a room block will open in the next couple of weeks. More information including an agenda for the workshop will be forthcoming.
A federal grant will allow the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to serve more than 1,600 apprentices in pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs that will lead to employment in the information technology sector.
The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is inviting the 48 Illinois community colleges to apply for the Workforce Equity Initiative. The ICCB will provide grant-funding opportunities in fiscal year 2020 (beginning September 18, 2019) that focuses on improving workforce equity in at-risk communities. Application submissions must be received by September 16, 2019.
Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education Honors Clark for Contributions, Dedication to the Field
JJC hosted Technology Camp for 120 students in grades 6 to 8 this past July. This three-day camp provided students with an innovative, S.T.E.M.-rich experience that gave them an opportunity to explore various career pathways in the technical field. Instruction for the camp was provided by JJC’S Technical department.
With the help of Education Systems Center, Illinois recently achieved a major milestone in its efforts to expand dual credit access and offerings with the adoption of the 
July 1, 2019, marks the beginning of a new era in CTE as states begin to implement Perkins V. The new law gives local leaders greater freedom and flexibility and will provide more students with access to high-quality training for in-demand careers.
The Illinois Community College Board is pleased to announce the release of the FY_2020 Integrated Education and Training Grant. This grant is designed to support the development, improvement, and scale of integrated education and training (IET) programs.