Illinois House Republican are critical of new teaching standards adopted by the State Board of Education. The state board says the “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning Standards” aim to prepare educators to teach a diverse group of students and make all kids feel like they belong. They encourage teachers to include lessons on inequity and provide opportunities for student advocacy. Representatives Steve Reick of Woodstock and Tom Demmer of Dixon say these new mandates are too much right now.
The new teaching standards are set to go before a legislative oversight committee for final approval later this month.
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala issued the following statement today in support of the proposed Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards:
“Culturally responsive teaching and leading helped me improve the reading and math skills of every one of our student groups when I was a district superintendent and to achieve double digit growth among my students of color,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “Cultural responsiveness is inclusive of all of the experiences our educators, students, and families bring to the classroom. Our state produces a 30-point achievement gap between Black and white students and a 22-point achievement gap between Hispanic and white students. As we help students recover from learning loss due to the pandemic, giving our teachers opportunities to learn about effective, equitable, and research-based strategies like cultural responsiveness could not be more important. Every student deserves to feel welcomed, included, and accepted at school. Students are more engaged when they see their cultures represented in what they learn at school. As a veteran educator, I know teachers know this, and the proposed Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards will enhance the strategies and best practices our teachers can use.”
Find the proposed Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards, updated in response to public comment, on the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) website at https://www.isbe.net/Documents/23-24RG-P.pdf.