The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the first draft of the Illinois Literacy Plan, which provides a comprehensive roadmap to improve literacy outcomes for all Illinois students. The plan assembles the best thinking from experts, educators, and advocates across the state to align on a unified vision for literacy instruction in Illinois. ISBE invites the public to share feedback on the plan through an online comment form as well as a statewide listening tour. The listening tour to gather feedback on the plan starts next week in Springfield, followed by stops in Chicago, Rockford, and Mount Vernon, and a virtual event:

• 1-4 p.m. June 28 – Illinois State Board of Education, 4th floor A/B, 100 N. First Street, Springfield

• Noon-3 p.m. July 10 – Illinois State Board of Education, 4th floor, Peoria Room, 555 W. Monroe Street, Chicago

• 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. July 11 – East Branch Rockford Public Library, Community Room, 6685 E. State Street, Rockford

• Noon-3 p.m. July 27 – C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District, Community Room, 101 S. 7th Street, Mount Vernon

• Noon-3 p.m. July 31 – Virtual via Zoom (Meeting ID: 824 3607 1583, Passcode: 421877)

ISBE will incorporate the feedback gathered during the statewide listening tour into a second draft of the Illinois Literacy Plan and then conduct a second listening tour in the fall. ISBE aims to finalize the literacy plan in early 2024.