How can I help restore SAC funding?

Please contact the Governor and your Legislators.  Contact information is listed below for the Governor and key Legislators  and Education Committee members. 

Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: 217-782-0244 or 312-814-2121
TTY: 888-261-3336
Governor's Online Contact Form
http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm

Emil Jones Jr.
Senate President
507 W. 111th St
Chicago, IL   60628
Phone:  773-995-7748
Email:  jones@senatedem.state.il.us


Michael J. Madigan
Speaker of the House
6500 S. Pulaski Rd.
Chicago, IL   60629
Phone:  773-581-8000


Kimberly A. Lightford, Chairperson
Senate Education Committee
10001 W. Roosevelt Rd., Suite 202
Westchester, IL   60154
Phone:  708-343-7444
Email:  senatorlightford@sbcglobal.net


Deanna Demuzio, Vice-Chairperson
Senate Education Committee
140 Carlinville Plaza
Carlinville, IL   62626
Phone:  217-854-4441
Email:  demuzio@senatedem.state.il.us


Michael K. Smith, Chairperson
House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee
45 East Side Square Suite 301
Canton, IL   61520
Phone:  309-647-7479
Email:  mks@winco.net


Monique D. Davis, Vice-Chairperson
House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee
1234 W. 95th St.
Chicago, IL   60643
Phone:  773-445-9700
Email:  tbristow@hds.ilga.gov

You can obtain contact information for all Legislators in the Illinois Government Handbook located at:  http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/handbook/handbooktoc.html

What is SAC?

SAC stands for Standards-Aligned Classroom Initiative.

The SAC Initiative is a professional development opportunity for teachers who are interested in understanding the Illinois Learning Standards and learning how to align lessons and assessments to the Standards.

Where can I get information about SAC?

Contact your local Regional Office of Education, Intermediate Service Center or Penny Murphy, the SAC Project Manager.

Penny Murphy, Project Manager                                               
Standards-Aligned Classroom Initiative                                       
Two Rivers Professional Development Center                             
10112 W. Dubois Road                                                              
Edwards, IL   61528

Phone:  (309) 673-1040

Email:  pmurphy@peoriaroe48.net

You may also contact SAC Area Coordinators:

 Area 1
Cheri Leveling
Professional Development Alliance, 2705 McDonough Street, Joliet, IL 60436
Phone:  (815) 744-8334                Fax:  (815) 744-8396
Email:  cleveling@pdaonline.org

 Area 2
Donnette Nailor
KIDS, 300 Heart Blvd., Loves Park, IL   61111
Phone:  :  815-636-3040              Fax:  (815) 636-3069
Email:  dnailor@kidsroe.org

 Area 3
Dr. Sally Weber
Lori Loving
Two Rivers Professional Development Center, 10112 W. Dubois Rd., Edwards, IL  61528
Phone:  (309) 673-1040              Fax:  (309) 673-1369
Email:  sweber@peoriaroe48.net
Email:  lloving@roe33.net

 Area 4
Kevin Seymour
R.O.E.  SchoolWorks, 200 S. Fredrick, Rantoul, IL  61866
Phone:  (217) 893-4921              Fax:  (217) 893-0024
Email:  kseymour@roe9.k12.il.us

 Area 5
Ann Schwarm
Regional Office of Education #3, 1805 W. Fletcher, Suite B, Vandalia, IL.  62471
Phone:  (618) 283-1763              Fax:  (618) 283-9833
Email:  aschwarm@fayette.k12.il.us

 Area 6
Lori Given
Regional Office of Education #25, 1714 Broadway St., Mt. Vernon, IL  62864
Phone:  (618) 244-8040              Fax:  (618) 244-8073
Email:  lgiven@roe25.com 

Why should I get involved in SAC?

As an educator, you are called upon to teach to the Illinois Learning Standards, but you have not been trained to interpret what the Standards mean for your classroom's specific grade level and syllabus content. SAC can provide you with the tools you need to clearly determine teaching and learning targets.

In addition to the standards, what else is taught during the SAC training and year(s) of study?

The Learning Teams study appropriate classroom assessments and then learn how to align those assessments and their student's performance to the Standards. As a national faculty, teachers are largely untrained in assessment. Most educators have not had course work to teach them how to design or select appropriate classroom assessments for their students.

How will learning about assessment help me to raise student achievement?

Research clearly states that when students are given clear learning targets and are informed about their assessment format and content upfront, their learning does improve. This is routinely evidenced by increased scores on standardized tests.

What will I do as a member of SAC? How much time does it take?

You will initially be trained in the key components and philosophy behind the SAC Initiative. You will then participate as part of a Learning Team along with other educators in your building. Both during your initial training, and throughout the year, you will learn how to deconstruct the Illinois Learning Standards into teachable chunks or learning targets for yourself and your students. Level I and II teams meet 8 to 10 times for one hour with their coach.

How is SAC implemented in a building?

A Learning Team made up of teachers and an administrator attend an initial SAC training and are then coached by an educational consultant provided by the local office of education. The coach meets with the team 8 to 10 times each year to facilitate and assist the study of the team.

What makes SAC different from the other professional development opportunities that are available to teachers?

SAC participants work and study together in Learning Teams. These teams meet with a coach in their own building to provide support throughout the process. The framework is in place for real systemic change to support any school improvement plan.

Is the SAC Initiative research-based?

Yes, the SAC Initiative is based on the research and work of the foremost expert in assessment-based instruction, Dr. Richard Stiggins, President of the Assessment Training Institute of Portland. In addition, the findings in Black and Wiliam’s “Inside the Black Box - Raising Standards Through Class Assessment,” have provided SAC with strong evidence that involving students in the assessment process can increase student achievement.

SAC has also recently conducted an independent assessment of the Initiative through MetriTech, Inc. and Dr. Ed Wolfe of Michigan State University. The results were quite conclusive that, overall, teachers who have adopted the SAC principles felt much more positive towards standards-aligned instruction and the Illinois Learning Standards. More information on this independent study can be found here.

What kind of credit is available, if any, to educators who participate in SAC?

Both Level I (first year), and Level II (second year) participants are eligible to receive 3 hours of graduate credit. The Level I and Level II teams study Classroom Assessment for Student Learning by Dr. Richard Stiggins.  CPDU credit and Administrator Academy credit are available.

What does it cost to participate in SAC?

SAC is funded by both state and federal grants. The majority of the teams are supported through the SAC funds at no cost to the teacher or school, with the exception of the graduate credit fee. Many schools also choose to fund the Initiative through Title grant funds, RESPRO or ASPIRE professional development funds, and school improvement funds. Your local educational office can assist you with this information.

How can I access SAC lesson plans?

SAC Unit Plan Organizers and Lesson Plans are available to the general public through the Collaboratory Project at Northwestern University.  They are arranged by grade and can also be searched by key words. 

Level I Unit Plan Organizers and Lesson Plans - Click to view:   

          Early Elementary              Late Elementary                   Middle School               High School

Level II Lesson Plans - Click to view:   

          Early Elementary               Late Elementary                    Middle School             High School

Click here to view SAC lessons plans at ISBE's web site.

For additional information, please contact Penny Murphy.