Illinois Resource Center

10/12/2026

Learn how changes to the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program may impact students and families, and how schools can support their community during this time of uncertainty.

https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/when-temporary-protected-status-ends-what-schools-need-know?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tps_fostering_belonging_more&utm_term=2026-09-09

10/12/2026

Tomorrow, join the first installment of our all-new family engagement and BPAC webinar series!

The series will provide opportunities to share promising practices, problem-solve common challenges, and identify strategies for overcoming obstacles that may impact BPAC effectiveness and engagement. Through ongoing collaboration and reflection, participants will strengthen their capacity to create sustainable structures that leverage family voice and leadership.

RSVP: https://irc.thecenterweb.org/professional-learning/family-bpac-information-series

10/12/2026

"Joy should be a part of all instruction."

That's true of math too! At the Statewide EL Administrators Meeting, IRC Specialists Rachell and Michele led multilingual leaders through strategies for supporting staff with the new Illinois numeracy plan for multilingual learners. And with tools like dice games and interactive Brains-to-Box planning, interactivity, fun and JOY can be a part of that learning!

Check out their resource doc, complete with activities you can use right away:
canva.link/numeracy-plan-resource-doc

10/09/2026

This upcoming Monday, our schools observe Indigenous Peoples' Day. To support discussion in your classroom and meet Illinois' Indigenous history guidelines, IRC Specialist (and Multilingual IL/ESSA 2026 Keynote Speaker!) Olivia Mulcahy created this presentation packed with information and resources you can use all year round to honor Indigenous American past, present and futures.

Indigenous Histories: Not Just for November Olivia Mulcahy, Illinois Resource Center July 16, 2024

10/09/2026

Whether you're looking for classroom readings for Hispanic Heritage Month or representative books for all grade levels you can use all year round, this booklist is a fantastic resource!

Hispanic Heritage Booklists and ResourcesThe following booklists for children and young adults are organized by topic so that they can easily be used all year long and across the curriculum. Many books on our recommended lists are bilingual or are available in Spanish. To see related books for older...

10/09/2026

We've got a beautiful new book for , "Splendidly Sawsan" by Razan Abdin:

"From award-winning illustrator Shahrzad Maydani and debut author Razan Abdin, this affirming, social-emotional learning picture book follows a vivacious little girl who sees the world differently—while offering a fresh, intersectional approach to neurodivergence...

A story of affirming others and learning to love yourself, this social-emotional learning picture book follows a vivacious, neurodivergent child who sees the world a little differently—and maybe that’s a pretty splendid thing."

10/08/2026

Yesterday, we celebrated one of our favorite annual collaborations and learned about some incredible efforts across Chicagoland to promote an enriching multilingual, multicultural educational landscape. The Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Chicago-JCCC of Chicago honored their 2026 Student Development and Achievement Grant awardees, contributing funds to a dozen opportunity-sparking programs for Chicagoland students.

We are so proud of and grateful for our partnership supporting the educational grant programs of the JCCC, and appreciate their commitment to cultural exchange, collaboration and a multilingual future. ありがとうございます！

10/08/2026

Join our colleagues at IAMME for an inspiring evening focused on recognizing and building upon the strengths, cultures, and lived experiences multilingual learners bring to our schools. It will be a spectacular day of professional learning, meaningful conversation, networking, and community—con corazón!

Register:
https://www.viethconsulting.com/members/evr/reg_main.php?orgcode=ILAM&evid=68036973

10/08/2026

“The Joint Statement from the Reading League and the National Committee for Effective Literacy (NCEL) cautions us not to assume that the findings from reading research involving monolingual speakers learning to read in their home language would automatically transfer to and apply to those students for whom initial literacy happened in a language other than their home language” (de Jong & Herrera, 2025).

https://www.thereadingleague.org/compass/english-learners-emergent-bilinguals-and-the-science-of-reading/joint-statement/

10/08/2026

We're still buzzing over all the learning and building from the Statewide EL Administrators Conference last month, including this beautiful reminder from Illinois State Board of Education Executive Director of Specialized Instruction Joyce Gronewold. Thank you, Joyce!