Catalyst for Educational Change

Please join us in welcoming Christopher Collins to the Catalyst for Educational Change team!

Chris joins CEC today as a Strategic Advisor, bringing more than 33 years of K–12 education experience as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, regional education director, and educational leader across northern Illinois.

Throughout his career, Chris has led school improvement efforts, developed leadership teams, strengthened PLC and MTSS systems, coached administrators, and redesigned alternative education programs. He also brings the valuable perspective of being a former CEC client, which gives him a deep understanding of our work and the impact it can have.

Known as a trusted advisor and skilled facilitator, Chris helps educators build the clarity, capacity, and systems needed to improve student outcomes. His experience supporting teachers, school leaders, and district teams will be a tremendous asset to CEC and to the schools and districts we serve.

We’re excited to learn from Chris’s expertise and grateful to have him as part of the team.

Welcome to CEC, Chris!

We’re thrilled to welcome Elise Zhao to the CEC Board.

Elise serves as an Impact Investing Officer at Lumina Foundation, where she supports mission-related and program-related investment portfolios focused on expanding opportunities for learning beyond high school. Her work reflects a deep commitment to advancing equity, education, and workforce development.

Since 2018, Elise has been actively engaged in Chicago’s education and workforce ecosystems, contributing to organizations including the To&Through Project and Cara Collective, where she currently serves as an Associate Board Member.

Elise brings a thoughtful, strategic perspective shaped by her experience across education and impact investing. Her passion for creating pathways to opportunity and lasting systems change will be an incredible asset to CEC and the communities we serve.

We are excited to have her leadership and insight helping shape the future of CEC!

Read more about Elise here: https://www.cecweb.org/about-cec/cec-board-of-directors/elise-zhao/

CEC is excited to introduce Catalyst SparkSheets!

Professional learning is most powerful when it connects directly to the everyday work of educators. SparkSheets are simple, visual tools designed to help teams organize ideas, clarify practices, and turn important conversations into practical next steps.

Whether teams are planning for summer, preparing for the year ahead, or reflecting on current priorities, SparkSheets help create shared language and keep the work moving.

Real school improvement is not built on theory alone. It takes aligned leadership, focused systems, and adults working together with clarity and purpose.

In this final article of the series, we highlight stories from districts and schools where meaningful change moved from planning into practice and where stronger outcomes followed.

Read more on CEC's Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/cecweb/p/stories-from-the-field?r=6b170v&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

School improvement is hard to judge while you are still in the middle of it. This article looks at a few signs that the work is starting to take hold, even before the long-term results are clear.

Read more on CEC's Substack: https://cecweb.substack.com/

What really helps schools make a lasting difference for students?

In CEC’s latest Impact in Action blog post, Dr. Tiffany Layton, PCC takes a closer look at how strong leadership, meaningful coaching, and aligned systems work together to support educators and strengthen instruction.

It’s a thoughtful read on what helps schools move from scattered efforts to real, sustainable impact.

Read more on CEC's SubStack: https://open.substack.com/pub/cecweb/p/impact-in-action-what-really-moves?r=6b170v&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

What does real school improvement look like before the results show up in the data? In our May series, we explore how lasting change begins with aligned leaders, clear priorities, and adults working differently together. This issue looks at how schools can move beyond isolated initiatives and build the systems, routines, and capacity needed for meaningful improvement over time.

Read more on CEC's Substack: https://cecweb.substack.com/

We’re officially one month away from our Second Annual MTSS Conference: Leading with Relationships!

We’re so excited to bring school and district leaders together for a day focused on what truly makes MTSS work: strong relationships, meaningful collaboration, effective Tier 1 practices, student belonging, and partnerships with families and communities.

If you’re a leader looking to strengthen your MTSS work and create more sustainable, equitable support for students, now is the time to register.

We’d love to have you join us on June 9 in Chicago!

Register Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfn-6naSrfhplIl-0XppoZtPqf_sLvoNkMAuT191Q5D1qSGwQ/viewform

We’re excited to announce that the CEC team will be presenting at the 2026 Oklahoma School Innovation Summit (OSIS)!

Taking place June 3–4, 2026 in Norman, Oklahoma, OSIS is a premier professional learning event that brings together educators from across the state to share innovative, real-world practices that are making an impact in schools today. The summit is uniquely designed to highlight practitioner-led breakout sessions, ensuring attendees gain practical strategies they can immediately apply in their classrooms and systems.

As part of this year’s agenda, Elisa Brente, Ed.S, CAPP, PCC Brente and Dr. Tiffany Layton, will be leading a session focused on Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Their session will center on how schools can strengthen their systems through data-driven decision-making, evidence-based practices, and aligned supports across tiers to improve outcomes for all students.

Attendees can expect practical tools, actionable strategies, and real-world insights to support effective MTSS implementation.

If you’re planning to attend OSIS, we’d love for you to join us!

Visit the conference website: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/oklahoma-school-innovation
Check out the agenda here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wUkpxJoaDHQYLtVYFBsXw2QrIqS2H60U/view

This Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to take a moment to recognize the educators we are honored to partner with every day.

Across the country, teachers show up with dedication, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to their students. You create classrooms where students feel seen, challenged, and supported. You adapt, problem solve, and continue to put students first no matter what the day brings.

At CEC, we have the privilege of working alongside educators who are constantly striving to grow their practice and create meaningful learning experiences. Your work matters, and the impact you make reaches far beyond the classroom.

Thank you for all that you do for your students, your schools, and your communities.