Lt. Governor Stratton Convenes Thought Leaders and Policymakers at the Illinois Legislators Retreat Centered Around Education (Springfield, IL) — Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton convened the Illinois Legislators Retreat, in partnership with the Hunt Institute, early this week. Members of the General Assembly and resource experts discussed the early childhood workforce, K-12 reading and mental health, educator diversity and diverse postsecondary experiences.

“Supporting our students and teachers is a team effort and we are bringing everything we have to meet the moment and dig in,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “In Illinois, we are doing the work to make our state the best in the nation to raise and educate children. From ending childcare deserts, to free community college, to expanding mental health resources for students, we know that when children and families are strengthened, our entire state is strengthened.”

While the focus of the retreat was primarily on students’ socio-academic development, part of the retreat was dedicated to teacher retention and recruitment strategies that will benefit both students and educators. The day concluded with a discussion about fostering a diverse post-secondary experience, most notably concentrating on the Supreme Court’s decision on Affirmative Action. The Illinois Legislators Retreat provided an invaluable opportunity to collaborate with leaders in education and policymakers from both sides of the aisle to better inform the policy making process.

Over the last three years, the Office of the Lt. Governor has been committed to working with the Hunt Institute to promote better pathways to quality education. In 2020, Lt. Governor Stratton was named a Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellow, providing resources and support in education work—including as a partner in the initiative to build a strong, diverse teacher pipeline. Since then, the Office of the Lt. Governor and the Hunt Institute have partnered on events including a 3-part webinar series on rural post-secondary education in 2020. The Hunt Institute and Legislative Education Forum in February 2022, and the Illinois Educator Diversity Summit, discussing strategies to diversify the teacher workforce in Illinois, in March 2023.

Lt. Governor Stratton Convenes Thought Leaders and Policymakers at the Illinois Legislators Retreat Centered Around Education

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