South Central Reporter

Illinois education officials are seeking public input on a new statewide initiative aimed at improving student math performance. This comes five years after the COVID-19 pandemic led to school closures and disrupted learning across the state.

The Illinois State Board of Education has announced an eight-stop listening tour beginning in October to collect feedback on its draft “Comprehensive Numeracy Plan.” The plan is intended to offer educators evidence-based strategies for teaching math.

The first session will take place on October 16 at the board’s Springfield office. Additional stops include Naperville on October 22, Rockford on October 23, a virtual session on November 4, Champaign on November 5, Edwardsville on November 12, Carbondale on November 13, and Chicago on November 18. All meetings start at 4 p.m., and participants can register online. The final version of the numeracy plan is expected to be presented to the state board by June 2026.

Recent student testing data indicate that reading scores for grades three through eight have returned to pre-pandemic levels. State officials attribute this progress to the Comprehensive Literacy Plan adopted in recent years. However, math scores remain below their 2019 levels, leading officials to reconsider current math instruction methods.

Plummer, a Republican, was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 55th Senate District, replacing previous state senator Darren Bailey.