ASPIRE Project: Partners in Rethinking Dev Ed
We enjoyed rolling up our sleeves with our college partners in the Accelerating Student Progress and Increasing Racial Equity (ASPIRE) Project to rethink and rework developmental education: Black Hawk College; Heartland Community College; Illinois Central College; Kaskaskia College; Lake Land College; Lewis & Clark Community College; Prairie State College; Richland Community College; Shawnee Community College; and Waubonsee Community College. The goal of the project is to accelerate students’ progress through developmental education and increase equitable and inclusive pathways to success in education and career training.
 
Over 50 faculty and college administrators met to learn more about course reform, requirements of HB2170—Illinois’ recently-passed education omnibus bill—and the state of Black and Latinx student success in developmental education. Participants left the convening with individualized campus goals for the length of the project.
 
Watch this video to hear WE's Senior Program Manager for the ASPIRE Project, Christina Green, give an overview of the project.

What Happens When Student Parents Can't Find Childcare?
Many student parents have had to pause their educations in the face of pandemic-related barriers. Read Absent From Class to learn more about their struggles, what is happening on the legislative level, and what Women Employed is doing to help!
Do you work at a Minority Serving Institution? We want to hear from you!
Is your institution an AANAPISI (Asian American Native American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution), HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution), or PBI (Predominantly Black Institution)? If so, please help inform our work to better support Illinois’ Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) by filling out this survey! Your input will help us better understand the needs of Illinois’ MSIs and develop future policy proposals to better support institutions like yours. For more information, contact Corinne Kodama, WE Policy Analyst at ckodama@womenemployed.org.

Expanding Family Medical Leave for Ed Support Staff
Effective 1.1.2022
Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 12 into law which makes more education support staff eligible for family and medical leave by lowering the required work hours to qualify. Beginning January 1, 2022, a school district, public university, or community college employee who has been employed for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,000 hours (down from 1,250 hours) in the previous 12-month period will be eligible for family and medical leave under the same terms and conditions as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993.

Are You in the Workforce Development Space? Let's Work Together to Help Survivors!
We are seeking input from Workforce Development providers to identify and improve how survivors of domestic violence are connected with services that help them find meaningful employment and promote economic independence.

Please take this survey to help Women Employed understand your experiences serving people who are survivors. For any questions about this project please contact Sharmili Majmudar at smajmudar@womenemployed.org.
Student Services: Lessons from the Field
The Chicago Jobs Council shares insights from workforce service providers about challenges to providing supportive services—such as childcare, housing, or mental health assistance) and makes policy recommendations on how to narrow service gaps and eliminate barriers. Read here to learn more about what services are needed to help students and program participants complete their programs and successfully move into the workforce!
Work with Women Employed!
Women Employed is hiring for a Senior Coalition Manager, the position will build on WE’s strong track record of championing changes that advance equity for women in the workforce through effective relationships and coalitions.

Women Employed is also hiring for a Marketing and Engagement Coordinator, who will help build WE’s reputation and position us as an expert on our issues by collaborating on all facets of the organization’s marketing, engagement, and communications strategies.
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