2026 ISBE Career Connections Conference

Delivering high-quality instruction in Law and Public Safety CTE—and across all CTE pathways—requires more than good intentions. The Fives is a field-tested instructional framework that brings clarity, balance, and consistency to lesson and unit design. Built from more than 40 years of experience in education and workforce preparation, The Fives distills proven teaching and learning practices into five essential components that anchor effective instruction in any setting.
In this engaging, practical session, participants will explore each of the five components through real classroom examples, ready-to-use strategies, and adaptable tools. While grounded in law and public safety instruction, The Fives is intentionally designed to work across CTE areas including health sciences, skilled trades, STEM, and human services. Whether you are a new instructor or a seasoned educator, you will leave with a flexible model that strengthens engagement, improves student outcomes, and brings intentional structure to every unit you teach.

Through a partnership with the P-20 Network and funding from the Dunham Foundation, East Aurora D131, VALEES, and West Aurora SD129 engaged employer partners and community organizations in professional learning to improve their capacity to support work-based learning across the spectrum. Learn about the project including the curriculum for employer partners and community organizations, the format of workshops, the challenges, and the successes.

Middle school and early high school are crucial places to connect academic skills to the real world - and we know CTE offers a powerful pathway to make those connections stick. This session explores how Learning Blade, a fully-funded (free) STEM and CTE platform, helps students see the relevance of what they’re learning by linking interdisciplinary academic skills to real jobs and authentic challenges. Through engaging missions, students explore career opportunities in advanced manufacturing, IT, healthcare, business/finance, transportation, and other high-demand fields. Participants will learn practical strategies for using Learning Blade to spark early interest, deepen understanding of career pathways, and build a strong foundation for students’ future CTE engagement. Walk away with ready-to-use ideas for showing students that what they learn today can lead to meaningful opportunities in Illinois’ workforce tomorrow.

How can school districts expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways so students graduate prepared for multiple postsecondary options, not just a single course or credential? In this co-presentation, DLR Group and Rockford School District 205 share the transformation of a former college facility into a College and Career Education Center serving high school students. District leaders and designers demonstrate how aligning curriculum vision, pathway development, industry partnerships, and learning environment design creates flexible, future-ready CTE experiences. Participants will explore practical planning strategies that help districts rethink traditional course sequencing and develop coherent, multi-year pathways that support student choice, skill progression, and real-world relevance. The session also highlights how Rockford 205 integrates on-campus and off-site work-based learning to increase student engagement, build life-ready skills, and strengthen partnerships with industry to inform curriculum and shape authentic, hands-on learning spaces.