CCSD21 enters three-year partnership with EAB to tackle critical educational challenges

Community Consolidated School District 21 will enter a three-year partnership with EAB, a national educational research and school improvement organization, after receiving approval from its Board of Education on Thursday, March 21.

EAB aims to support school systems with research-based and practical solutions to critical educational challenges such as combating chronic absenteeism, raising early literacy rates, preventing disruptive behaviors, expanding principal professional development, and raising staff morale and retention.

“It’s kind of an accessible think tank for us,” said Dr. Michael Connolly, superintendent of schools, ahead of the board’s vote on the measure. “It is an area where we can gain a lot of access to education research, consultants and, in many ways, playbooks that we can utilize to tackle various concerns, issues or opportunities.”

Through this partnership, CCSD21 will gain direct access to dozens of educational research professionals, thousands of research studies and a network of districts across the country with similar improvement journeys. Two of those districts are local: Township High School District 214 and River Trails School District 26.

“We think it will be an excellent addition to our arsenal of school improvement efforts,” Connolly added.