The Illinois Math Badging Initiative began in Fall 2022. Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems) engaged with communities across Illinois in the initiative to support individualized pathways for students to: 

• Explore and demonstrate math skills directly related to their college and career interest areas.
• Demonstrate math knowledge via a different means than grades.
• Develop and reinforce math knowledge and skills and validate learning outside of traditional math classrooms through integration into work-based learning and other applied interdisciplinary and applied learning experiences.

Schools in this pilot employ badges in a variety of ways. For instance, Ridgewood High School is using badges to provide more flexibility for students to earn math credit and become college-ready in math, while Charleston High School is aligning badges to a paired math (Geometry) and CTE (Construction) courses, where students employ the math they learn in direct service to their work in Construction. Participating educators convene monthly through communities of practice, facilitated by EdSystems, to share their learnings, best practices, and the challenges with which they are grappling.
Illinois is also developing a micro-credential for teachers and an administrator academy for district leaders. In spring 2024, 11 high school students representing three pilot sites completed a micro-internship to identify non-traditional avenues for math learning and opportunities to earn math badges.

Participating Schools:

• Charleston High School, Charleston, IL
• Ridgewood Community High School, Norridge, IL
• Illinois Math and Science Academy, Aurora, IL