The State Board consists of nine members who are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate.
[1] The board sets educational policies and guidelines for public and private schools, preschool through grade 12.
It analyzes the aims, needs and requirements of education and recommends legislation to the Illinois General Assembly and Governor for the benefit of the more than 2 million school children in the state.
[4][5] The ISBE describes itself as an agency that "commits to promoting and implementing comprehensive policies, practices, and programs that ensure fair access to quality for all students in our state.
"[6] The ISBE is described by the Illinois state government's website as an agency that "provides leadership and resources to achieve excellence across all Illinois districts..."[7] Governor JB Pritzker appointed eight new members in February 2019.