A new report calls for making state standardized tests more useful for teachers and students and for the state to help school districts pay to repair and renovate school buildings, among other sweeping recommendations.

Officials from several state education associations, including the Illinois Association of School Boards and the Illinois Association of Principals, came together to develop Vision 2030. It tackles four areas: keeping students safe, getting high-quality educators into the classroom, enhancing postsecondary success and improving how the state evaluates schools.

The report offers up specific suggestions the authors hope will help shape policy for years to come.

It builds on its predecessor, Vision 2020, which was the first report of its kind. That laid the groundwork for the state to reform the way it distributes money to schools — from an outdated formula to one of the most equitable in the country, said Kristopher Monn, executive director of the Illinois Association of Business Officials.

Vision 2030 says the state should continue pumping an additional $350 million into the “evidence-based” funding formula, as it has since 2018. The report asserts school districts need that kind of predicability when it comes to funding for building repairs.

“We have not made significant investments, year over year, in establishing equitable statewide funding for capital and safety needs,” Monn said. “Some of the suggestions are increasing access to state maintenance grants and perhaps exploring a statewide sales tax, similar to some county sales taxes.”

The officials also recommend a host of changes to the state’s assessment and school rating system. Currently, students only take one set of tests at the end of the year; ratings, such as exemplary or commendable, are based heavily on the results of those exams. While students take the tests in the spring, schools don’t get the results until the fall.

The delay in getting the scores “really impacts the utility of those results and makes it difficult for us to make any real, quality decisions about improving our schools and the potential outcomes for our kids,” said Jason Leahy, executive director of the Illinois Principals Association.

The report calls for teachers to get the results more quickly, perhaps in real time, even if they are preliminary.

Leahy said the officials would like some flexibility in school ratings, so they are not weighted so heavily on test results and can factor in other features that communities believe are important.

The officials also want to make sure the state standards used to determine if students are proficient in reading and math are in line with national norms. A study found that Illinois’ proficiency standards are some of the highest in the nation. Leahy said that is important to him as a parent.

The education leaders also said state mandates need to be streamlined. The school code has doubled in size since 2000, and many new rules come with associated costs. Leahy said every new mandate takes away from something else the school district is focused on or paying for, so lawmakers need to be careful.

Sarah Karp covers education for WBEZ. Follow her on X @WBEZeducation and @sskedreporter.

As the college football regular season winds down, the intrigue in some of the Week 13 matchups turns way up.

• WATCH: Stream most of this week’s top college football games live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV Stream (free trial).

In the Big Ten, undefeated Indiana tries to keep rolling toward a berth in the Big Ten championship game when the fifth-ranked Hoosiers visit No. 2 Ohio State. The one-loss Buckeyes are 11-point favorites.

Meanwhile, No. 4 Penn State, which also remains alive in the chase to face top-ranked Oregon in the conference title game, faces a potentially tough road game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Nittany Lions are favored by 11.5 points.

In the Pac-12, Oregon State will look to end its losing streak when the Beavers play host to Washington State. The Beavers have lost five in a row and are 11.5-point underdogs, but can they put a complete game together against the Cougars?

Check out this week’s college football odds and score predictions for all the Big Ten and Pac-12 games from the CFB coverage team at The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Purdue (1-9, 0-7) at Michigan State (4-6, 2-5)

Game details: 5 p.m. PT Friday at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan

TV channel and live stream: Fox and Fox Sports Live

Latest line: Michigan State by 13.5

Over/under: 47.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: Michigan State 31, Purdue 17

James Crepea: Michigan State 28, Purdue 14

Nick Daschel: Michigan State 31, Purdue 27

Aaron Fentress: Michigan State 31, Purdue 20

Joe Freeman: Michigan State 30, Purdue 15

Sean Meagher: Michigan State 34, Purdue 17

Joel Odom: Michigan State 31, Purdue 10

Bill Oram: Michigan State 28, Purdue 13

Washington State (8-2) at Oregon State (4-6)

Game details: 4 p.m. PT Saturday at Reser Stadium in Corvallis

TV channel and live stream: The CW

Latest line: Washington State by 11.5

Over/under: 57.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: Washington State 30, Oregon State 7

James Crepea: Washington State 35, Oregon State 14

Nick Daschel: Washington State 38, Oregon State 17

Aaron Fentress: Washington State 27, Oregon State 17

Joe Freeman: Washington State 32, Oregon State 17

Sean Meagher: Washington State 42, Oregon State 21

Joel Odom: Washington State 38, Oregon State 14

Bill Oram: Washington State 38, Oregon State 23

No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0) at No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1)

Game details: 9 a.m. PT Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus

TV channel and live stream: Fox and Fox Sports Live

Latest line: Ohio State by 11

Over/under: 52.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: Ohio State 37, Indiana 34

James Crepea: Ohio State 42, Indiana 35

Nick Daschel: Ohio State 31, Indiana 29

Aaron Fentress: Ohio State 38, Indiana 25

Joe Freeman: Ohio State 28, Indiana 27

Sean Meagher: Indiana 38, Ohio State 35

Joel Odom: Ohio State 31, Indiana 21

Bill Oram: Ohio State 26, Indiana 24

No. 25 Illinois (7-3, 4-3) at Rutgers (6-4, 3-4)

Game details: 9 a.m. PT Saturday at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey

TV channel and live stream: Peacock

Latest line: Rutgers by 1

Over/under: 47.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: Illinois 22, Rutgers 14

James Crepea: Illinois 28, Rutgers 14

Nick Daschel: Illinois 24, Rutgers 20

Aaron Fentress: Illinois 23, Rutgers 20

Joe Freeman: Rutgers 24, Illinois 23

Sean Meagher: Illinois 28, Rutgers 24

Joel Odom: Illinois 27, Rutgers 17

Bill Oram: Illinois 28, Rutgers 14

Iowa (6-4, 4-3) at Maryland (4-6, 1-6)

Game details: 9 a.m. PT Saturday at SECU Stadium in College Park, Maryland

TV channel and live stream: Big Ten Network and Fox Sports Live

Latest line: Iowa by 3.5

Over/under: 43.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: Iowa 28, Maryland 20

James Crepea: Iowa 28, Maryland 21

Nick Daschel: Iowa 20, Maryland 14

Aaron Fentress: Iowa 33, Maryland 18

Joe Freeman: Iowa 27, Maryland 20

Sean Meagher: Iowa 21, Maryland 17

Joel Odom: Iowa 34, Maryland 13

Bill Oram: Maryland 35, Iowa 21

No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1) at Minnesota (6-4, 4-3)

Game details: 12:30 p.m. PT Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis

TV channel and live stream: CBS and cbssports.com

Latest line: Penn State by 11.5

Over/under: 44.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: Minnesota 27, Penn State 24

James Crepea: Penn State 35, Minnesota 21

Nick Daschel: Penn State 24, Minnesota 23

Aaron Fentress: Penn State 31, Minnesota 17

Joe Freeman: Penn State 31, Minnesota 21

Sean Meagher: Penn State 30, Minnesota 24

Joel Odom: Penn State 28, Minnesota 16

Bill Oram: Minnesota 28, Penn State 18

Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4) at Nebraska (5-5, 2-5)

Game details: 12:30 p.m. PT Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska

TV channel and live stream: Big Ten Network and Fox Sports Live

Latest line: Nebraska by 1

Over/under: 41.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: Nebraska 24, Wisconsin 7

James Crepea: Nebraska 24, Wisconsin 17

Nick Daschel: Nebraska 20, Wisconsin 14

Aaron Fentress: Wisconsin 24, Nebraska 23

Joe Freeman: Wisconsin 23, Nebraska 20

Sean Meagher: Wisconsin 28, Nebraska 27

Joel Odom: Wisconsin 20, Nebraska 17

Bill Oram: Nebraska 21, Wisconsin 14

Northwestern (4-6, 2-5) at Michigan (5-5, 3-4)

Game details: 12:30 p.m. PT Saturday at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor

TV channel and live stream: FS1 and Fox Sports Live

Latest line: Michigan by 10.5

Over/under: 36.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: Michigan 31, Northwestern 10

James Crepea: Michigan 17, Northwestern 10

Nick Daschel: Northwestern 21, Michigan 20

Aaron Fentress: Michigan 29, Northwestern 10

Joe Freeman: Michigan 24, Northwestern 10

Sean Meagher: Michigan 21, Northwestern 14

Joel Odom: Michigan 16, Northwestern 13

Bill Oram: Michigan 33, Northwestern 17

USC (5-5, 3-5) at UCLA (4-6, 3-5)

Game details: 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California

TV channel and live stream: NBC and Peacock

Latest line: USC by 5

Over/under: 51.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke: UCLA 38, USC 31

James Crepea: USC 35, UCLA 28

Nick Daschel: UCLA 28, USC 27

Aaron Fentress: USC 31, UCLA 26

Joe Freeman: USC 30, UCLA 24

Sean Meagher: UCLA 33, USC 28

Joel Odom: USC 36, UCLA 30

Bill Oram: UCLA 49, USC 47

Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara said he didn’t travel to Saturday’s game at Maryland after not being fully cleared from a concussion sustained last month.

McNamara on Friday went to X to respond to what he called “ridiculous accusations” about his status with the team. The senior said he remains “a proud member of this football team.”

McNamara last played Oct. 26 against Northwestern, when he sustained the concussion. Brendan Sullivan stepped in and started Iowa’s next few games, but an ankle injury has sidelined him for the Maryland matchup. Sources told ESPN that Sullivan likely will not return until Iowa’s bowl game. Jackson Stratton, a walk-on who transferred to Iowa from Colorado State, will start against Maryland.

Iowa listed McNamara as the starter on its Monday depth chart, and he said he had been cleared to practice Sunday but “had an adverse reaction, which is common for someone coming out of [concussion] protocol.” He said he did not participate in practice Monday and for the rest of the week, and continues to work with team doctors and a concussion specialist.

Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday that McNamara’s status was “cloudy,” but that the quarterback had been cleared to play.

“Whether or not he can play effectively or not, we’ll see,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz said on his radio show Wednesday that Stratton was in line to make his first start.

“He’ll get the start,” Ferentz said. “Confident that he’ll do a great job. He stepped in, did a really nice job in our last ballgame, and he’s got a good ability to throw the football, and he’s learning every day.”

Stratton completed 3 of 6 passes for 28 yards in Iowa’s loss against UCLA on Nov. 8. He appeared in four games for Colorado State in 2022 and none last season.

McNamara, a transfer from Michigan who helped the Wolverines to the 2021 Big Ten title, has opened the past two seasons as Iowa’s starter. He sustained an ACL tear in September 2023 that cost him the rest of the season. McNamara has 1,022 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions at Iowa.

He wrote on X that he intends to play in Iowa’s regular-season finale Nov. 29 at home against Nebraska.