As regional superintendent of schools for Lake County, Ill., Karner oversees a diverse network of public, private and charter schools, as well as special education cooperatives.
Since Karner took on the role in 2021, the Regional Office of Education (ROE) has implemented a range of digital tools to support students and educators. His office has launched an online career exploration system for high schoolers, a centralized crisis management platform and the web-based service ReferralGPS to help constituents navigate mental health care. More than 25,000 people have used the system, and the ROE has covered the cost of over 700 counseling sessions, Karner said.
When the Illinois Virtual Schools and Academy (IVSA) shut down in 2021 due to funding constraints, Karner expanded his reach beyond Lake County.
He secured grant funding to launch a reimagined IVSA, incorporating feedback from parents, students and staff. It offers asynchronous courses, credit recovery options, full-time virtual learning and solutions for teacher shortages.
Since 2022, the program has served a quarter of Illinois school districts, Karner said. Thanks to the restructuring of funding sources, the program broke even its first year and has been financially self-sustaining since.
IVSA’s newest partnership with the University of Illinois System strengthens accessibility by funding in-person support within local districts. Schools can assign on-the-ground staff to assist students enrolled in virtual courses. The partnership also makes IVSA courses reimbursable through state funding, reducing cost barriers and allowing more students to take advanced and specialized classwork.
Karner said his own experience with opportunity and access early in life keeps him focused on ensuring equitable access for all students. As a former teacher and principal, he finds that listening to needs at the local level is key for this work.
“I’ve really leaned on what is occurring locally in a district,” Karner said. “Then take those common themes and determine how we can implement that countywide so that every student has the access or opportunity to utilize it.”
This story originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Government Technology magazine. Click here to view the full digital edition online.
