Distributed via Email: June 28, 2012
GOVERNOR SIGNS EDUCATION BILLS
Governor Pat Quinn this week signed into law several education-related bills. Regional Offices of Education will cover more territory and model math curricula will become available now that the Governor has taken action.
Approximately 100 pieces of legislation were approved by the General Assembly this spring that will either directly or indirectly affect local school districts. The Governor will be considering each of the bills sent to him and will either sign them, making the provisions law, or veto the bills in some manner.
The Governmental Relations Department of the IASB has completed the Digest of Bills Passed for 2012 for use by the School Management Alliance. The Digest contains all of the education-related bills approved by the legislature this year. A hardcopy of the publication will be sent to school districts, but it is already posted on the IASB website here.
BILL ACTION THIS WEEK
Governor Quinn signed into law the following bills:
HB 4993 (Cross, R-Oswego) provides that a candidate for an administrative certificate who has enrolled and begun coursework prior to August 1, 2011, in an approved Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) program, and who successfully completes that program prior to January 1, 2013, may apply for the general administrative endorsement until January 1, 2013, without his or her two years of full-time teaching or school service personnel experience. The bill is now Public Act 97-0701, effective June 25, 2012.
SB 638 ( Steans, D-Chicago) makes changes to Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification procedures. It extends the timeline for which persons may be admitted to an Alternative Teacher Certification program or Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program from September 1, 2012, to September 1, 2013. Likewise it extends the dates for completion of the program from September 1, 2013 to January 1, 2015. Under this section, it adds charter schools as a recognized institution. The bill is now Public Act 97-0702, effective June 25, 2012.
SB 2706 ( Haine, D-Alton) contains some of the recommendations of the Streamlining Illinois Regional Offices of Education Commission. Specifically, the bill requires that the population of each region be no more than 61,000 and there be no more than 35 regions by July 1, 2015. Before June 30, 2013, regions may be consolidated voluntarily or by joint resolution of the county boards of regions seeking to join a voluntary consolidation, effective July 1, 2015, to meet these population requirements. If, before January 1, 2014, locally determined consolidation decisions result in more than 35 regions of population greater than 61,000 each, the ISBE, before June 1, 2014, shall direct further consolidation, beginning with the region of lowest population, until the number of 35 regions is achieved. The bill is now Public Act 97-0703, effective June 25, 2012.
SB 3244 ( Frerichs, D- Champaign) requires ISBE to work with stakeholders to develop a model mathematics curriculum that must be available to school districts, though districts would not be required to implement the curriculum. The bill originally required that high school students must complete a fourth year of math before graduating from high school, but that provision was removed from the bill due to Alliance opposition. The bill is now Public Act 97-0704, effective January 1, 2013.
GENERAL ELECTION INFORMATION
The General Election is set for November 6, 2012. The election will be pivotal for Illinois in many ways as all legislators are running in newly drawn districts. Scores of incumbents have resigned from the Illinois General Assembly, or have been forced to run against other incumbents because of the new district boundaries. This means there are more new candidates than ever before that school leaders need to develop a relationship with. It is important that school board members, superintendents, principals and business officials become the primary resource on education issues for our potential legislators. The best way to do that is to reach out now and get to know your new State Representative and Senate candidates.
The new House and Senate District Numbers can be found at the following link; simply enter your school district address: http://gis.elections.il.gov/map_viewer/default.aspx
To find the legislative candidates running in your area, go to the Illinois State Board of Elections website and find “STATE REPRESENTATIVE/STATE SENATOR” at:
http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandidateFilingSearchByOffice.aspx?id=33
Please contact your Alliance Lobbyists and share any background information or other insight regarding those running for State Representative or State Senate in your area. Also let the candidates know that local school board members, superintendents, principals, and school business officials are an excellent resource on education issues. The Alliance legislative team would appreciate receiving any initial information on legislative candidates by July 6.
This legislative report is written and edited by the lobbyists of the Illinois Association of School Boards to provide information to the members of the organizations that comprise the Statewide School Management Alliance.
Bill Text/Status: Illinois General Assembly www.ilga.gov
Alliance Legislative Reports are Cosponsored by IASB and:
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