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School Board News Bulletin
January 2001

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Federal budget provides $6.5 billion funding increase

Cleveland voucher program ruled unconstitutional

Marijuana use declines, ecstasy use rises

Burroughs Award nominees winners all

Special education teacher training rules in flux

Art teacher Bricker cited

Internet saturation changes classrooms

NEWS HEADLINES

THE NATIONAL SCENE

U.S. students show no progress in latest TIMSS results

NEWS FROM IASB

IASB division elects new director

IASB to hold multicultural job fair for teachers and administrators

WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS

NSBA invites school leaders to technology sessions

Board candidate telecast set for February 27

RESEARCH REPORTS

TIF districts slow economic growth: Study

Teen risk behaviors tied to school failure, time spent "hanging out"

Early exposure to other kids may build immunity to asthma

TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

National Issues Forums

New American High Schools Web site offers school reform help

Booklet provides advice on hiring the best teachers

Online learning effort aims to fill gap in professional development

NSBA coalition issues professional development guide on teaching reading

Good news about public schools is online

LEGISLATIVE ACTION

Funding board calls for 3% foundation level increase

President Clinton signed an appropriations bill in December that increases funding for federal education programs by a record $6.5 billion for fiscal year 2001. Congress adopted the measure December 15. The $42.1 billion budget for the Department of Education reflects an 18 percent increase over last year's funding level.

"The 18 percent increase over last year is the largest one-year increase in education funding in the Department's history," said U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley.

The federal education budget includes an increase of $1.35 billion for special education state and local grants under IDEA (part B), for a total of $6.3 billion for FY 2001. That represents the lion's share of a $7.4 billion appropriation for special education. The U.S. Department of Education estimates Illinois will receive roughly $280.9 million in special education state and local grants, an increase of $57.9 million.

Congress also funded a new $1.2 billion school repair and renovation program. Up to 25 percent of this amount ($300 million) could be used to meet additional costs of special education and technology renovations. Illinois is expected to receive $44.9 million from the new federal line item for school repair and renovation.

Title I grants for local education agencies (LEAs) will receive an increase of $661 million to total $8.602 billion for FY 2001; Illinois is expected to receive $333.2 million of this total for Title I grants to LEAs, for an increase of $6.5 million. Class-size reduction efforts will get a $323 million boost to total $1.623 billion; Illinois is expected to receive $67.8 million for class-size reduction, an increase of $13.5 million.

For more information, please contact Kathleen Branch, NSBA federal networks advocate, at 703/838-6735 or e-mail kbranch@nsba.org. Source: U.S. Department of Education Web site at http://www.ed.gov; and NSBA, Action Update, December 22, 2000.

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In a major victory for public school advocates, a federal appeals court recently found Cleveland's school voucher program unconstitutional, declaring that government funding for religious school tuition crosses the line separating church and state.

"This ruling, coming on the heels of last month's decisive defeats by voters in California and Michigan of two proposed voucher programs, makes it obvious that policymakers should stop focusing attention on this unconstitutional, unpopular and unproven plan," said NSBA Executive Director Anne L. Bryant. "Vouchers are not a solution for the very real needs facing America's public schools," she added.

The December 11 ruling by Judges Eric L. Clay and Eugene Siler Jr. of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling by Judge Solomon Oliver Jr., who said the program "has the effect of advancing religion through government-supported religious indoctrination." The third judge, James Ryan, dissented.

Voucher critics praised the federal court's decision in Simmons-Harris v. Zelman, and supporters denounced it, but both sides welcomed the prospect of a Supreme Court ruling on vouchers.

"This is a great early Christmas present for America's public schools and our constitutional principles," said Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "This means that taxpayer money will not be diverted from public schools to private religious schools."

An appeal would give the U.S. Supreme Court an opportunity to directly address the voucher issue for the first time, setting up a "historic showdown," said Lynn, who called it the most important case about public schools and church-state separation in decades.

"This is the U.S. Supreme Court test case we've been waiting for to remove the constitutional cloud from school choice once and for all," countered Clint Bolick, vice president and litigation director at the Institute for Justice in Washington, D.C., who represented Ohio voucher families in the case. "I can't imagine that the Supreme Court would allow 4,000 kids to be just yanked out of the only good schools they've ever attended," he said.

The appeals court noted that 96 percent of the low-income, K-6 Cleveland students who receive vouchers use them to attend church-subsidized religious schools because they charge lower tuition than nonsectarian private schools. Under the state voucher program, the maximum amount of vouchers is $2,500 per child.

"Practically speaking, the tuition restrictions mandated by the statute limit the ability of nonsectarian schools to participate in the program, as religious schools often have lower overhead costs, supplemental income from private donations, and consequently lower tuition needs," the court concluded.

In 1998, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld a voucher program in Milwaukee that includes payments to religious schools. But courts have found voucher programs in Maine and Vermont unconstitutional, and the legality of a program in Florida is still being tested in court.

Source: NSBA News Service, December 19, 2000.

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Teen marijuana use has dropped for the third consecutive year, but teen use of the drug ecstasy is on the rise, reports the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. The organization said 40 percent of teens reported trying marijuana in 2000, down from 41 percent the previous year. But use of ecstasy has doubled among teens since 1995. The number of teens who had tried it at least once had increased from 7 percent to 10 percent over the last year. Ecstasy is a synthetic drug, having amphetamine-like and hallucinogenic properties, with short-term effects that include psychological difficulties and long-term effects that include permanent memory loss. For more information visit online at http://www.drugfreeamerica.org/. Source: NSBA, School Board News, December 5, 2000.

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The list of school board presidents nominated for the Burroughs Award -- which goes to a top school board president in Illinois -- this time around was replete with winners. Gina Thompson, of Manteno C.U. District 5, won the award in large part for promoting a successful (70-percent approval) construction referendum to address inadequate facilities and an enrollment growth of 50 percent in the past decade. Other nominees for the award included: Kathleen Bossier, Bensenville Elementary District 2; Suzanne Crofts, Cass District 63, Darien; Thomas Dockweiler, Homewood District 153; Tana Gray, Joliet Township High School District 204; C.K (Tina) Gunsalus, Urbana District 116; Thomas Hannigan, Mundelein Community High School District 120; Stanley Harper, Prairieview C.C. District 192, Royal; Edward Homb, Scales Mound District 211; Cheryl Jackson, Bloomington District 87; Thomas Kahle, Chenoa C.U. District 9; Candy Luthin, Riverton C.U. District 14; and Margaret McDannel, Park Forest-Chicago Heights District 163, Park Forest.

Other names included on the nominee list for 2000 were Reed Powers, Alsip, Hazelgreen & Oak Lawn Elementary District 126; Pat Priniski, Lake Zurich Consolidated District 95; Karen Roloff, Northbrook-Glenview District 30, Northbrook; Louis Sands, C.C. District 15, Palatine; Donald Schoemaker, Shiloh Village District 85; Everett Solon, Streator Township High School District 40; Barbara Somogyi, C.C. District 59, Arlington Heights; James Speciale, C.U. District 7, Edwardsville; J.C. Smith, West Harvey-Dixmoor District 147, Harvey; Thomas Welsch, Waterloo C.U. District 5; Paula Wilson, Whiteside District 115, Belleville; Susan Witte, LaGrange South District 105; and Joanne Zendol, South Berwyn District 100, Berwyn.

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Most of the more than 20,000 Illinois teachers of special education would be asked to broaden their expertise in order to instruct students with a wider array of disabilities under a new proposal of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). ISBE recently submitted its plan to a court monitor in response to a judge's order to better align Illinois special ed teacher training with the training provided in other states.

The proposal would require most Illinois special ed teachers to obtain further training in order to work with more kinds of disabled students in regular classrooms. The ISBE plan was submitted in response to an order by U.S. Federal Judge Robert Gettleman, and is derived from a landmark lawsuit known as Corey H.

Teacher organizations have expressed serious misgivings about the ISBE plan. Some teachers are charging that the plan conflicts with the state's new teacher certification law. Others fear it will push more students with disabilities into regular classrooms without needed support and services.

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The Illinois Art Education Association named Park Forest-Chicago Heights District 163 art teacher Joyce Bricker the Illinois Elementary Art Educator of the Year. A teacher in District 163 for 29 years, Bricker has taught art for 20 years.

"Teaching art has been extremely rewarding. But, it also has been the most challenging job I have ever had," said Bricker. She went on to share a portion from a research study, "The Arts and Academic Achievement: What the Evidence Shows," from the August, 2000 Harvard Project Zero: "‘Let's bet on history. Of course we do not know for sure what is the best education for children to insure that they will grow up to lead productive and happy lives. But the arts have been around longer than the sciences; cultures are judged on the basis of their arts; and most cultures and most historical eras have not doubted the importance of studying the arts...The arts are a fundamentally important part of culture and an education without them is an impoverished education leading to an impoverished society.' In addition to these benefits, the children have fun learning art, too. How can I not love teaching it?"

For additional information contact District 163 spokesperson Denise Faris at 815/469-9166.

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A full 95 percent of all public schools are connected to the Internet now, compared to 35 percent in 1994. In contrast, fewer than half of the nation's households can boast Internet connections.

The use of the Internet in schools is changing the way teachers teach and students learn. It may even be increasing how much students learn, especially average and shy ones, according to educational technology experts. Although as yet no published studies verify such statements, and most schools still face shortages of tech-trained teachers, specialists are pleased with the results of school Internet use so far.

On the down side, a recent federal Education Department survey found only one-third of all public school teachers consider themselves prepared to use computers and the Internet. And, while nearly every school is connected to the Internet, only about five of eight classrooms are. Currently, schools have one computer for every six students.

Source: Pennsylvania School Boards Association, Information Legislative Service, December 2000, based on statistics from the CEO Forum on Education and Technology and the National Center for Education Statistics.

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NEWS HEADLINES

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News in education from around the state ... Another case challenging the Illinois tuition tax credit is in the lap of appellate courts. So far, lower courts have upheld the constitutionality of the 1999 law that grants 25 percent credit from state income taxes to help qualifying families to pay for tuition, books and lab fees. A ruling on the Franklin County case is expected within the next six months. A similar case in Sangamon County may be decided in late January (Springfield Journal-Register, Jan. 8.) Gov. George Ryan made two appointments to the Educational Labor Relations Board. Lynne Sered of Evanston and Michael Prueter of Naperville will serve the six-year terms if confirmed by the Senate. The board mediates charges of unfair labor practices and has jurisdiction over 1,100 public education institutions and 450,000 employees (Springfield Journal-Register, Jan. 5.) High school athletes as young as 14 are using creatine, the strength-building dietary supplement, according to a study by the Mayo Clinic. About 8 percent of the athletes surveyed reported using the supplement, which is not strictly regulated by federal food and drug laws. Common side effects are cramps, dehydration and nausea (Reuters news service, Dec. 20.)

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THE NATIONAL SCENE

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U.S. students show no progress in latest TIMSS results

Eighth-grade American students exhibit math and science skills on standardized tests roughly on par with students from Russia, previous Soviet-bloc countries and other economically unstable nations, according to the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R).

Results of the 1999 international study, released December 5, found no significant improvement for American students from a similar study conducted four years ago. U.S. students tied for 15th place among participating nations in both science and math.

Americans' scores were identical, statistically speaking, to those from five other nations (Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Latvia, New Zealand and Russia) in science, and six other nations (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, England, Latvia, Malaysia and New Zealand) in math.

Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan led the way in both math and science.

This round of tests evaluated only eighth graders. The 1995 TIMSS assessments found U.S. fourth graders performed well in both mathematics and science in comparison to students in other nations, while U.S. eighth graders' performance had dropped to near the international average in both subjects. U.S. 12th graders' scores plunged to near the bottom of the list of participating nations.

Among initial responses to the TIMSS-R findings were calls for better professional development and better academic preparation for teachers. The study found that 71 percent of students in the top ranking countries were taught by teachers who had degrees in math, compared to 41 percent of U.S. students.

"We cannot expect to lead the world in math and science if our geometry students are being taught by history teachers and our chemistry students are being taught by physical education teachers," says Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley.

In math, U.S. eighth graders outperformed their peers in 17 nations, performed similarly to their peers in six nations, and performed lower than their peers in 14 nations.

In science, U.S. eighth graders outperformed their peers in 18 nations, performed similarly to their peers in five nations, and performed lower than their peers in 14 nations.

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics both responded by calling for an upgrade in professional development for teachers. Many policymakers said the TIMSS results also underscore the need to improve middle school education. But the study's federal sponsors were quick to discount analyses that were harshly critical of U.S. middle school students.

The release of the 1995 TIMSS study led to much soul searching by educational policymakers, criticism of the U.S. education system by some politicians, and concrete initiatives by local school officials to implement new programs to boost student achievement.

More than 180,000 eighth graders from 38 nations, including 9,072 U.S. students, took the TIMSS-R, which was available in 34 languages.

Slated for release in April 2001 are findings from the TIMSS-R Benchmarking Project, a study of 27 U.S. states, districts and consortia of districts following the same guidelines as the participating nations.

The NAEP/TIMSS-R Linking Study, an analysis of a group of students taking the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress math and science assessment who also took the TIMSS-R assessment, will be released in late 2001.

In 2002, U.S. officials will release a video series associated with this test that shows how teachers in high-performing countries teach math and science. Another TIMSS study will be conducted in 2003.

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NEWS FROM IASB

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IASB division elects new director

The Blackhawk Division of IASB recently elected David Kniker, of Kewanee C.U. District 229, to serve as the division's new director. Kniker, who had previously served as an IASB director-at-large, succeeds Christy Coleman, the division's former director, who was elected vice president of the Association in November.

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IASB to hold multicultural job fair for teachers and administrators

IASB -- in partnership with IASA, IPA and other statewide education associations -- will hold the Sixth Annual Multicultural Job Fair for Teachers and Administrators Saturday, March 3, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hilton Hotel Conference Center, Oak Lawn. The purpose of the fair is to aid IASB member school districts in hiring teachers and administrators. Each year junior and senior education majors and experienced teachers and administrators seeking to make a change are invited to attend.

In its first five years the job fair has enabled hundreds of teachers to be placed in schools throughout the state. Job fair coordinator is Sanetta George-Jackson, IASB director of field services.

There is no charge for students and other job candidates wishing to take part in the Fair, but advance registration is required, and participants are asked to bring 25 copies of their resume for distribution.

School districts that wish to participate are asked to return a reservation form with a $300 processing fee, which includes a maximum of two box lunches for recruiters. Additional lunches may be reserved for $15 each. Registration can be conducted via e-mail at: sjackson@iasb.com or lcotten@iasb.com. For more information, phone Sanetta at 630/629-3776, extension 1233.

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RESEARCH REPORTS

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TIF districts slow economic growth: Study

Tax increment financing (TIF) is a counterproductive economic development tool, at least as wielded by Illinois municipalities, according to research completed by two visiting economists at the University of Illinois. TIFs are tax break schemes designed to stimulate economic development. Researchers Richard F. Dye and David F. Merriman, who studied municipalities with and without TIF districts in the Chicago metropolitan area, found "municipalities that use TIF do worse."

Dye and Merriman recommended: "Policymakers should revisit the issue of TIF districts as economic development tools and the question of whether other local governments should have authoritative roles in the decision to create TIF districts." The preliminary findings of their study were described in the January 2000 Newsbulletin. Their completed study, appearing as "Working Paper 75," now is available online at http://www.igpa.uillinois.edu.

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Teen risk behaviors tied to school failure, time spent "hanging out"

Teens who are failing at school and constantly hanging out with their friends are at extremely high risk for engaging in dangerous behaviors, according to one of the largest studies ever conducted among U.S. teenagers. Such adolescents are far more likely to drink alcohol than their peers and to carry or use weapons, smoke cigarettes or engage in early sex, the survey found.

The survey, titled the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), challenges some of the conventional wisdom about teen health risks. Although income, race and family structure are factors impacting risky behavior, failing school and spending substantial time hanging out unsupervised with friends--and other related factors combined--are three to eight times more significant, the study found.

For a copy of the survey findings visit http://www.peds.umn.edu/peds-adol/di.html. Source: News Leader, National Association of Secondary School Principals, January 2001.

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Early exposure to other kids may build immunity to asthma

Asthma -- the most common chronic health problem among children and the number one cause of school absences -- may be less widespread among young children who congregate with other children at an early age. That is, children who go to day care and those with older siblings at home appear much less prone (up to 40 percent less likely) to developing asthma. Researchers believe children build immunity through early exposure to the microbes that cause the disease. The study was published in the August 2000 edition of The New England Journal of Medicine.

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WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS

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NSBA invites school leaders to technology sessions

School leaders are invited to join NSBA technology network experts in San Diego March 23, just before the NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition, for the Technology Leadership Network early bird sessions. Participants will review The School Board Member's Role in Technology Leadership, and the Internet Made Easy. For more information, send e-mail to ITTE's Susan Booth at sbooth@nsba.org.

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Board candidate telecast set for February 27

A 60-minute workshop for school board candidates will be telecast from Western Illinois University (WIU) to downlink sites around the state on Tuesday evening, February 27.

The telecast is timed to reach candidates who are running in the April 3 school board election, but the workshop is structured to also serve the needs of newly elected board members, incumbents and administrators.

Entitled "Serving with Distinction: Insights from Veteran School Board Members," the workshop is conducted by the Illinois Association of School Boards and produced by the WIU Satellite Education Network staff.

The telecast gets underway at 7:00 p.m. Because the presentation is pre-taped, the workshop is not interactive.

Regional Offices of Education with downlink facilities have been invited to open their doors and play host to the telecast.

The workshop features panels of experienced board members discussing the basic principles that define the work of school boards and how individual board members function most effectively in carrying out that work. The six school board members appearing in the video are Jeffrey Carter, Virden CUSD 4; Christy Coleman, Geneseo CUSD 228 and vice president of IASB; Jacqueline Goetter, Decatur SD 61; Mark Mathewson, Athens CUSD 213; Mark Metzger, Indian Prairie SD 204; and Thomas Welsch, Waterloo CUSD 5.

Get in touch with your Regional Office of Education to determine whether the workshop telecast is being made available in your region.

The workshop will be available on video tape (VHS) beginning March 1. The tape and a study guide may be obtained by sending $25 (check or purchase order) to IASB Publications, in Springfield.

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TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

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National Issues Forums

National Issues Forums (NIF) is a nationwide network of educational and community organizations that deliberate about nationwide issues. NIF was recently lauded by columnist William Raspberry for discovering there is more general agreement than most experts believe on education. As Raspberry explained, words like vouchers, testing, standards, accountability and choice "don't mean the same thing to citizens as they do to the advocates and politicians, even the pollsters."

NIF helps to present nonpartisan forums at the local level. And, as Raspberry notes, the locally run forums are "able not only to find out what people think (as opinion polls do) but also to watch how opinions change in the give and take of meetings." Such forums, he said, often yield a more subtle, in-depth view of complex topics such as public education.

One key NIF finding, according to Raspberry: "the American people (at any rate the forum participants) are deeply committed to the public schools as a common, equalizing democratizing experience."

The network's Web site (http://www.nifi.org/) explains NIF concepts, issues and reports. Visitors to the site can find out how to begin holding forums in their community, schools, churches or civic organizations.

NIF does not advocate a specific solution or point of view. Rather, deliberative forums provide a way for citizens to exchange ideas and experiences with one another, and make more thoughtful and informed decisions. Each year participants in the network:

Identify critical issues, such as health care, juvenile crime, or gambling, for public deliberation.

Commission non-partisan issue books that ask readers to consider different options for acting on an issue.

Conduct local forums and study circles.

Provide information for reports on deliberation by citizens to others, including elected officials at the local, state and national levels.

Source: William Raspberry, "More agreement than you think on education," The State Journal-Register (Springfield), October 10, 2000.

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New American High Schools Web site offers school reform help

The website of the New American Schools reform organization provides school leaders, teachers, and community members with up-to-date information on comprehensive school reform and explains how it can benefit participants. The Web site also enables visitors to ask for information and to offer direct feedback.

The new site provides links to state-specific information on the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration site, such as grants, funding, and application reviews. It also offers information on how to determine whether a school reform model provides a systematic or piecemeal approach. The Web site is located at www.newamericanschools.org. Source: News Leader, National Association of Secondary School Principals, January 2001.

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Booklet provides advice on hiring the best teachers

A new 64-page booklet from ERS and the National Association of Elementary School Principals provides guidelines on how to hire the best teachers. The publication, "How to Interview, Hire, and Retain High-Quality New Teachers," promotes the use of behavior-based interviews, which are predicated on the belief that past job performance is the best indicator of a candidate's future job performance. The booklet is available for $24.95 from the National Association of Elementary School Principals, 1615 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3483; fax 703/549-5568; or phone 800/386-2377. Source: ERS Bulletin, Educational Research Service, December 2000.

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Online learning effort aims to fill gap in professional development

Education organizations both rural and urban reportedly will be partnering with Performance Learning Systems (PLS) to deliver free online learning opportunities for teachers throughout the coming year. PLS, an educational services company based in New Jersey, has blended on-site or "live" training with online learning modules to provide staff development. The mix of training online and training on-site varies in each case, depending on size and location of the district. Often teachers attend a one-day or even a one-hour presentation for an overview and then go online for the remainder of the training. To learn more about PLS online programs, visit www.plsweb.com or phone Bruce Malnor, PLS director at 800/255-8412.

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NSBA coalition issues professional development guide on teaching reading

The Learning First Alliance, a coalition of 12 national education organizations that includes NSBA, has issued a guide that describes the most effective way to prepare teachers to teach children how to read.

"Every Child Reading: A Professional Development Guide," released December 6, calls for schoolwide, ongoing opportunities for every teacher to review and practice well-proven strategies to help every child become a proficient reader.

The report is a follow-up to the Learning First Alliance's 1998 report, "Every Child Reading: An Action Plan."

Source: NSBA, School Board News, December 19, 2000.

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Good news about public schools is online

Want to hear the good news about public schools in the United States? Visit the Internet address that offers access to a still-significant 1996 report called "The Good -- and the Not-So-Good -- News About American Education," at www.ctredpol.org/pubs/.

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LEGISLATIVE ACTION

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Funding board calls for 3% foundation level increase

School management lobbyists say school funding probably will be the foremost education issue in the spring session. The Education Funding Advisory Board recently made some rather modest recommendations, and the next step is up to Illinois lawmakers. The legislature will have to take action for any change to be made in the current foundation level.

The advisory board made the following recommendations:

Increase by no less that $135 million General State Aid (GSA) and Hold Harmless line items in the state budget for fiscal year 2002. This would yield a foundation level of no less than $4,560 per pupil, a 3% increase from the current level of $4,425.

Decrease the minimum threshold for access to the poverty grant from the present 20% to 15%.

Authorize the pupil count in the formula to be the greater of the prior year average daily attendance or the most recent three-year average daily attendance.

Fund the Hold Harmless provision through fiscal year 2002, but ensure that the provision shall not be made permanent.

Re-enact the continuing appropriation for GSA with no sunset provision.

For more information on the work of the Education Funding Advisory Board, log on to the State Board of Education's Web site. Go to www.isbe.net and scroll down to click on "Education Funding Advisory Board." Source: Illinois School Management Alliance, Alliance Legislative Report 91-63, January 5, 2000.

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IASB ARCHIVES HOME

Illinois Association of School Boards

2921 Baker Drive
Springfield, Illinois 62703