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School Board News Bulletin
April, 2004

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Majority of March tax propositions fail at polls

NAEIR distributes donated supplies to its member schools

Auditor General critical of ISBE

Report: Kids miss out on education due to failures outside schools

Gov. earmarks $550 million for school building improvements

Letter writer clarifies A+ Illinois' goals & positions

LEGISLATIVE ACTION

School vending machine bill defeated

Lawmakers take halftime break

THE NATIONAL SCENE

NCLB comes under fire in more state legislatures

Orlando NSBA conference draws 520 from Illinois

Illinois receives high marks in national preschool report

NEWS HEADLINES

NEWS FROM IASB

2004 Joint Annual Conference information to be mailed in June

Suggested annual conference panel topics for 2004 chosen

'Best of DuPage' showcased in nine breakout sessions

FEDERAL UPDATE

State officials urge added flexibility under NCLB

Sen. Ted Kennedy demands full funding of NCLB law

Supreme Court takes up 'under God' appeal—what it may mean

ILLINOIS SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Sixty-nine more districts placed on state’s financial watch list

Chicago local school councils run short of candidates

WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS

Free IASB workshops aim to boost NCLB yearly progress

Workshop on using 2000 U.S. Census data will focus on Illinois

Majority of March tax propositions fail at polls
Only 12 of 27 school bond propositions are approved, along with 36 of 81 tax rate increases

Despite the dire state of financial health in many school districts, voters defeated more than half of the tax increase proposals in the March 16 primary. Unofficially, voters shot down 45 of 81 tax referendums on local ballots (56 percent failed), while adopting a total of 36 tax increases.

Likewise, 56 percent of bond proposals were defeated, with a total 12 of 27 bond proposals prevailing. But even though bond issues met with the same approval rate as tax questions, a 44 percent success rate is particularly bad for bond proposals. In fact, that approval rate ranks among the worst in the past 15 years, as voters have approved nearly 60 percent of bond issues on average since 1989.

Tax increase proposals were more numerous than usual: the 81 tax proposals on the ballot was the second highest total of the past 15 years. Only the most recent election, last April - with 89 tax propositions - included more tax increase proposals. This offers stark testimony to the large number of school districts faced with financial deficits.

In contrast, the 27 bond proposals appearing on the ballot this time around was the lowest total from any March election since 1990.

Several tax proposals were decided by narrow margins, with fewer than 20 votes deciding the outcome of six tax referendums, including three that passed and three that failed. Proposals prevailed by 12 votes in West Chicago, by six votes in Bureau, and by 14 votes in Smithton; proposals failed by 14 votes in Antioch, eight votes in Harrison, and four votes in River Grove.

A breakdown of tax referendum outcomes shows voters approved 35 of 75 education fund proposals (47 percent), and one of five operations and maintenance fund proposals (25 percent). The lone transportation fund proposal went down to defeat.

Voters adopted education fund tax rate increases in the following school districts: Antioch C.C. Dist. 34; Benjamin Dist. 25, West Chicago; Blue Ridge C.U. Dist 18, Farmer City; C.C. Dist. 93, Bloomingdale; Central Dist. 104, O'Fallon; Cornell C.C. Dist. 426; Coulterville C.U. Dist. 1; Donovan C.U. Dist. 3; Evergreen Park Dist. 124; Fairview Dist. 72, Skokie; Forest Park Dist. 91; Fox River Grove Dist. 3; Knoxville C.U. Dist. 202; Komarek Dist. 94, North Riverside; LaMoille C.U. Dist. 303 (passing both an education fund increase, and an operations and maintenance fund increase); Lansing Dist. 158; and Leepertown C.C. 175, Bureau.

Voters also approved education fund tax rate increases in: Lisle C.U. Dist. 202; Lombard Elementary Dist. 44; Ludlow C.C. Dist. 142; Lyons Elementary Dist. 103; Maercker Dist. 60; Millburn C.C. Dist 24, Wadsworth; Morton Grove Dist. 70; Niles T.H.S.D. 219, Skokie; Pontiac C.C. Dist 429; Putnam County C.U. Dist 535, Granville; Riverside Dist. 96; Roanoke-Benson C.U. Dist. 60; Skokie Dist. 73.5; Smithton C.C. Dist. 130; Tri-Valley C.U. Dist. 3, Downs; Willow Springs Dist. 108; Winnebago C.U. Dist. 323; and Woodland C.U. Dist. 5, Streator.

Local electorates OK'd just one operations fund proposal, increasing taxes by 20 cents per 100 of assessed valuation in LaMoille C.U. Dist. 303; that same district also obtained approval from voters for an education fund increase of 60 cents.

Voters approved building bond issues in the following nine districts: Addison Dist. 4; Arbor Park Dist. 145, Oak Forest; Hinsdale C.C. Dist 181; Crete-Monee C.U. Dist. 201-U; Ford Heights Dist. 169; Frankfort C.C. Dist 157-C; Millburn C.C. Dist 24, Wadsworth; New Lenox Dist 122; and Warren THSD 121, Gages Lake. The Crete-Monee district passed the biggest building-bond issue, at $79.4 million. Nearest in magnitude were: $41.8 million in Frankfort, $35.0 million in New Lenox and $31.0 million in Hinsdale.

Meanwhile voters OK'd working cash bond proposals in: Avoca Dist. 37, Wilmette; Union Dist 81, Joliet; and Venice C.U. Dist. 3. Wilmette's was by far the largest, at $3.2 million, followed by Joliet ($600,000), and Venice ($500,000). But the Joliet district's victory was by far the narrowest, won by only one vote in an April 2 recount there.

Voters turned down much bigger working cash propositions elsewhere, however, including a $9.9 million bond issue in Quincy Dist. 172, and a $6.8 million proposition in Salt Creek Dist. 48, Villa Park, the latter failing unofficially by just 25 votes. The electorate also rejected a smaller ($500,000) working cash proposition in Hardin County C.U. Dist. 1, Elizabethtown, located in far southeastern Illinois.

Four of the five school consolidation proposals were approved, as voters said yes to one district annexation proposal and three consolidations. Voters agreed to divide Merriam C.C. Dist. 19, Fairfield, and annex to two nearby districts: Fairfield District 112, and New Hope Dist. 6, Fairfield. Consolidation plans were approved to establish a new unit school district in the territory comprising Niantic-Harristown C.U. 6 and Illiopolis Dist. 12. Voters also approved consolidating El Paso C.U. Dist. 375 with Gridley Dist. 10; and combining Alexis Dist. 400 with Warren C.U. Dist. 222, Monmouth.

But voters rejected a proposal to consolidate A-C Central C.U. 262, Ashland, with Virginia C.U. 64.

In addition to the four successful district consolidations, one detachment proposal was passed, as balloters agreed to detach the Franklin Center attendance area from Lee Center Dist. 271, Paw Paw.

Voters also approved increases in the debt service extension base in two school districts: Willow Springs Dist. 108, and Peotone C.U. Dist. 3; but voters rejected such propositions in two other districts.

On another important question, voters approved, by a vote of 525,242 "yes" to 173,076 "no," an advisory question put forward by Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn to aid schools and property tax payers. The referendum asked voters in 24 counties and 15 other local jurisdictions whether they would favor doubling the state income tax for those who earn over $250,000 annually "to improve education funding." The proposal was endorsed by a majority of voters in all but one jurisdiction voting on it; only sparsely populated Hardin County voted it down.

Under the plan, half of the estimated $1.15 billion proceeds from a proposed tax hike would be earmarked to create an education trust fund. The other half would be used to provide property tax rebates to homeowners. The additional school revenue would be divided on a per pupil basis, providing roughly $277 more for every student annually.

Although it was overwhelmingly popular with voters, the proposed amendment still needs to win the approval of a three-fifths majority in each house of the legislature, plus 60 percent of the state's voters in November.

To enact the plan, Sen. Maggie Crotty, D-Oak Forest, is sponsoring Senate Joint Resolution and Constitutional Amendment 20 (SJR-CA20) to place the amendment on the November ballot. Crotty must obtain legislative approval in both houses by May 2 to put the amendment on the ballot, something she maintains will not be difficult.

"Everybody knows we have to do something for education," Crotty said. "This is a step in the right direction. I don't see how it could be a tough sell."

Crotty said her resolution specifies that half of the revenue would go toward education and half would go toward property taxes. She says she may first add a provision to ensure that none of the revenue would be used to supplement the state's general revenue fund, a fund roughly equivalent to the state's checking account.

One potential drawback for proponents is that the plan's original author, Lt. Gov. Quinn, has remained unpopular with some lawmakers ever since he prevailed on a similar initiative in 1980 to reduce the size of the Illinois House by a third. What's more, under state law there is little time left to pass Quinn's plan this year. To enable its passage, the General Assembly must act, with 60 percent approving it in both chambers, to place it before the voters on the November 2 ballot.

For more information on results of all school-related referendums at the March 16 election and other recent elections, visit the Illinois Association of School Administrators' Web site at www.iasaedu.org/publications/srer.htm. For a look at statistical comparisons of recent tax and bond referendums, visit IASB's Web site at www.iasb.com/files/finance.htm.

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NAEIR distributes donated supplies to its member schools

The National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources is an organization that redistributes overstock and discontinued items to each of its 4,900 nonprofit members nationwide. More than 100 schools and school districts in Illinois are members.

For a $575 annual fee, members receive a 200-page catalog every 10 weeks, with products ranging from computer software and stationery to roofing supplies. Each order costs $99, plus shipping. The goods are ready for shipping or pick up at the NAEIR's Galesburg warehouse in three to six weeks.

With more than $129 million of inventory donated in 2002-2003, some 27,000 pounds of goods shipped out every day and an average of $19,000 in goods sent to each member every year, there's plenty to go around.

For more information, contact NAEIR at 1-800/562-0955 or e-mail member@naeir.org.

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Auditor General critical of ISBE

In what may be another blow to the state education agency's chances of survival, the Illinois State Board of Education was cited in a March 30 report by the state's top auditor for failing to follow state mandates. The report by Auditor General William Holland faulted ISBE for lack of adequate internal controls, record-keeping and communication. But agency officials said staff shortages have hampered ISBE's efforts in those areas.

Holland said internal controls over the education agency's business are required because everyone who relies upon ISBE for services "can be assured they're getting a good quality product."

The auditor's report charged that the State Board of Education failed last year to follow state law requiring ISBE to methodically reward high-performing schools, and to provide an annual Governor's Recognition Program. The report said ISBE also ignored statutory mandates to develop model curricula, provide technology learning grants, and family life courses, and schedule timely hearings on suspensions.

An ISBE spokeswoman said many of the audit findings had already been addressed in advance of the auditor's report, which covers the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003.

But a spokesperson for Gov. Rod Blagojevich said the audit only reaffirms the governor's efforts to bring more accountability into the education system. Blagojevich has proposed dissolving the ISBE in its present form to create a new Department of Education, a change some critics say would reduce the board to a powerless think tank.

A copy of the Auditor General's report is available online at: www.state.il.us/auditor/ISBE 2003.htm.

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Report: Kids miss out on education due to failures outside schools
Spending gap between state's wealthiest and poorest school districts cited as nation's worst

Statewide survey results released on March 17 show many Illinois children lose out on a quality education because the essential supports they need to do well in the classroom aren't in place outside of their schools.

Voices for Illinois Children, an advocacy group for children, released its 12th annual Illinois Kids Count survey findings in March called "Learning: The Classroom and Beyond."

The vice chairwoman of the organization's board, Bonnie Wheeler, said the survey showed thousands of Illinois kids are poor, struggling to read, and in need of decent preschool education.

The report recommends 12 policy and program initiatives to improve learning in Illinois, such as improving the way in which schools are funded, and more evenly distributing resources. "Reduce the reliance on property taxes and increase the use of income tax revenue and other resources to fund schools," the report suggests.

As for resource distribution, the report finds that some elementary schools spend $4,000 per student, while others spend more than $18,000. To narrow this gap, the report suggests increasing "poverty grants" that channel extra resources to the lowest-income students.

The full report is available online at: www.voices4kids.org/illinoiskidscount.htm.

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Gov. earmarks $550 million for school building improvements

Offering a preview of the state's 2005 capital spending plan, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said in April he has budgeted $550 million for new school construction.

The funding would represent 25 percent of the $2.2 billion Blagojevich is setting aside to cover school development, maintenance and expansion over the next four years. About $500 million of the 2005 amount will cover new construction, with the remaining $50 million budgeted for a matching-grant program that schools can tap into for general upkeep.

"Those smaller repair grants will help districts take care of problems as they occur," Blagojevich said. "That way a roof leak can be fixed economically this year instead of putting it off and putting off until the entire roof system needs a multi-million dollar replacement."

Chicago Dist. 299 is set to receive 20 percent, or $100 million, of the construction grants awarded next fiscal year. Another $150 million is tagged for projects in 24 school districts that applied for funding last year but did not get funds. The remainder of the money is available for other school districts that apply for it.

But the governor did not specify how the money would be allocated, proposing only that the Capital Development Board would determine how the money is spent, rather than the Illinois State Board of Education.

The governor's proposal drew immediate criticism from the state superintendent of education. "This is a frightening proposition for school districts statewide," said state Superintendent Robert Schiller. Replacing "a fair process set into law by the legislature with a program that is discretionary can not possibly serve all of our schools equitably."

Source: Crains Chicago Business, March 22, 2004, and Bloomington Pantagraph, March 25, 2004.

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Letter writer clarifies A+ Illinois' goals & positions

An article in last month's Newsbulletin, "Houlihan Urges School Funding Overhaul" (March 2004), left many readers asking for clarification on A+ Illinois' goals and positions. Launched in February of this year, A+ Illinois is a broad statewide coalition … committed to a comprehensive restructuring of state finances, and [A+ Illinois] advocates for:

• "Bringing the bottom up" by raising the foundation level to at least $5,835 per student.
• Safeguarding local districts' access to local property taxes.
• Providing property tax relief.
• Making the revenue system in Illinois less regressive by raising the income tax and widening the sales tax base.
• Reducing the state's structural deficit that jeopardizes school funding and government services.

Our highest priority right now is to help spur public engagement and create the political environment ultimately necessary for pursuing legislation in Springfield. We will be calling upon Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the legislative leaders to convene a special session of the General Assembly in the fall of 2004 to tackle challenges in school funding, school quality, and our current tax structure. We have not endorsed any specific proposals that do not provide a comprehensive solution to the problems facing our schools - including the assessment cap proposal and funding reform plan discussed in the last issue of the IASB bulletin.…

Bindu Batchu
Campaign Manager
bbatchu@aplusillinois.org

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LEGISLATIVE ACTION

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School vending machine bill defeated

On March 30, the Illinois House defeated H.B. 4058 (Miller, D-Calumet City) that would have prohibited a public school from selling soft drinks to pupils during school hours and prohibited vending machines on school grounds. Even though the substantive provisions already had been deleted from the bill, the intent of the legislation was enough for legislators to overwhelmingly defeat the proposal. The Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance opposed this legislation.

The issue, however, is probably not over for the session. Another bill, HB 3974 (Cross, R-Oswego) is still pending on the House floor and Governor Blagojevich favors such legislation.

For more information on the large issue of childhood nutrition, however, and the related issues of obesity and physical activity in regard to public school operations and school board policy-making, see the IASB Web site at: www.iasb.com/healthy/ .

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Lawmakers take halftime break

The Illinois General Assembly began a two-week break on April 1st with the major issues yet to be decided. Will there be more property tax relief? More school mandates?

Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Springfield on April 20 to begin to look more closely into such issues. Meanwhile, April 2 marked the halfway point of the session as all House bills had been considered by the House and all Senate bills had been considered by the Senate (there were a few exceptions as some bills had their deadlines extended).

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THE NATIONAL SCENE

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NCLB comes under fire in more state legislatures

The Oklahoma legislature recently came up with a novel suggestion for Congress on NCLB: repeal it. When such a resolution was adopted by the Oklahoma House of Representatives its sponsor received a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats alike.

Experts say it's highly unlikely Congress will vote to repeal the law in a presidential election year, but the bipartisan alliance in the Oklahoma legislature illustrates the widespread dissatisfaction that the president's initiative has provoked. Like similar measures being debated across the country, the Oklahoma resolution brought together liberal Democrats and states' rights Republicans, both angry over what they see as a burdensome federal intrusion into local school governance.

Measures have been approved in more than 12 states by at least one legislative chamber each, all of them calling for Congress to repeal or amend the NCLB law or to prohibit the use of state money to carry out its provisions.

Idaho recently approved a resolution praising the law's objective of raising student achievement, but urging sweeping changes. And Connecticut's state senate unanimously approved a resolution on March 3 asking Congress to grant waivers from NCLB for states like Connecticut that have set high education standards.

A bipartisan group of Arizona lawmakers, meanwhile, is pushing to divorce the state from NCLB mandates they view as punitive. An Arizona House Appropriations Committee voted to opt out of NCLB on March 9, and the Arizona lawmakers involved said NCLB is under-funded this year by nearly $167 million in their state.

It is estimated that opting out would cost Arizona public schools $340 million in federal education funds tied to complying with the act. But Republican House Majority Leader Eddie Farnsworth believes Arizona can actually save money if schools no longer have to focus staff time and school resources to comply with the federal law. Farnsworth supports President Bush, but recently told federal education officials he believes they have no constitutional authority to regulate education policy or to withhold federal tax dollars.

"I think they would have to explain to parents how they don't get their own tax dollars back to their kids because we don't comply with an unfunded and unconstitutional mandate," said Farnsworth.

The states increasingly are critical of NCLB funding levels, and some states are conducting their own studies of the alleged under-funding. An Ohio state government case study found that the cost of implementing NCLB would run $1.5 billion over the next ten years, more than twice what Ohio will receive from the federal government.

Officials in other states estimate they need an average of 28 percent more a year to meet NCLB requirements, according to an 18-state study by William Mathis, an education finance professor in Vermont. That represents a $118 billion increase over the $422.7 billion spent by local, state and federal governments on education nationally in 2001-2002. Mathis' study "No Child Left Behind: Costs and Benefits" is available online at: http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k0305mat.htm.

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Orlando NSBA conference draws 520 from Illinois

Sun, fun and learning filled five days in Orlando for the 520 representatives of Illinois school districts at the 2004 National School Boards Association (NSBA) Conference, March 26-30. Ten districts made panel presentations and another district represented the state in the Educational Excellence Fair as nearly 12,000 school board members, superintendents, education officials and their guests gathered from across the country.

IASB staff also took part in the conference, presenting a pre-conference workshop and a conference panel, attending sessions and hosting a reception attended by about 400.

A highlight for many this year was Monday's general session that featured First Lady Laura Bush and Secretary of Education Rod Paige, both of whom spoke in support of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

Paige used the occasion to announce additional changes to NCLB that will exempt students "with unavoidable medical circumstances even within the makeup day window" from the requirement to test 95 percent of students overall and in each subgroup.

Calling the 95 percent requirement "the heart and soul of the accountability provisions" of NCLB, Paige said the change means these students would not force a school to miss its 95 percent requirement.

This change follows closely announcements that supposedly will make it easier for districts, especially rural districts, to demonstrate they have highly qualified teachers, and that will allow more special education students to be tested according to their Individual Education Plans. One other announced change will allow new English speakers to continue to count their test scores in the ESL subgroup for two years after they show English proficiency.

The First Lady, who as a former librarian has long championed literacy issues, said NCLB "has made the expectation of literacy the law of the land."

"It is not fair to promote students who can't meet standards," she added.

Also speaking at general sessions were actor Christopher Reeve, who became a quadraplegic following a horseback riding accident in 1995; management guru Jim Collins, author of Good to Great; and cultural anthropologist Jennifer James.

While general sessions also are noted for superb entertainment by high school groups, that aspect of the programming took on special meaning for the Illinois delegation this year as the Wheaton Warrenville C.U. Dist. 200 South High show choir, under the direction of Gordon Krauspe, wowed the audience with song and dance.

Before the official opening of the conference on Saturday, three IASB staff presented an early-bird half-day workshop. Sandy Gundlach, director of field services, Anna Lovern, director of policy services, and Angie Peifer, director of board development, led 130 participants through information on "School Board Accountability: Monitoring and Reporting District Performance."

Gundlach also was a presenter for a Monday afternoon panel with Linda Dawson, director of editorial services, and Cathy Talbert, senior director of policy services. The three IASB staff spoke to a group of about 75 on "Focusing on the Real Work of Boards," which explained the Targeting Student Learning process and how it can help school boards work through their policies to focus on student learning.

Illinois districts presenting panels were:

Bloom THSD 206, Chicago Heights: "Each One Reach One: An entirely in-house high school mentoring program" - Cathy Gliottoni, director of the mentoring program; Richard Baisa, science faculty/volunteer; and Ronald Patton, superintendent

Golf SD 67: "Electronic board packets and meetings" - Donald India, board member; Linda Marks, superintendent; Dawn Marks, technology director; and Donna Motzny, board member

Indian Prairie SD 204, Naperville: "Leveraging technology for staff productivity, student achievement and community engagement - cheaply!" - Mark Metzger, board member; Howard Crouse, associate superintendent; and Jeanne Heydecker, Web services coordinator

Lockport THSD 205: "Learn to improve a school district's performance through effective leadership, strategic planning and board governance practices" - Audrey Manley, board president; Chris Ward, superintendent; and Thomas Filipiak, director of business services

Lombard SD 44: "How to make character education come alive in your school and community" - Gary Smit, superintendent

Mount Prospect SD 57: "Developing and using a new board member orientation guide" - Richard Benson, board president

Northbrook SD 27: "Differentiated professional development leads to high-quality instruction and higher student achievement" - Todd Heller, board member; David Kroeze, superintendent; Theresa Fournier, assistant superintendent for personnel and pupil services; Jennifer Warner, board president; and Jeffrey Schuler, principal

SD 45, DuPage County, Villa Park: "$$$ - The connection between negotiations, budgets and long-range financial projections" - Linda Nystrom, board president; William Schewe, superintendent; and Jay Tovian, business manager/treasurer; and

"Data way to go! Bringing data to the building and classroom level for analysis and improving student achievement" - Schewe; Susan Schwicardi, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction; and Debbie Guzan, principal

THSD 214, Arlington Heights: "A newcomer center - A small learning community for immigrant high school students" - Elizabeth Ennis, superintendent; Dennis Terdy, director of grants and special programs; Lenore Bragaw Gonzales, board member; and Jocelyn Booth, assistant superintendent for educational services

Brooklyn Lovejoy SD 188 represented Illinois at this year's Educational Excellence Fair with a booth on "Success for all through community engagement: Home/school/community extended-day, Saturday and summer partnership programs through Project Success."

Other activities included:

• A 5K Run/Walk on Sunday morning, which included participation by IASB president Ray Zimmerman of Flanagan CUSD 4; president-elect Marie Slater of Wheaton Warrenville CUSD 200; immediate past president Christie Coleman of Geneseo CUSD 228; executive director Michael Johnson; information services manager Ellen Murray; and Journal editor Linda Dawson.
• An exhibition of school architecture, which featured 115 projects, 13 of them from Illinois.
• Exhibits by more than 275 vendors representing products and services of value to school districts.
• Special lectures, including the Fourth Annual Jacqueline P. Danzberger Memorial Lecture, which featured Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She urged attendees to examine their high schools to make certain they provide the "Three Rs": rigor, relationships and relevance. "This isn't just about education," she said. "This is about our democracy."
• An executive job fair, Key Work roundtables and special sessions for school attorneys, the Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native caucuses and the Council of Urban Boards of Education

The 2005 NSBA conference is scheduled for April 16-19 in San Diego.

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Illinois receives high marks in national preschool report

Illinois recently shared the spotlight with two other states for the high quality of its pre-kindergarten programs, according to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released The State of Preschool: 2003 State Preschool Yearbook, the first in an annual series of reports on programs funded by state governments to educate children at ages 3 and 4. The report addresses how state-funded preschool programs fare in the areas of access, quality standards and resources.

In the quality standards category, the report explains that while no state met all 10 benchmarks for state quality standards, three state programs met nine out of 10: Arkansas, Illinois and New Jersey's "Abbott District" program.

The complete report can be viewed at http://nieer.org/yearbook/pdf/yearbook.pdf.

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Federal officials recently announced plans to ease restrictions on same-sex public education, giving schools the freedom to teach boys and girls in separate classrooms. By shifting enforcement of Title IX, which bans sex discrimination in schools, the U.S. Education Department says it will increase parental choice without limiting equal opportunity. (The Associated Press, March 4, 2004) … State Superintendent Robert Schiller's former school district in Shreveport, La., reportedly gave him nearly $30,000 in "improper" payments, according to a Louisiana legislative audit report (which is available online at www.lla.state.la.us/inves.htm). Schiller denies any wrongdoing. (Chicago Sun-Times, March 15, 2004) School bus exhaust is linked to severe air pollution problems, but large diesel buses have been one of the last categories of vehicles subject to EPA emissions limits. Tighter federal emissions standards are now in the works, however, while grassroots efforts have begun to contest children's exposure to toxic diesel exhaust (The Christian Science Monitor, March 9, 2004) … A plan under discussion in Huntley C.U. Dist. 158 to reduce busing costs by staggering start times reportedly would lead to $342,000 in savings. The cost savings would result from operating 20 fewer buses on regular routes. The key drawback is third-through fifth-graders at one school might not start school until 10 a.m. – almost three hours after middle school students – and finish just before 5 p.m. (The Associated Press, March 29, 2004) … A study released March 29 found state universities could save up to $25 million annually on energy costs by using a utility management plan with a uniform shared information system. (The Associated Press, March 29, 2004).

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NEWS FROM IASB

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2004 Joint Annual Conference information to be mailed in June

Early June is the planned mailing time for the Joint Annual Conference registration packet IASB sends to district superintendents each year. Questions concerning registration procedures for the conference should be directed to IASB Meetings Management, at ext. 1115 or 1102.

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Suggested annual conference panel topics for 2004 chosen

All 2004 Joint Annual Conference panel ideas proposed by member school districts have now been evaluated by IASB and the "winning" proposals have been chosen. The selected school districts are currently being invited to present these "Share the Success" panel sessions.

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‘Best of DuPage' showcased in nine breakout sessions

Good food and good conversation make for good networking. That's one of the primary functions of IASB's spring and fall division meetings. Typically, these dinner meetings conclude with Association reports and topical speakers or panel sessions.

This year, the executive committee of the DuPage Division decided to expand the menu by offering nine different panel sessions in the "Best of DuPage."

"The idea was to create a taste of what's happening in districts throughout the area," explained IASB field service director, John Cassel.

Meeting in newly renovated and expanded York Community High School in suburban Elmhurst Dist. 157 on March 11, board members and superintendents adjourned from dessert and business reports to a trio of 20-minute panel sessions. Each panel featured three different DuPage districts.

Panel topics were solicited throughout the division. Cassel believes the variety of panels, along with pre-dinner building tours and a dinner that was substantially subsidized by the Wight & Company architectural firm, generated a significant response.

"Unlike the Joint Annual Conference, these panels were chosen to show not the depth, but the breadth of local school governance issues," he said.

The first series of panels included presentations from Marquardt Dist. 15, Glendale Heights (paperless board meetings), West Chicago Dist. 33 and Community High School Dist. 94, West Chicago (welcome centers), and Elmhurst C.U. Dist. 205 (renovation of York Community High School).

The second round of panels included Glenbard THSD 87, Glen Ellyn (high school survey of student engagement), Community High School Dist. 99, Downers Grove (board member orientation), and Naperville C.U. Dist. 203 (school teams' use of data).

The final round featured Elmhurst C.U. Dist. 205 (citizens financial review task force), Dist. 45, DuPage County, Villa Park (cost of negotiations), and Glen Ellyn C.C. Dist. 89 (school district culture). In addition, IASB policy services hosted a workshop on current practices for board secretaries.

Shirley Bloom, who chairs the division's executive committee, said she believes other IASB divisions could benefit from the multi-panel format. "This gave everyone a chance to talk about the good things that are happening in their districts. Networking and sharing this information benefits everyone."

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FEDERAL UPDATE

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State officials urge added flexibility under NCLB

State education leaders in 14 states, including California and Pennsylvania, have urged the federal government to rewrite a key provision of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. The provision at issue is designed to penalize schools where students fail to make "adequate yearly progress" as defined by NCLB.

Meeting on Capitol Hill in March, more than a dozen state superintendents called for changes in the NCLB law, agreeing schools should be permitted to employ other means for determining if children's skills are improving.

Nearly all students - including low-income, minority, disabled students and recent immigrants - must substantially improve in math and reading every year if their school is to stay off an NCLB "needs improvement" list. NCLB's "adequate yearly progress" standards require all students to read and answer math problems satisfactorily by 2014.

U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige responded that the No Child Left Behind law "must be given a chance to work."

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Sen. Ted Kennedy demands full funding of NCLB law

Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) says he supported the NCLB law's adoption in 2001 only because he believed President Bush would demand substantial increases in federal spending to achieve the law's goals.

Kennedy says it was soon after Bush signed the bill that he began to suspect that the money would not match the authorization levels in the bill. In fact, the administration's budget for the 2003 fiscal year sought a net $90 million reduction in spending in areas connected to NCLB. The following year, Bush proposed to cut NCLB spending by $1.2 billion.

Source: The New York Times, "Kennedy Demands Full Funding for School Bill," April 4, 2004.

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Supreme Court takes up ‘under God' appeal - what it may mean

The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments on March 24 on whether millions of public school children may continue pledging allegiance to one nation "under God."

Illinois law requires schools to recite the Pledge of Allegiance regularly, but federal courts with jurisdiction over Illinois schools have not ruled on the constitutionality of that practice. Specifically, Illinois law says the pledge "shall be recited each school day by pupils in elementary and secondary educational institutions supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds."

But as a practical matter, most school attorneys agree the pledge is permissible in Illinois schools as long as students who object aren't compelled to participate.

Nevertheless, the case now before the high court has cast a long shadow of uncertainty and burdened schools with the dilemma of either ignoring their legislatures' instructions or risking costly lawsuits from pledge opponents.

But when the Supreme Court accepted certiorari in Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, Docket No. 02-1624, the court limited review to the issue of whether the noncustodial parent who brought the case has standing to challenge the pledge, and whether a school requirement to recite a pledge that includes the words "under God," violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

A high court ruling is expected by summer. Experts say that ruling could clarify whether or not students may recite the pledge aloud in public schools, or the justices could dodge the issue by simply finding that the noncustodial parent who brought the case did not have standing to challenge the pledge.

Source: The Associated Press, "Atheist Calls Pledge Unconstitutional," March 24, 2004.

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ILLINOIS SCHOOL DISTRICTS

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Sixty-nine more districts placed on state's financial watch list

The number of school districts appearing on the state's "financial watch" list has grown from 87 to 156 in the past year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). In addition, 141 districts received the state's second-worst rating of "financial early warning."

The financial watch list designation - the worst of four possible ratings - means districts have built deficits, exhausted their reserves, borrowed to defray daily costs and run up debt too near the legal limit.

"This is a sad statement for public education," according to Rebecca Allard, president of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials. Allard told the Associated Press that fundamental reform of the state's education financing system is needed, including an overhaul of funding formulas that rely heavily on local property taxes to pay for schools.

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Chicago local school councils run short of candidates

The number of candidates for Chicago's local school council (LSC) seats has hit an all-time low (6,674) just at a time when the councils' clout had been sharply limited by administrative rulings, critics say. City schools CEO Arne Duncan recently adopted policies eliminating LSCs from some schools and transferring oversight powers for others to Chicago District 299 headquarters.

Although a 1997 study by the Consortium on Chicago School Research confirmed the value of Chicago's unique local governance system, LSC leaders have grown increasingly concerned about declining central office support. "I was disheartened to read in the newspaper that CPS chief Arne Duncan wants to ‘break the monopoly' of the Local School Councils," said Dion Miller Perez of the Finkl LSC and the Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform. "Would he advise the mayor to do the same if the city council is disagreeable?"

Community and education organizations responded by calling for independent legislative hearings and an audit of Chicago Dist. 299 LSC support programs. Critics recommended hearings, as well as an audit and detailed accounting of all expenditures for LSC support programs, and said Dist. 299 should release detailed information about the overall financial condition of the Chicago public schools.

"A 12% decline is not acceptable," said Idida Perez, Board President of the Chicago School Leadership Cooperative, executive director of West Town Leadership United and a member of two LSCs. "As a city, we have to support these leaders by addressing the obvious need to improve LSC recruitment and support," Perez added.

LSC races attracted only enough candidates this spring to fill roughly half the 5,698 available seats - the fewest candidates in the 15-year history of the councils, and about a 12 percent decline in candidacies from the last LSC election in 2002. In contrast, at the first LSC elections in 1989 more than 17,000 candidates vied for LSC seats. In 2002, only 7,500 candidates ran for the seats.

School reformers blamed limited funding of recruitment for the dwindling interest. In 2002, insiders estimate that $324,000 in private funding was available for recruitment. With the exception of a late influx of $50,000 from CPS, no direct funding for community outreach was available this year.

Regardless of the cause, however, scores of the 562 schools holding LSC elections in April had no LSC candidate.

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WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS

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Free IASB workshops aim to boost NCLB yearly progress

The first regional workshops on board governance have begun under IASB's new program to provide services and information to boards that have had schools identified as not making adequate yearly progress.

The sessions are part of a new grant-funded IASB program called "Targeting Achievement Through Governance." The program will encompass both regional and in-district workshops, expertise development opportunities, and coaching to assist school boards in meeting federal and state NCLB requirements.

Informational meetings were held across the state in March to acquaint eligible districts with this program's series of no-cost opportunities over the next 2 ½ years. Regional workshops were scheduled for April 3 (in Rock Fall and Marion), April 17 (in Collinsville and Peoria), April 24 (at NIU, Naperville) and May 1 (in Urbana and Tinley Park), designed to cover:

• The critical role of school boards in a democracy
• The board's first responsibility: detecting and communicating a compelling vision
• School board accountability: monitoring and reporting district performance.

For more information on the TAG program, phone Cathy Talbert at IASB ext. 1234, or e-mail her at ctalbert@iasb.com; or phone Angie Peifer at IASB ext. 1124 or e-mail at apeifer@iasb.com.

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Workshop on using 2000 U.S. Census data will focus on Illinois

A commercially available census workshop will be offered at multiple locations in May to teach participants how to perform in-depth demographic studies of Illinois communities using the recently released 2000 U.S. Census.

At a cost of $235 per person, participants in the "CalmRiver.com" workshops will study how to extract the specific 2000 Census data they need. Detailed census data is available at the neighborhood level for poverty, income, race, education, housing, disabilities, language, employment, commuting and numerous other education issues. Each student will learn how to present detailed Illinois demographic data in compelling new ways, according workshop sponsors.

Cost of the one-day workshop - set for May 10, 11 and 12 in Chicago, or May 3 and 4 in Springfield - is $235 per participant. This includes all materials and Internet access.

On-line registration is available at www.CalmRiver.com or register via e-mail sent to Register@CalmRiver.com. Include your name, school district, phone number and preferred class date. Organizers say registrants will receive a confirmation e-mail within 24 hours. You can also register by phone at 800/707-2256.

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