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School Board News Bulletin
May 1995

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An education bill passed April 20 by the Illinois Senate Revenue committee should be further modified to provide greater tax reform and increased state responsibility for school finance, according to hearing testimony offered by James Nowlan, representing the statewide Coalition for Education Rights.

Nowlan, former president of the Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois and public policy consultant to the Coalition, praised Senate Bill 541 for providing property tax relief and additional state funding for schools. Nowlan said the bill's sponsor, Sen. Aldo DeAngelis (R-Chicago Heights), "has responded to the Illinois voters' consistent and emphatic calls for both property tax relief and fairer funding of our schools.

"In its present form, SB 541 provides a great deal of property tax relief," said Nowlan. "Approximately half of the revenues generated by a state income tax increase would be applied to significant reductions in every property owner's tax bill. The other state revenues would ensure that state support for every child would be at least half of the foundation level (for local education)."

However, the Coalition for Educational Rights--a diverse group of organizations including the Illinois Farm Bureau, Chicago Urban League, Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Education Association, and League of Women Voters, seeks modifications. The group mainly wants additional assurance that taxpayers and school children would benefit on a statewide basis.

The coalition insists that any new revenue generated by additional state taxes be directed to education. "this would be a significant step towards Governor Edgar's pledge that 36 percent of General Funds revenue go to education purposes," Nowlan told the panel.

"This is the only way we can preclude questions in the future such as `Whatever happened to the lottery money for education,'" he added.

The coalition also seeks a reform bill that eliminates the disparity in revenues between elementary, high school and unit districts. The committee took action to amend SB 541 to establish a single foundation level.

The bill also should be clarified to state the impact of property tax relief on property tax caps, Nowlan said. He said the coalition will work with Senator DeAngelis to improve the bill.

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Taxpayers' group reports scheme to make schools "tread water"

While criticizing the Governor's FY96 budget as a "status quo" plan, Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois president Tim Bramlet says many lawmakers favor making schools "tread water" for several years to pay off overdue Medicaid bills.

"Many legislators are suggesting that Illinois take a two- to three-year approach to solving Medicaid underfunding by allocating just a portion of the amount needed each year." So said Bramlet and Kraig Lounsberry, writing in the April 1995 Illinois Tax Facts, the taxpayer group's monthly newsletter.

"Such an approach would not be as politically painful [as paying off the debt in one year] and at least would have Illinois headed in the right direction. "Although other budget priorities (read: education) might have to tread water in the short-term, these programs and agencies might see reason for optimism in the near future, as they face diminished competition from overdue bills for a share of the state funding pie," Bramlet and Lounsberry wrote.

Elsewhere in the same article, the authors note that education spending makes up just 24 percent of the state budget, compared to 26 percent ten years ago--the time period during which a large Medicaid backlog developed. The state's backlog of unpaid Medicaid bills totals at least $1.3 billion.

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School funding has remained stagnant for two decades

A newly updated state report shows school funding from all sources has remained stagnant for nearly two decades. When adjusted for inflation, an increase of about 187 percent over the past 19 years "is only about $478 million, or 11.64 percent," said the report, State, Local, and Federal Financing for Illinois Public Schools, published by the State Board of Education.

When adjusted for inflation, that is, schools have received increases from all sources averaging far less than 1 percent a year for nearly the past two decades.

Elsewhere the report notes that state contributions have dropped 25.76 percent over this same time period when adjusted for inflation. The report also refutes claims that decreasing enrollment somehow justifies the drop in state funding. "In terms of constant (1976) dollars, state appropriations per pupil have decreased from $877.53 in Fiscal Year 1976 to $760.00 in Fiscal Year 1994, a decrease of 13.39 percent," the report says.

So much for claims that education is a "budget priority" for legislators in Illinois.

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Gun Free Schools Act: Unconstitutional

The Gun Free School Zone Act--which makes it a federal crime to knowingly possess a weapon within 1,000 yards of a school--was declared unconstitutional April 26 in a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

In U.S. v. Lopez, the High Court held that Congress lacked the authority under the U.S. Constitution's Interstate Commerce Clause to pass the law. "The possession of a gun in a local school zone is in no sense an economic activity that might, through repetition elsewhere, substantially affect any sort of interstate commerce."

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, writing for the majority, dismissed the argument of the Department of Justice and the dissenters that weapons possession near schools threatens the educational process and therefore poses a potential economic threat to the country.

Under that theory, says Rehnquist, Congress could regulate the educational process directly and mandate a federal curriculum, a concern raised in NSBA's "friend of the court" brief.

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Where the girls are: In mathematics classes

The Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora is one of several schools around the country offering single-sex math classes. The academy's all-girl math course does not officially exclude boys, but none have enrolled. Like one school in Ventura, California, the Aurora Academy offers girls-only math classes.

Another school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is considering joining in the trend. "I look on this as an experiment to address the concerns and needs of the broad spectrum of young women who do not seem to do very well in math," said Charles Vaughn, a Portsmouth school board member. Vaughn has spearheaded the girls-only math class movement there. "I think we'll see an improvement," he explained.

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Principals want inclusion limits

Most principals oppose full inclusion of handicapped children in regular classrooms, according to the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).

Seven out of 10 elementary and middle school principals responding to a NAESP survey agreed that mainstreaming all students regardless of their degree of handicap is a lofty idea gone wrong and needs to be modified.

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Proceed cautiously with charter schools, attorney advises

The legal implications surrounding the charter schools movement are so uncertain--and the potential for litigation is so great--that local school boards would be wise to carefully research the issue before it pops up in their school district.

So warns Martin Semple, a director of NSBA's Council of School Attorneys and a partner in the Denver-based law firm of Semple and Jackson. Semple spoke at the Annual School Law Seminar held during NSBA's National Conference in San Francisco last month.

For school boards and their attorneys, the problem with charter school legislation in Illinois and other states, is that many legal issues are yet unanswered.

For example, it's still unclear in some circles whether charter schools that are operated by non-public school organizations are public or private entities--and whether the state constitution allows public moneys to go to these schools.

This issue was at the heart of a lawsuit that challenged Michigan's charter school law. The law ultimately was overturned by a state court that, among other things, ruled the state had surrendered authority over the charter schools to private organizations. Therefore, the court found, the charter schools did not meet the state constitution's definition of public schools and could not receive state funds.

Yet many other legal questions also are undecided, Semple says. He also raises a number of issues that school boards and their attorneys should weigh if charter schools legislation is adopted in Illinois:

• Who actually employs charter school teachers? Are they eligible for state teacher retirement plans? Are they covered by state collective bargaining laws? If still a public school employee, could a new teacher work at a charter school for several years and suddenly be tenured without ever being evaluated by a district administrator? Who makes decisions regarding hiring and firing?

• Has the question of liability been resolved? Can the local school board be sued for the actions of charter school personnel? Are charter school teachers protected from personal liability? Who is responsible for insurance needs?

• How much authority does the school board have over charter schools? Can the board veto decisions by charter school personnel? Can the board enforce its regulations and mandates?

• How much access will the school board have over charter school records? Can district personnel audit financial records? Will student personnel records be open to district administrators?

• Who is responsible for the fiscal integrity of the charter school? Will the charter school be incorporated to limit liability? Will the school board ultimately be responsible for unpaid debts or fiscal mismanagement?

• Who will guarantee that federal mandates are followed? Charter schools are not exempt from federal laws on special education, for example.

• How will questions of enrollment be decided? Will minorities receive equal access? If the charter school serves particular youths--gifted, special education, or at-risk, for example--how will questions of equal participation be resolved?

• Does the school board retain final authority over discipline? If a child is expelled from the charter school, can he transfer to the public school?

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IASB requests nominations

The 1995 Nominating Committee of the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) is now seeking candidates for the offices of president, vice president, and four directors-at-large of the Association.

The following criteria are used by the committee in considering nominees: 1) leadership experience and general participation in IASB activities, 2) leadership experience on the local school board, 3) involvement with other education-related associations or organizations, 4) other leadership experiences, and 5) special talent or interests of benefit to IASB as currently constituted.

Interviews for candidates will be conducted August 24 at Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles. A slate of candidates will be presented to the Delegate Assembly meeting in Chicago at the 1995 Joint Annual Conference. Interested candidates should write IASB's Springfield office, 2921 Baker Drive, Springfield, IL 62703; or call 217/528-9679, ext. 102 to request the necessary forms.

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Prepare board nominating forms

It's time again to begin planning petition drives for the fall school board campaign. May 30 is the first day that prospective school board candidates may circulate nominating petitions for signatures for the November 7, 1995 school board (nonpartisan) election. The petitions must be filed during the week of August 21-28.

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Elections packets go out

An updated IASB packet of election materials was mailed April 18 to school board secretaries, board presidents, and district superintendents. The packet contains a schedule and list of election duties for the board and secretary, and it recommends that boards take an active part in publicizing the November nonpartisan election. It also includes an order form for obtaining additional materials.

The packet mailing is a reminder that time is running out for school boards to pursue capable replacements for retiring members. In addition to the first packet mailed last month, member districts can obtain additional packets at no charge from IASB Publications in Springfield. Special kits for distribution to board candidates are also available at $3 each.

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Oklahoma bombing makes school board rethink open policy

The deadly bombing at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19 brought related concerns to the agenda of a Pennsylvania school board recently.

For the Crawford Central School District, whose open policy allows all groups to meet in school facilities for a small fee, in February rented the high school auditorium to the Pennsylvania Freedom Network.

The Network's speaker was Mark Koernke, a spokesperson for the secretive, heavily-armed Michigan Militia-at-Large, who has received much attention in the media since the Oklahoma bombing.

Reacting to strong concerns voiced by the local NAACP, the school board at its April 24 meeting agreed to review the open door policy.

School officials were unaware of the substance of the Freedom Network meeting (which drew a crowd of 1,000) at the time it occurred. At the same time, the high school basketball team was playing in the same building.

"But our option is to close the facilities to all non-school groups, and that would mean cutting out a lot of good. A local ballet company is performing there next week," says Emil Spodofore, counsel to the Crawford district.

Koernke is not thought to be directly tied to the bombing, but he has gained wide public attention in the aftermath as he shares with those being charged an extremist view of government as hostile. He suggested to reporters the bombing might have been an accidental detonation by federal officials who had offices in the building.

Spodofore says school district officials first became aware of Koernke's February talk when a local newspaper story appeared with the headline, "Man tied to suspects speaks in area, military movement alive here."

Koernke, in a talk similar to one he is reported to have given in several states, charged the U.S. government is working with the United Nations in planning a military takeover and creation of "new world order." He urged the audience to join in the effort of "armed citizen vigilance" against the American military.

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School library also serves community

What are large picture books and pint-size chairs doing in the corner of the library in Galena High School in Reno, Nevada? The school library has a section for preschoolers because it doubles as a public library--an arrangement that seems to work best in small, rural communities.

The Reno school's library also has an extensive collection for the general public, says the librarian, Becky Weinkauf. She says this setup cuts costs by reducing duplication of materials. The library opens for the public every day at noon. On Tuesdays and Fridays it stays open until 8 p.m. During nonschool hours it is operated by a separate librarian employed by the county library system.

The library has several computers with access to the Internet and other computers networked with the county library system.

In addition to the area for the youngest children, the library has separate sections for adult and juvenile fiction, Weinkauf says.

All nonfiction books are integrated so the 1,400 students at Galena High have a wide variety of resources to choose from in conducting research projects.

There are only a few school-community partnership libraries in the United States, says a spokesperson for the American Association of School Librarians. According to the most current research, the approach thrives in small communities where there is a high degree of support among the school staff, public library staff and community.

For more information, contact Becky Weinkauf, 702/882-5639.

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Another study finds SAT is biased against female students

The Scholastic Aptitude Test, widely employed by colleges as an admissions standard, is biased against girls and women, reducing their chances of gaining admission to major universities. So says a new report by professor David K. Leonard and graduate student Jiming Jiang, which was released at the American Educational Research Association conference in San Francisco.

The SAT has previously been accused of gender bias by the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, which publishes FairTest.

The new study looked at more than 10,000 freshman admitted to the University of California at Berkeley between 1986 and 1988. It showed that women tended to get better grades in college than men with the same SAT scores.

Adopting an unbiased version of the SAT would result in the admission of 200 to 300 more women to the Berkeley campus annually, researchers said. "The bottom line is that SATs are biased against women in their ability to predict grades," Leonard said.

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Survey findings: science course plans faulty

More than two-thirds of the nation's elementary school teachers feel that schools should increase their current emphasis on science education, with a real push toward hands-on learning methods. So says a news survey of elementary science education released by Bayer Corporation.

According to the survey, however, most of our nation's elementary school teachers do not consider themselves to be scientifically literate--and most ranked science as the subject they felt least qualified to teach.

The Bayer facts of science education, undertaken in cooperation with the National Science Foundation's National Science and Technology Week, assessed the views of 1,000 parents and 1,000 elementary school teachers. The survey essentially asked respondents how well they believe science is being taught in elementary schools.

The study found only 36 percent of teachers and 32 percent of parents consider themselves "science literate," meaning they can "understand stories about science on TV and magazines." While 86 percent of teachers felt very qualified to teach English, only 56 percent said they felt qualified to teach science. The study also showed kids losing interest in science.

Deep disparities were discovered between the way parents and teachers perceive the state of science today. Thus, 96 percent of parents said they'd like to help their children more with science education at home, but only 11 percent of teachers see parents as being very involved in their children's education.

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Parents can help at home with science

Bayer is making available free of charge to parents a Making Science Make Sense Parent's Survival Kit, containing how-to booklets from the Department of Education and the National Science Foundation. The booklets help parents help children learn science at home.

To receive a free copy of the parents science kit, write to: Making Science Make Sense Parents' Survival Kit, c/o Bayer Corporation, One Mellon Center, 500 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2507.

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Technology use hampered by inadequate training

Inadequate teacher training has proven the biggest barrier to the effective use of computers and other technologies in the nation's public school, states a new report by the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA).

"Most technology initiatives have focused on hardware and software...and student access to technology," reports OTA's Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection. "However, in the enthusiasm to get technology to students...[the training needs of] teachers have been shortchanged."

How education dollars have been spent on technology best tells the story OTA says. On average, school districts have allocated no more than 15 percent of technology funds to teacher training--even though some suggest the figure should be closer to 30 percent.

The failure to invest more heavily in teacher training has left its mark on the use of technology in schools, OTA reports. Many teachers are using computers only for such basic tasks as word processing and databases--or for such "teacher-centered" instructional strategies as drill and practice of basic skills.

To OTA, the situation is unfortunate because technology promises to "change the way teachers teach," allowing them to support more "student- ntered approaches to instruction, so that students can conduct their own scientific inquiries and engage in collaborative activities while the teacher assumes the role of facilitator or coach."

In essence, the report suggests, the emphasis on technology acquisition over training means school officials have put the cart before the horse: "OTA finds the lack of attention to teachers and technologies ironic, for at the center of effective use of instructional technologies are those who oversee the daily activities of the classroom--the teachers."

Yet inadequate training isn't the only reason schools have failed to fully realize the potential of the current technology/instructional revolution, OTA says.

Decisions on technology purchases also are at fault for ignoring teacher needs.

For example, OTA notes, while 1993 technology expenditures exceeded $2 billion, only one teacher in eight has a telephone in the classroom. This despite recognition that such a tool is "invaluable in helping teachers communicate with parents, colleagues, and administrators."

The report is $19. Order from the Government Printing Office, 202/512- 1800. Indicate stock number S/N 052-003-01409-2.

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Meetings set on small and suburban schools

Leaders of small and suburban schools are invited to attend American Association of School Administrators' (AASA) conferences in picturesque settings at opposite ends of the country this summer. A Small School District Administrators Conference, July 9-12 in Lake Tahoe, Nevada will be followed by the Suburban Superintendents Conference, July 28 through August 1 in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Rural school leaders should be particularly aware of the forum at Lake Tahoe. It will include presentations by AASA staff and other education leaders about future trends that will affect small and rural schools. Speakers at the Suburban Superintendents forum in Williamsburg will explore everything from children's safety issues to controversial school privatization projects. In addition the program will include a panel discussion with experts on concerns that unite urban and suburban superintendents.

For more information or to obtain registration forms, call AASA at 703/875-0748.

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Evaluation is subject of July national institute

The fourth annual National Evaluation Institute, "improving evaluation practices in schools" is scheduled July 9-14 at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo.

The institute will focus on "practicalities of evaluation for teachers, administrators, professional support staff, and researchers." This year's meeting will offer valuable new insights into research findings, and explore the application of evaluation standards and newly developed models.

Topics covered will include: teacher evaluation, administrator evaluation, cross-cutting evaluation, self-evaluation, school evaluation, and professional support personnel evaluation. School board members, legislators and other policy makers are welcome to attend, along with teachers, principals, school administrators and state education officials. Registration fees vary from $100 for one day of events (no meal) to $450 for the entire institute. For more information phone 616/387-5895.

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Teachers' forum in works

The U.S. Education Department is sponsoring a 1995 Goals 2000 Teacher Forum Teleconference November 12-14 to give teachers across the national an opportunity to share the insight they have gained as classroom practitioners. This year's focus is on professional development.

All that's needed to participate is a room with satellite capabilities and a telephone. School districts can organize their own local conferences in conjunction with the national forum.

The department hopes the forum will help inspire teachers to get involved in local and state reform efforts and ensure that policymakers are aware of the needs and expertise of teachers. For more information, call 800/USA-LEARN.

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Referendum results

The consolidated election of April 4 saw 18 successful tax rate increase proposals of 56 proposals submitted to voters. Thus, thirty-eight tax increase proposals were defeated, for a success rate of 32 percent.

School bond issues fared considerably better, with 23 of the 48 bond proposals winning voter approval. One bond issue victory, in Minooka District 201, was won on the 7th referendum attempt; it passed by only 23 votes.

Tax rate increases were approved in Bartelso Elementary District 57; Arbor Park District 145; Prairie Hills District 144; River Grove District 85 1/2; Central C.U. District 301, Burlington; Oakland C.U. District 5; Bushnell-Prairie City C.U. 170; Aledo C.U. District 201; Ina C.C. District 8; Geneva C.U. District 304; Deerfield District 109; Hawthorn District 73; Lincolnshire-Prairie View District 103, Lake Forest; Rock Falls District 301; Bethany C.U. District 301 [two tax propositions were passed, one for the education fund, and one for the operations fund]; Pontiac District 105; River Bend C.U. District 2, Fulton.

Defeated by a single vote was a tax rate increase proposition in Marengo Community High School District 154, failing by a count of 708 yes to 709 no.

Bond issues were approved in North Berwyn District 98; Orland District 135; C.C. District 181; Central C.U. District 301, Burlington; Eswood C.C. District 269; Gower Elementary District 62; Prairie Central C.U. District 8; Minooka C.C. District 201; Unity Point C.C. District 140; Lena-Winslow C.U. District 202; Geneva C.U. District 304; West Aurora District 129; Plainfield C.C. District 202; Hawthorn District 73; Lake Bluff District 65; Lincolnshire-Prairie View District 103; Warren Township High School District 121; Freeburg C.C. District 70; Harmony-Emge District 175; St. Libory C.U. District 30; River Bend C.U. District 2; Lockport Township High School District 205; Prairie Hill District 133.

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