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Schools face up to rising prices of food, gas
Increase causes some to weigh cutbacks, add fees
Schools across Illinois are taking a hit from the rising cost of just about everything, particularly food and fuel. That is causing some school administrators to consider service cuts or price or fee increases or other alternatives to help offset the burgeoning cost of providing student meals and transportation. And many school officials say it's only going to get worse.
"One-third of the nation's school districts increased meal prices in 2007, and I think it's going to be a lot more this year," said Erik Peterson, director of public awareness at the School Nutrition Association (SNA) a nonprofit national organization that provides low-cost meals to students.
Champaign CUSD 4, for example, increased the school lunch price by 25 cents on May 19. The increase will take effect next fall, and will bring in more than $69,000. The district expects food prices to increase by 10 percent next year, or $130,000.
School superintendents said in early May they were able to make it through this school year without being forced to cut back on school bus routes or limit field trips and other travel already planned. Most have faced cost increases in their fuel-related transportation budgets on the year totaling from 15 to 20 percent, and many have dipped into other funds to cover the cost. Some expressed much deeper concern, however, about the coming academic school year.
"We have not made any cuts," said Waltonville CUSD 1 Superintendent Craig Kujawa. "But I'm sure somewhere down the line that talk may take place."
Kujawa said the district's schools are concluding a one-year bus contract that cost the district $129,757 to run five regular bus routes, and Waltonville schools already are looking ahead to next year.
"Obviously [the fuel cost] is an issue," said Kujawa. "We're looking at what would be the fairest thing for all parties involved." He explained that the district's bus contractor has requested a fuel charge to cover the rising costs next year.
Mt. Vernon District 80 has a fuel escalator clause in its transportation contract that calls for the district to pay for any cost above $2 per gallon.
"We'll absorb 100 percent of that," Superintendent Kevin Settle explained. "There are also side costs related to the maintenance on our fleet of buses."
Also contributing to rising costs is the federal government, which has not kept pace in its reimbursement rate to schools for providing free and reduced-price meals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released a meal cost study that indicated the total cost to produce national school lunch program lunches, for example, "generally exceeded the free lunch subsidy" provided schools to prepare them.
The study also reported that its 2005-06 school year data matches findings by SNA in 2007, which combined the labor, food and indirect costs necessary to provide school lunch. The SNA study concluded the combined costs are greater than the federal reimbursement, commodity entitlement and average price paid by students who don't qualify for a free or reduced school lunch.
The state does attempt to help out by distributing food deliveries received through the U.S. Department of Agriculture in order to provide bulk food commodities to schools around the state. But because of price constraints, many of those deliveries have been canceled or delayed, and school leaders were told in May to use up the federal commodities on hand.
It is increasingly difficult to obtain certain commodities because when prices go up, the expected cost is exceeded, and the USDA is unable to make those purchases. The rising costs are an issue around the state, and school nutrition directors point to such common and necessary foods as fruit, eggs, milk, cheese, wheat products and bread as becoming less common, and ever-increasing in price. The cost of wheat and wheat flour, for instance, have more than tripled this year. The cost of a 50-pound bag of wheat flour that was $12 last year now costs $40.
USDA chief economist Joe Glauber said food prices overall have risen by 5 percent this year, the highest rate since the 5.8 percent rise in 1990. Food prices usually rise by modest amounts, roughly 2.5 percent, and below the overall U.S. inflation rate. Prices rose by more than 4 percent in 2007.
While the costs of labor and benefits also are rising, the exploding price of fuel provides the greatest additional pressure on school budgets. Some schools have begun looking at alternative fuel, such as bio fuels. Many gasoline-dependent buses are running on an ethanol mix, using corn-derived fuel.
A lesser-known source of biofuel results from the fact that Rudolf Diesel planned his engines to be powered by plant-derived oils. At the 1900 World's Fair, for example, he ran his engines on peanut oil. According to some mechanics, vegetable oil still can be used to power diesel engines and the machines generally will run just as well, except that in cold weather they will not start on such fuels. (For more information, visit the Web site at: http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Savinganddebt/Saveonacar/P115218.asp, for a serious but humor-filled look at the subject.)
Of course many Illinois school buses run on diesel, and some say bio fuels can be substituted for petroleum-based diesel fuel. Web sites have advocated this course of action for years, including http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html (which contains some important caveats about the use of just any old vegetable oil), and http://www.greasecar.com/.
While few are ready to take such drastic measures just yet, the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel was $4.13 on April 29, according to the state of Illinois' Gas Price Monitoring Web site. That price compares to an average of $3.30 in late February. And just a year ago, the average was $2.97. Some experts say the price of a barrel of oil could even double within a year or two, driving gasoline and diesel prices up with them.
Each school district is responding differently to such price outlooks. Some are raising transportation fees, and others are looking into co-ops. Of course cooperative buying groups enable schools to order products such as fuel or services or even foods jointly in order to get price breaks by buying in bulk.
Most say they are pleased with coop results, as coop membership makes it possible to wait out fluctuations in the federal commodities food supply system, for example.
While the rising costs of food and fuel are a concern, almost everyone is adamant they won't go back on the changes they've made to make school lunches more healthful. Schools will strive to not compromise the nutritional integrity of their meals programs.
To offset some of the high costs of fresh fruits and vegetables, however, some districts are now buying canned foods, which hold the same nutritional value as fresh food. Food service directors and transportation directors are also commonly participating in workshops and conferences to exchange ideas about the difficulties they face in maintaining school meals programs in these interesting times.
Food service directors say cutbacks aren't likely in terms of portion sizes or ingredients. If anything, schools can cut back on the number of items they make available. The ham and cheese on wheat or on rye? Such choice-making could be where the line is drawn, thanks to rising gas prices. So what students are used to having at the school cafeteria is not necessarily what they'll get when school starts next fall.
Classroom video monitoring focused to address local concerns in Freeport
Charting its own unique path in response to local concerns, the Freeport District 145 Board of Education has begun to operate video recording devices in 10 district classrooms.
The special education classrooms are now being monitored by the cameras, said Patrick McDermott, Freeport's assistant superintendent for business.
One of the camera systems was previously installed at Center Elementary School, but it has not yet been turned on, McDermott said. The camera was installed by Audio Engineering Inc., a Loves Park based company offering sales, service, and installation of low-voltage electronic systems.
McDermott said nine other classrooms received wide-angle lens cameras, which will record the actions of students and teachers onto a DVR disc. The discs would then be collected and stored for a period of five years after each student in the classroom left the district.
Due to a pending legal matter between the school board and four teachers who claimed the rare move by the district was a violation of their rights, audio will not be immediately recorded onto the discs.
"When and if the state court approves the audio, we will act accordingly," McDermott said.
Challenge still in court
State court Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney ruled in favor of the district for video in December, saying the teachers' alleged Fourth Amendment violation was an "unreasonable expectation of privacy in a public setting."
The judge remanded a second portion of the complaint concerning the audio recording, which the four teachers' had alleged was a violation of the Illinois Eavesdropping Act, back to Stephenson County Court.
Kelly Everding, president of the Freeport Education Association, said she felt the decision to install the cameras was justified, and that the teachers' union was primarily concerned with how, and by whom, the video would be viewed.
"We just wanted to make sure we had language regarding their use and who would see the film and why," Everding said.
An agreement between the Freeport School Board and teachers says a school district staff member would have to either receive a complaint or observe "visual or physical evidence of questionable behavior," and complete a "complaint form" before the video could be viewed by the school district's Assistant Superintendent for Business.
For district personnel to look at a recording from a particular date, it would have to be the subject of an investigation launched on a complaint from either a staff member or parent.
A "viewing log" would need to be forwarded to the school district's bargaining units on a monthly basis.
The Illinois State Board of Education does not track how many schools in the state use cameras in the classroom, mainly because it's a local issue for school districts to decide how to use cameras.
Districts increasingly pursue residency challenges
under state rules as a response to financial concerns
With wide disparities in educational spending from one district to the next, particularly in wealthy school districts located near less affluent areas, student residency challenges have become increasingly common.
State Superintendent Christopher Koch made student residency issues one of the top items in his May 6 weekly newsletter, noting he had engaged in information-gathering talks with superintendents at a South Cooperative Organization for Public Education meeting in the south suburbs in late April. He did not elaborate on how his findings from this inquiry might impact state board policy, or his thinking or recommendations on laws and regulations, etc.
Koch stated: "Residency issues have generated controversy in districts for many years. It's a delicate balancing act between the rights of local taxpayers and a student's right to attend school."
As a result of a recent student residency incident, Riverside District 96 recently announced that it is planning to expand its efforts to have families prove residency by newly requiring them to provide documentation prior to children beginning third and sixth grades. Presently, this Cook County district asks for proof of residency just once, when a child registers for kindergarten or when a new student moves in from out of town.
"This case brought [the new requirement] forward," Superintendent Jonathan Lamberson said. "We need to do this."
The board of education has not voted to institute the new policy yet, but it is expected to act on the proposal at its May meeting.
"It's a financial issue, but the biggest problem is that it hurts the kids. If they are found [to be violating residency], the child has got to be yanked out of school. It's a terrible consequence," Lamberson says.
Lamberson said he deals with a handful of residency cases each year. Typically, families from outside the district are found to have enrolled a child. The effort is sometimes found out fairly early in the school year, and the applicants are then asked to leave the district and are directed to their local school district.
"Most times it's caught mid-year," Lamberson said, most often making the effort to collect back tuition more expensive than the amount owed.
In Illinois, the main entrance requirement for a public school is residency in the school district. School districts can require that a family produce documentation of residency before allowing a child to enroll. But under federal laws governing the educational rights of homeless children and youth, homeless families can gain entry without proving residency.
State Superintendent Koch admits that concerns about homeless students are a key component of his anxiety about residency issues. According to Koch, "The state board has made it very clear that the education of our homeless children is a priority. Regardless of why or where students may be homeless, they have a right to go to school."
Koch maintains that school districts have an affirmative duty to identify families who are homeless, as required in federal law under 42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(6)(A)(i). State board policy on the education of homeless children also takes this approach. Meanwhile, IASB's sample policy on resident students (PRESS Policy 7:60) suggests that school districts immediately admit any homeless child, "even if the child or child's parent/guardian is unable to produce records normally required to establish residency."
Schools also have an obligation — under the McKinney Act as well as state board policy — to try to keep an attending homeless student in school.
Another major component of the state board's concerns over residency pertain to immigrant students.
According to Koch, state board policy is that the immigration status of the parent or child "has no bearing on the rights of students to enroll." Districts must not inquire about the immigration status of a student or parent, he said, and they must not require parents or adult care-takers to provide any information concerning their or their children's immigration status. Note: some school attorneys disagree with the legal basis for this state board policy.
When implementing student residency policies, Koch said, care must be taken to ensure that parents or adult caretakers can establish residency within the district by means which will not force them to, albeit indirectly, reveal their immigration status.
School districts should continue to determine whether a student resides in the district, but do not have a right to delve into a child's immigration status, Koch said.
"Residence in the school district is sufficient to entitle school-age immigrant children, including foreign exchange students, to attend school on a tuition free basis," according to Koch.
He said funds may be available for districts with a large influx of immigrant students. Districts heavily affected by an increase of immigrant students may qualify for Immigrant Education Program funds through the state board. Districts may also be eligible for funding through the State Transitional Bilingual Education Program for limited English speakers or the federal Title III program. Phone 312/814-3850 to inquire about the availability of funds under these programs or visit http://www.isbe.net/bilingual/htmls/consolidated_application.htm.
Mobile classrooms can foster air quality concerns
Prevention action urged via EPA guide
With many schools nearing capacity across the state, thousands of students annually are educated at least during part of the year in mobile homes that serve as portable classrooms. In the suburban collar counties near Chicago alone there are 298 such portable classroom buildings, as reported by the regional offices of education.
But the federal Centers for Disease Control warned in February some mobile homes could contain potentially dangerous levels of formaldehyde. The study was released on Feb. 14.
For years, studies from California to the east coast have warned that portable classrooms could carry hidden concerns, particularly in terms of air quality.
Illinois does not require testing of air quality in mobile classrooms, so most schools don't conduct such testing. But some say state officials may just be delaying the inevitable, meanwhile holding off the introduction of simple, low-cost improvements, such as improved ventilation, which could alleviate concerns in most cases.
School District U-46, Elgin said it would test its portable classrooms last month after a district parent petitioned the board of education to check the classrooms for noxious fumes. In pertioning the board, Beverly Jaszczurowski, mother of a U-46 kindergarten student, cited the CDC study.
Causes of concern
Because all school buildings employ similar construction and use similar furnishing materials, the kinds of chemicals found in the air differ very little in portable classrooms versus others. But amounts may vary a great deal. Pressed-wood products like wood paneling and plywood that can contain higher concentrations of formaldehyde are used more frequently in factory-built mobile classrooms than in buildings constructed on-site.
Experts at the U.S. EPA say that, as a result, concentrations of some airborne chemicals may be much higher in portable classrooms, especially if ventilation is inadequate or commonly turned off.
Thus, the experts add, the most common concerns with portable classrooms include:
Recommendations for schools
Although portable classrooms are often a low-cost option for housing students, they range in quality. The U.S. EPA's Indoor Air Quality Reference Guide contains an appendix on portable classrooms, which states: "care should be taken during selection to ensure that air quality is not compromised through inexpensive, low-quality designs." When districts specify a portable design, the EPA guide says, they typically create a term contract that other districts can use to purchase the same design or a slightly different one. This sort of "piggy-backing" can save a school district valuable time and money on specifications and approvals, "but it can also compound problems overlooked in the original procurement," according to the EPA guide, which is available online at: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/tfs/guidej.html .
Like all school facilities, portable classrooms should contain appropriate building materials and properly designed ventilation systems to minimize the presence of indoor air pollutants. Commissioning and regular maintenance are also important to maintain the quality of the indoor environment.
According to the U.S. EPA guide, the following steps can help schools maintain a healthy indoor environment in portable classrooms:
Commissioning
Operation and maintenance
Air not the only concern
Air quality aside, portable classrooms can pose other safety issues, several experts say. "My main concern with portable classrooms is that typically they are not very well constructed," said Ronald Stephens, director of the National School Safety Center in Westlake Village, CA.
Portables give intruders more access points than a main building explained Kenneth Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, a Cleveland-based national consulting firm.
"All of those additional access points ... it creates a higher-risk situation," Trump said. "Not to try to be alarmist, but it is a higher risk than if you didn't have them."
But schools can use technology to secure portables, he said. He recently visited a school here in Illinois where security cameras and extra outdoor lighting had been installed.
No technology makes up, however, for what he called "the human element" of safety. "The main line of defense," he said, is "a well-trained, highly alert staff and student body."
In addition, for school districts across the country what begins as a short-term classroom space solution often becomes a long-term concern. That's because building new facilities often requires passing a bond issue or otherwise finding funds.
Further resources
For more information about portable classrooms and recommendations for designing, constructing, and renovating school facilities to maintain good indoor air quality see EPA's IAQ Design Tools for Schools at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schooldesign.
Schools aim to fix 'broken system' of NCLB law
In the past six years as districts painstakingly met the requirements set out by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), educators, school board members and administrators have had the opportunity to review, track and assess the law's effects. Many have seen the need for change.
Some say the law reflects contradictory urges regarding education policy. On the one hand, some want Congress to act to improve education, and on the other hand, some wish to preserve and further the tradition of state and local control of schools.
School leaders have been able to identify the shortfalls to NCLB. Equipped with this knowledge, educational advocates across the nation have been able to provide federal lawmakers with specific amendments and changes that can significantly improve the law.
One promising "fix" to NCLB that has emerged in Congress is House Bill 648, sponsored by a 21-member bipartisan coalition. The bill has been endorsed by the National School Boards Association and educational advocates across the country. It would maintain the accountability aspects of NCLB, advocates say, while correcting the inequities that are unfairly impacting the less affluent, special education students, English language learners, and the gifted or highly capable students.
While H.R. 648 could address some of the most controversial aspects of NCLB, the act itself would still need to be reauthorized – and advocates of H.R. 648 say that as a priority step, this must occur as soon as possible during the current congressional session.
"If NCLB is not reauthorized in 2008, the existing provisions of the law will likely be congressionally extended until the next session," according to NSBA Executive Director Anne L. Bryant.
"In this scenario, it is likely that a new administration entering the White House in January would find other priorities before beginning to address the reauthorization of NCLB. Students should not be told to wait it out until after the presidential election. Waiting for a new administration and Congress to act would most likely result in the nation's schools suffering under a broken system for another three school years," Bryant said.
"Accordingly, under this outcome, more schools will be identified as failures even though they may be making significant progress in raising student achievement," Bryant said.
Some boards have passed a declaration in support of the NSBA-supported bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, which would require more than 50 changes to NCLB. More than 700 boards of education across the country have passed such a resolution, including 21 Illinois school boards.
Where NCLB reform stands
According to NSBA, recent meetings with Congressional committee staffs indicate that both House and Senate committee bills to reauthorize NCLB could be introduced before the spring recess. NSBA adds that Congressional support for its recommendations on NCLB continues to grow.
To track reauthorization of the NCLB Act, visit http://www.house.gov or http://www.senate.gov .
Should reauthorization fail to materialize, school districts might be asked to live with new NCLB regulations. The Bush administration has long promised new regulations.
NCLB regulations proposed
In late April, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced the administration's proposed new regulations to NCLB. The state is currently reviewing these regulations, according to ISBE, and is looking into their potential impact on Illinois. Official publication of the proposed rules appeared in the Federal Register on April 23.
Anyone can submit comments to these proposed regulations, but they are due on or before June 23. The process for submitting comments is outlined in the Federal Register announcement from April 23. The U.S. Department of Education expects to issue final regulations this fall.
An excerpt from a summary of the proposed regulations provided on April 25 in ED Review is provided at the top of p. 7. For a complete summary see the Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/edreview/2008/0425.html).
Benefit from acting quickly on Joint Annual Conference mailing
June 6 was the mailing date for IASB's Joint Annual Conference registration packet, which includes valuable information about housing accommodations. Demand for housing is always high, thus conference planners recommend that reservations be made as soon as possible.
Conference planners also advise looking over the conference packet as soon as it arrives in the mail. There are ample benefits to be had from dealing with it promptly, insiders say, including getting the lowest registration rate and securing the accommodations desired.
Now is the time to begin thinking up resolutions for the IASB Delegate Assembly. Local boards must adopt and submit resolutions, and board members may need time to deliberate over the ideas to be proposed. Resolutions adopted by the delegates at the Joint Annual Conference become official policy of the Association, guiding IASB in the coming year.
Housing for the conference goes fast. Participating hotels this year include: Hyatt Regency Chicago (Headquarters), Sheraton Chicago (Headquarters), Chicago City Centre, Chicago Marriott, Embassy Suites, Fairmont Hotel, Intercontinental Hotel, the Palmer House, and Swissotel. Conference housing rates range from $147 to $167 per night.
Conference goers must register for the event by Oct. 14 in order to get the lowest registration rate of $330 per person; after that the cost is $355 per person.
The yearly conference, sponsored by the Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Administrators, and Illinois Association of School Business Officials, will be held this year from Nov. 21-23 in Chicago.
Conference General Session Speakers listed
The following information about Joint Annual Conference Speakers was contained in the conference mailing sent to superintendents and publicly released on June 6.
1st General Session: Alan Blankstein
Blankstein is founder and president of the HOPE Foundation, a not-for-profit organization whose Honorary Chair is Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
2nd General Session: David Zach
Zach is one of the few professionally trained futurists in the United States, with a Master's Degree in studies of the future. Through his company he works with businesses, schools and associations each year to help them think about the future.
3rd General Session: Joe Martin
Martin is founder and president of Real/World University. He is also a speaker, professor, author and consultant.
Annual summit focuses on helping bilingual parents, educators succeed
More than 500 parents and education professionals focused on ways to help parents and districts better serve bilingual students at the Third Annual Statewide Summit for Bilingual Parents. The May 17 summit in Oak Brook drew together members of the Bilingual Parent Advisory Councils (BPAC) and other parents of students in language support programs to learn ways to form partnerships between schools and community organizations to become advocates on behalf of the state's English Language Learners (ELL).
"The summit provides practical information and resources for bilingual parents on a variety of important topics that will better equip them to help their children succeed in school," said Jesse Ruiz, chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education.
The summit was focused on four major topics: Pre-K-12 education, higher education opportunities, parental leadership and advocacy, and community outreach and family support.
"The summit is a great resource for parents. It teaches you a lot of things and allows you to network with your groups and organizations," said Adriana Carpio De Palma, president of the PAC for School District U-46, Elgin. She explained that the summit informs parents where resources are, the services available and more.
The resources and services are increasingly in demand. The number of Limited-English Proficient (LEP) students in Illinois has expanded from 90,000 in 1990 to 186,484 in 2006-2007. LEP students include those eligible for bilingual education services.
Districts that receive state money for Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs are required to have a BPAC that meets four times a year. There are more than 200 BPACs in Illinois. More than 50 public school districts from across the state were represented at the one-day conference.
The deadline for school districts to apply to serve ELL students is June 30. Information about ELLs and how to apply is available online at http:// www.isbe.net/bilingual/default.htm . The Web site includes a link to the consolidated application site.
Note: The rules have changed for those who downloaded the FY09 Consolidated Application to Serve English Language Learners (long version) prior to May 7. Specifically, a correction was made to the FY09 funding ceiling calculator. To make sure FY09 funding ceiling calculations are accurate, applicants must replace their existing ceiling calculator with the one now online at http://www.isbe.net/bilingual/htmls/ceiling_calc.htm .
ED posts NCLB rules proposal focusing on accountability, clarity
On April 22, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings proposed new regulations to "clarify and strengthen" Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act. The regulations focus on improved accountability and transparency, graduation rates, and improved implementation of public school choice and supplemental educational services (SES).
Assessments and Multiple Measures. There is a misunderstanding that accountability must be based on a single measure or form of assessment. The new rule clarifies states may use one or several tests (e.g., reading and writing assessments to measure reading/language arts) and may use one or multiple formats (e.g., multiple choice, extended response, etc.).
Strengthening State Assessment and Accountability Systems. The proposed regulation requires a National Technical Advisory Council (NTAC) to focus on technically complex issues for a number of states.
Minimum Subgroup Size and Including Students in Accountability. On Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), the proposed regulation requires states to explain how the minimum subgroup size (N-size) and other components of their AYP definition (e.g., confidence intervals, performance indexes, definitions of "full academic year," etc.) combine to supply statistically reliable information.
Including NAEP Data on Report Cards. The proposed regulation requires states and school districts to report the most recent results from National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and math tests.
Including Individual Student Growth in AYP. The proposed regulation sets the key criteria that states must meet in order to receive authority (under a flexibility agreement) to incorporate individual student academic progress in their definitions of AYP.
Identifying Schools for Improvement. The proposed regulation codifies current policy that districts may identify schools and districts in need of improvement on the basis of not meeting annual measurable objectives (AMOs) in the same subject over consecutive years. On the other hand, districts may not limit identification to those schools that do not meet AMOs.
Restructuring. Preliminary analysis of federal education department data from 36 states indicates that only 18 percent of schools that were identified for restructuring in 2004-05 or 2005-06 have exited restructuring.
School Choice Notification. In 2006-07, participation in public school choice was only 2.2 percent of eligible students. The proposed regulation clarifies districts must alert parents about their option to transfer their child and their available schools choices sufficiently in advance of – but no later than 14 days before – the start of the school year.
Berwyn (April 30, Chicago Sun-Times) A bus driver and bus aide were suspended recently after a tape caught them taunting special needs kids. The incident happened in a suburban district that had hired First Student Inc. to transport eight disabled children to a special-needs school in Chicago. Parents who worried that something was wrong on the bus that took two of their three special-needs children to school slipped a tape recorder in their 13-year-old daughter's backpack that led to the investigation.
Bloomington (April 29, The Pantagraph) A community forum was held at the Normal Community High School on making schools safe for lesbian and gay students. Among the points that emerged in this two-hour-plus discussion: 1) harassment came as early as the fourth grade for some; 2) school safety planning needs to include quelling stormy situations between students; and 3) school administrators, staff and teachers need more training to be better able to support all of their students, who need to be able to confide in them.
Champaign (April 28, Champaign News-Gazette) Champaign CUSD 4 is looking for senior citizens with skills in business, German language, and physical education or art, to share their knowledge with high school students. The project would pair them with high school teachers in certain classrooms, helping instructors to teach a particular lesson or skill. Planners say it will benefit students, who can learn from someone with real-life experience in an area; seniors, who can get to know young people and become involved in the schools; and teachers, who will sometimes have a volunteer to help with lessons.
Chicago (April 16, Chicago Tribune) In an effort to better prepare pupils for a high-tech world, Chicago District 299 will open five new magnet elementary schools focused on technology this fall. School officials said they plan to replicate three existing schools, two with a technology focus and one emphasizing literature.
Elgin (April 22, The Daily Herald) A class action lawyer has been enlisted to join a discrimination lawsuit against School District U-46, Elgin. Attorney James Bradtke is experienced with a wide range of class-action cases. He worked on the 1989 Rockford school district desegregation case, which lasted more than 10 years and cost $250 million in taxpayer funds.
Elgin (May 3, The Daily Herald) A peace group has asked School District U-46, Elgin, for equal access to Elgin High School on the same basis as military recruiters. The Fox Valley group aims to educate students about other options besides enlisting in the military. The group chose Elgin High because of its high military recruitment rate.
Elgin (April 23, The Daily Herald) Formaldehyde levels in School District U-46 portable classrooms are within a normal range, officials said. A Park Ridge-based Environ International Corp. found formaldehyde concentrations between 1 and 7.5 parts per billion in the district's 64 trailers. Such concentration levels are considered acceptable, testing experts said. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has set a chronic minimal risk level of 8 parts per billion.
Freeport (May 14, Journal Standard) At least one Freeport District 145 board member is studying proposed changes to school start times and a plan that could have elementary students starting earlier and high schoolers starting later. Board Member Jim Rhyne confirmed he has been looking at the issue. Many Freeport area schools have adopted new schedules.
Glen Ellyn (April 29, The Daily Herald) A Glenbard East High School senior, who was nearly barred from attending prom with her 21-year-old Marine boyfriend, nonetheless was allowed to squeeze in a 10-minute appearance. School officials had initially told the Glendale Heights teen she would not be allowed to bring her date, Francisco Velasco of Addison. School rules forbid anyone of drinking age from attending proms, though high school officials have acknowledged that rule was a bit ambiguous. Velasco, a Marine stationed in Virginia, received permission from his superiors to fly to Chicago for the weekend just for the dance.
Lockport (April 24, Joliet Herald News) A Lockport company's tax abatement request has been denied in regard to the proposed expansion of Panduit Corporation's manufacturing plant in the school district. The high school board voted 6-0 to reject the firm's request for a tax abatement. The company sought a five-year, 50 percent abatement solely on the increase in property taxes to be generated from expansion.
Nauvoo (April 28, Quincy Herald-Whig) The Nauvoo-Colusa and Warsaw districts are adding classes for the 2008-09 school year, the first under a joint deactivation plan approved by voters in February. "We're bucking the trend," Nauvoo-Colusa Superintendent Kent Young said. New classes at the high school level include digital photography, hotel/restaurant management and heavy equipment operation offering national certification for students.
Palatine, Schaumburg (May 5, The Daily Herald) Satisfied by the results of its own investigation of lead in artificial turf, Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 is moving ahead with plans to install it at its five high school football fields.
Restricting student speech not always justified
By Kimberly A. Small
IASB's assistant general counsel
The following discussion involves Wisniewski v. Board of Education of Weedsport Central School District, 2007 WL 1932264 (2d Cir. July 5, 2007), a case from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals (CT NY, VT). While it is not binding in Illinois, the facts and citations to the recently decided "Bong HiTS for Jesus" case, Morse v. Frederick (discussed here last month) are instructive for school officials because legal circles are still analyzing whether Morse v. Frederick will become a fourth rationale for school discipline of student speech and the case analyzes a threat created off campus.
In April 2001, Aaron Wisniewski used his parents' computer to send 15 friends a message icon containing a small drawing of a pistol firing a bullet at a person's head with blood splattering. Beneath the icon appeared the words: "Kill Mr. VanderMolen." VanderMolen was Aaron's English teacher. After receiving the icon message, a classmate of Aaron's told VanderMolen. Aaron admitted to creating the icon, expressed regret, and said it was meant as a joke.
School officials suspended Aaron for five days and allowed him back into school pending a further superintendent hearing. VanderMolen discontinued teaching Aaron's English class. During this time, after several interviews and a psychological evaluation, a police investigator determined Aaron's message was a joke and closed a pending criminal case.
At the superintendent hearing, the hearing officer found that the icon was threatening, violated school rules, and caused disruption to the operation of the school and recommended a one semester suspension of Aaron, which the Board of Education adopted.
Aaron's parents filed a federal suit in the Northern District of New York under 42. U.S.C. § 1983 and alleged, among other things that the: 1) board retaliated against their son for exercising his First Amendment rights; and 2) board and school superintendent failed to train school staff in threat assessment.
The district court dismissed the lawsuit agreeing with the superintendent hearing officer's factual determination that the icon constituted a "true threat." Aaron's parents next appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which affirmed the lower district court's decision, but the Second Circuit declined to analyze whether the icon was a "true 'threat'" against the standard of Watts v. United States.1
Instead, the Second Circuit held that the appropriate First Amendment standard is the one set forth by the United States Supreme Court in Tinker v. Des Moines Indep. Cmty. Sch. Dist., 393 U.S. 503, 507 (1969). As school officials are well aware, especially as of late, that standard is: "whether the speech would materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school".
Frequently citing the U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding in Morse v. Frederick (discussed last month), the Second Circuit noted the Tinker test remains; the icon "crossed the boundary of protected speech and constituted student conduct that posed a reasonably foreseeable risk that the icon would come to the attention of school authorities and that it would "materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school".
Neither was the Second Circuit swayed that Aaron's speech occurred off campus stating that the foreseeability of both communication to school authorities, including the teacher, and the risk of substantial disruption was reasonable and clear.
What does this mean for school officials? In the wake of Morse, the Tinker inquiry remains for regulation and discipline of student created speech created on or off campus. Always consult with the board's attorney as student speech and threat situations are highly fact specific. School officials should also note that the court here did not address the school district's alleged failure to implement a threat assessment plan, but school officials here in Illinois should watch in the upcoming PRESS issues for sample threat assessment procedures.
* Watts concerned a criminal prosecution for violating 18 U .S.C. §871(a), which provides for punishment for "knowingly and willfully… mak[ing] [a] threat against the President." Some courts have assessed a student's statements concerning the killing of a school official or fellow student against the "true 'threat'" standard of Watts.
Science and math teachers in limelight at Capitol Showcase
The Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Board of Higher Education joined dozens of classroom teachers, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and experts from higher education from throughout Illinois at the April 29 Capitol Showcase for the Illinois Mathematics and Science Partnerships program. The annual event at the State Capitol features the professional development efforts by research partnerships statewide that work to help teachers grow and improve student achievement.
The IMSP program was created as part of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It creates partnerships designed to meet the growing needs of students by providing ongoing professional development and unique opportunities for teachers that focus on new trends in Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics.
State Board honors grads of bilingual teaching program
ISBE recently honored 12 graduates of the federally-funded Bilingual Transition to Teaching Project with a board resolution. These mid-career professionals and recent college graduates began work this year with bilingual and English as Second Language (ESL) students as full-time teachers in several Chicago and suburban classrooms.
"I applaud the commitment of these individuals for embarking on their new and rewarding career path," said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch.
The teaching project offers a unique avenue to certification for people who want to change careers and become highly-qualified certified bilingual/ESL teachers. The program allows future teachers to get on-the-job training.
IASB officer nominations open for the coming year
The nominating committee of the Illinois Association of School Boards is seeking candidates for the offices of president and vice president.
The following criteria will be used by the committee in considering nominees:
Nominating forms are due to be submitted by early August, and candidates will be interviewed that same month. A slate of candidates will be presented to the Delegate Assembly meeting in Chicago at the 2008 Joint Annual Conference in November.
To request necessary forms, interested candidates should write: IASB, 2921 Baker Drive, Springfield, IL 62703 or phone 217/528-9688, ext. 1102.
May/June Journal focuses on half-day versus all-day 'K'
Learn how three pairs of neighboring school districts came to their decisions on half-day versus all-day kindergarten based on different reasoning and different needs in the May/June cover story, "A tale of two kindergartens," in the latest issue of The Illinois School Board Journal.
In addition, hear one reform-minded high school principal explain why the U.S. needs to provide all students with a globally competitive education, in "Global competitiveness demands better education."
August 22-23 — IASB Board of Director Retreat, Pheasant Run, St. Charles
August 23 — IASB Board of Directors' Meeting, Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles
August 26 — Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Workshop, SIU Touch of Nature, Carbondale, 5:30 - 9:30 p.m.
September 4 — Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Workshop, IASB, Springfield, 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
September 10 — Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Workshop, IASB, Lombard, 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
September 16 — Professional Advancement Seminar: Seeking the Superintendency, IASB Springfield Office, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
September 18 — Professional Advancement Seminar: Seeking the Superintendency, IASB Lombard Office, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
September 25 — Southwestern Division Fall Dinner Meeting, Millstadt CCSD 160, 6 p.m.
October 2 — Abe Lincoln Division Fall Dinner Meeting, Sangamon Valley CUSD 9, 6 p.m.
October 5-7 — Illinois Principals Association Annual Conference, Peoria
October 14 — Corn Belt Division Fall Dinner Meeting, Pontiac CCSD 429