This publication is also available as a PDF file
Ratio of pupils making AYP rises, but 88 more districts fall short
The percentage of Illinois students who meet and exceed state standards on all standardized tests in all subjects combined has risen for the seventh year in a row, according to figures released in June by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The figures are intended to measure achievement for students tested in 2009 under the No Child Left Behind Act.
The bad news, however, is that the number of school districts making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in every subgroup of students has dropped for the third straight year. The drop, with 88 fewer school districts making AYP in 2009 than in 2008, may partly be attributable to the ever-rising bar for standards established under the federal NCLB law.
NCLB requires all states to measure each public school’s and district’s student achievement and establish annual achievement targets for the state. The larger goal is for all students, and all subgroups of students, to meet or exceed standards in reading and mathematics by 2014.
Every year the state calculates a school or district’s AYP to determine whether students are improving their performance based on fixed annual targets. State law defines consequences for all schools that fail to meet AYP criteria for consecutive years.
Title I schools and districts are subject to additional consequences, including school choice (for more information see the website at http://www.isbe.net/nclb/pdfs/FAQchoiceML.pdf), supplemental educational services (see the website at http://www.isbe.net/ses/default.htm), and corrective action and restructuring.
For the most current information on AYP requirements see the Illinois Accountability Workbook, online at: http://www.isbe.net/nclb/pdfs/accountability_workbook06.pdf .
Public school choice?
Under NCLB, if a Title I school does not make AYP for two years in a row, it is said to be “in need of improvement,” and it must offer parents public school choice. Such schools must continue to offer school choice each year until they make AYP for two years in a row. Implementing this NCLB requirement depends on the availability of other schools in the district that are making AYP and their capacity to add to their enrollment.
If there are no qualifying schools in the district that can accept students, the district must try to make cooperating agreements with nearby districts that do have eligible schools. While a neighboring district is under no obligation to enter into a cooperative agreement, it may choose to, depending on a number of factors, including its enrollment capacity.
Supplemental educational services
Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), Section 1116(e), students from low-income families attending schools that do not make adequate yearly progress for three or more years are eligible to receive Supplemental Educational Services (SES). School districts are responsible for funding these services, which must be provided outside the normal school day, through their Title I, Part A funds. ISBE must develop and apply objective criteria to create a list of approved SES providers.
As required by the U.S. Department of Education, ISBE provides assistance to districts with the implementation of the SES requirements and regulates the provider services.
Schools in Corrective Action (CA)
If, after two years of undergoing school improvement, i.e., after not having made AYP for four years, implementing a school improvement plan, and receiving extensive technical assistance, a school still does not make AYP, ISBE and the school’s governing district must identify it for Corrective Action (CA). Identifying a school for CA signals the district’s intention to take greater control of the school’s management and to have a more direct hand in its decision-making. This signifies that the application of traditional school improvement methods and strategies has been unsuccessful and that more radical action is needed. Taking CA is designed to increase substantially the likelihood that all students enrolled in the school will meet or exceed the state’s proficient levels of academic achievement in reading and mathematics.
A school identified for CA must continue to offer Choice and Supplemental Educational Services during the period it is identified for CA if Title I funds are used at the school.
What is CA? CA is a significant intervention in a school that is designed to remedy the school’s persistent inability to make adequate progress toward all students becoming proficient in reading and mathematics.
If a school that receives Title I Part A funds does not achieve AYP for four years, the district must identify the school for CA.
For example, if a school did not make AYP as defined by its state accountability system by the end of the 2008-09 and the 2009-10 school years, the district must identify it for school improvement and School Choice must be offered at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year. At the end of that school year, if the school does not make adequate progress, it must be identified for a second year of school improvement and Supplemental Educational Services must be implemented during the 2011-12 school year. If by the end if the 2011-12 year the school still does not meet its annual target, the district must identify that school for CA, to be implemented during the 2012-13 school year.
If a school is identified for CA, the district must promptly notify the parents of each child enrolled in the school (in an understandable format and in a language that the parents can understand). The notification must explain:
• What the identification means, and how academic achievement levels at this school compare to those at other schools.
• Why the school was identified and how they as parents can become involved in addressing the academic issues that led to the identification.
• The parents’ option to transfer their child to another school in the district that has not been identified for improvement. The district must provide parents with information that helps them make an informed decision about whether or not to exercise this option.
• How parents of eligible children can obtain supplemental educational services for their child. This notice must include information about the availability of providers and brief descriptions of each.
But Corrective Action is not the final sanction that schools may face. A restructuring plan must be developed when the school or district has not made AYP for a total of five consecutive years. If the school does not make AYP for six straight years, the district must implement this plan.
Restructuring also includes a notice requirement, according to NCLB. The school district must provide to parents and teachers prompt notice that the law has identified the school for restructuring, and an opportunity for parents and teachers to comment before the district takes any action under a restructuring plan. This also provides a chance for parents and teachers to participate in the development of any restructuring plan.
Generally speaking, under NCLB when a school is in restructuring status, the school district must take intensive and far-reaching interventions to revamp completely the operation and governance of that school.
Federal guidance on school restructuring is available online at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/schoolimprovementguid.pdf.
Illinois Principals Association chosen to manage new principal mentors program
The Illinois Principals Association (IPA) has been named by the Illinois State Board of Education as the program manager for the Illinois New Principal Mentoring Program required under Illinois law in Section 2-3.53a of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.53a].
The new program is designed to ensure that every new principal in Illinois receives a high-quality mentoring experience and is designed to focus professional development experiences. Proven, trained mentors will be paired with new principals based on geography, grade level, and need.
IPA says taking over the management of the program this year has been a painful process, but the potential rewards are great: “IPA saw in this state program much of what we have long had in mind for principal development, and we wanted to make sure the program succeeds and develops along the right lines,” said retired IPA executive director Dave Turner.
But who are the mentors, and what are their qualifications? Experienced Illinois principals who have demonstrated success will be selected based on these qualifications:
• A minimum of three years of experience as a building principal in Illinois
• Support of three professional educator references which includes:
1. One letter from a certified staff member who is not an administrator and has served for at least one full school year under the principal’s supervision
2. Each principal shall submit one letter from another principal who has knowledge of the individual’s work
3. One letter from a district superintendent or assistant superintendent under whose supervision the principal has served for at least one full school year, or from a regional superintendent who has knowledge of the principal’s work
4. Each required letter of reference shall include:
The nature of the working relationship between the letter-writer and the principal in question
The letter-writer’s reasons for believing that the principal in question is of ethical character and possesses strong interpersonal skills
One or more specific examples of the principal’s accomplishments related to particular aspects of the Illinois Professional School Leader Standards
No individual may serve as a mentor if more than five years have elapsed since his or her last date of service as a principal in an Illinois school or service in some other educational capacity that routinely requires interaction with principals and familiarity with the issues and challenges they face. Evidence of the latter type of service requires producing a contract, job description, or other document generated by the employing provider.
School district role
School districts are charged under the program with ensuring that each new principal they hire is mentored by a qualified, highly-trained mentor. To guarantee that new principals receive the mentoring services needed, according to IPA, districts should contract the services of an ISBE-certified Mentoring Provider best suited to meet the new principal and school district’s needs.
To find a complete listing of all certified mentoring providers, visit the website at: http://www.ilprincipalmentoring.org/website_documents/2010-2011%20Provider%20Contact1.pdf
To find out more about the Principal Mentoring Program, go to: http://www.ilprincipalmentoring.org. Or contact the INPM Program Manager at http://www.ilprincipalmentoring.org/contact_info/index.html.
ISBE examines better Race to the Top effort, common standards push
A t the most recent Illinois State Board of Education meeting, State Superintendent Christopher Koch gave a brief update on the state’s Race to the Top application for round two of the federal funding competition. Funding awards are expected to be made by September.
A total of 182 districts have signed the Memorandum of Understanding, Koch said, which entails generally agreeing to meet the guidelines of the program and implement specific education reforms if the state receives funding. At least half of each winning state’s Race to the Top funding will be directed to school districts that have signed the memo.
Of the 182 Illinois school districts, 102 included all suggested signatures (including employee unions), which represents a major increase over the number of districts who did so in the state’s initial application. The second round could provide some $400 million for Illinois schools, compared to the $510 million that would have been available in round one.
Part of the state’s proposal includes meaningful professional development through the Regional Offices of Education. The absence of such training was one of the alleged weaknesses decried by federal officials in rejecting Illinois’ application in round one.
Another criteria for judging the applications is state affiliation with one of the so-called national common standards consortiums. The number of such consortiums available for state affiliation is down to two; Illinois is leaning towards joining one based in Florida. The state must make a choice to be affiliated with one in order to gain points from federal Race to the Top program scorers.
For perspective, what this means is that the U.S. Department of Education has tied federal money to states’ embrace of standards. States vying for grants from the Race to the Top program received 40 points (out of a possible 500) for participating in a common standards consortium and taking steps to adopt the standards.
Until now, each state has set its own standards for when students will be taught fractions, in what grades they will read The Grapes of Wrath or analyze a technical text.
Congress, as well as IASB and other advocates of local control of schools, have long fought having the federal government dictate a set of standards. That has led, critics say, to a hodgepodge of states’ standards and made it problematic to compare students’ knowledge across states. If Illinois and 47 other states and the District of Columbia in the common-core consortium voluntarily adopt common core, however, there will be a unified set of K-12 standards, along with new textbooks and eventually new standardized tests.
These standards would be designed to produce high school graduates well-prepared to enter college or the workplace.
At least that is the goal. One problem, opponents say, is the process has been rushed by common-core sponsors who compressed what normally would take several years of revisions and public comment into months.
“I’m not opposed to either standards or being standardized tested, but I can’t think anyone believes that something that flows so far away from the neighborhood school can reflect anything remotely needed by the students who attend that school,” said Kansas teacher Marsha Ratzel in her recent blog. “How can Washington ever hope to create standards that will reflect my neighborhood?”
Perhaps no one is as vehemently opposed to national standards, however, as education researcher, author, and lecturer Alfie Kohn. In a debate featured recently on EdWeek, Kohn was unequivocal in his condemnation of the common core initiative:
“No one needs a curriculum that’s standard! That’s why the best teachers and schools differentiate their teaching, offering instruction that responds to the needs, talents, and interests of each student. It’s troubling when a district assumes that kids are interchangeable, and worse when it’s one-size-fits-all for a whole state. Now we’re being told a single size can be constructed from coast to coast,” Kohn said.
Nevertheless, a rush has come from the Obama administration, which has pressured states, Illinois included, to commit to an Aug. 2 deadline to score extra points on Race to the Top applications.
So far, draft standards have been adopted statewide by Kentucky, Hawaii, Maryland, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Another 40 states and Washington, D.C., have agreed to adopt in coming months, including Illinois. So said Gene Wilhoit, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, which joined with the National Governors Association in leading the Common Core project.
States will, however, have at least two years to revise their curriculum and standard tests to reflect the Common Core curriculum, and states could include a portion of their own standards therein (optionally, up to 15 percent of each state’s standards could be developed at the state level). And eventually the test scores reported under No Child Left Behind would reflect these new standards.
TAG offers free services to boards or districts not making AYP for two years
Targeting Achievement Through Governance (TAG), is a grant-funded program of IASB services and training offered at no cost to school boards in districts or districts with schools not making adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two consecutive years.
These free services address the school board’s role in student achievement by helping board members understand the link between policy and progress. The comprehensive services include a combination of regional and in-district workshops, training opportunities and coaching to assist school boards in meeting the requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Training opportunities in Phase One include: Board Governance Review; School Board Leadership Workshop; Targeting Student Learning Workshop; Targeting Student Learning process coaching; School and District Improvement Plan training; and a Second Board Governance Review.
Phase Two of the TAG program is available for school boards that have completed the elements of Phase One. A TAG consultant meets with each participating school board, superintendent, and other administrators as appropriate, to develop a comprehensive board development program tailored to meet their unique needs and interests. Services may be provided by a TAG consultant or other IASB staff.
The Phase Two services begin with Individual Evaluation and Needs Assessment, followed by a Board Governance Review. Additional follow ups may include theboard’s choice of any of the following (two to five additional district visits):
• District Planning and Goal Setting
• Board/Superintendent Relationships
• Effective Board Meetings and Processes
• Role of the Board in a Democracy
• Monitoring District Effectiveness
• Effective Superintendent Evaluations
• Building a More Effective Board Team
For more information on these free services, contact either IASB office at: 630/629-3776 or 217/528-9688 Steve Clark, ext. 1210 or Deb Larson, ext. 1149
Deadline nears to seek waivers from state mandates, rules
Deadline is Aug. 13 for fall applications
Applications for waivers from Illinois School Code mandates – such as modifications to school calendar mandates or administrative rules – to be decided this fall must be postmarked and mailed to the state by Aug. 13. Applications must be sent to the Illinois State Board of Education to be included in the Fall 2010 Waiver Report, which will be submitted to the legislature by Oct. 1.
A school district may request a waiver or modification of the mandates of state laws or regulations if the district demonstrates it can meet the intent in a “more effective, efficient, or economical manner or when necessary to stimulate or improve student performance.” If the state board fails to disapprove a request, that request is deemed granted. But even waiver requests that are turned down may be appealed to the legislature, which sometimes reverses the ruling.
By law, waivers cannot be allowed from laws, rules, and regulations regarding special education, township treasurers, or teacher tenure, certification or seniority. Nor can waivers be granted pertaining to No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requirements.
If school leaders are applying for a modification of School Code mandates (such as for attendance days), or a waiver or a modification of administrative rules, there is no postmark deadline. But approval must be granted before the modification.
The process for applying for a modification of the School Code or a waiver or modification of state rules is the same as is used in applying for a waiver of a School Code mandate.
A state law also limits term of physical education waivers, under Public Act 95-223, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2008. It provides that an approved physical education waiver (or modification) may remain in effect for up to two school years and renewed no more than two times upon application by the eligible applicant.
Before passage of this law, P.E. applications could be requested for a maximum of five years and an unlimited number of times. The intent is that an applicant will be limited to a total of six years to hold an approved waiver. The six-year total applies to the district and not to individual waivers; in other words, if an applicant holds more than one physical education waiver (for different grades and purposes), each application will count towards the six-year limit.
Those eligible to apply should assume that any applications for waivers from physical education requirements submitted to ISBE are subject to P.A. 95-223. A copy of P.A. 95-223 is online at: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=095-0223&GA=095.
P.A. 95-223 did not change the public hearing requirements for P.E. waivers. Applicants for such waivers or modifications must continue to hold a public hearing to consider the request on a day other than one on which a regular board meeting is held.
More than 5,000 waiver requests have been approved since the waiver law went into effect in March 1995, and over 100 new requests from districts are approved each year.
Before beginning the waiver process, ISBE suggests that each applicant carefully review requirements outlined in the “Overview for Waiver Process” found online at http://www.isbe.net/isbewaivers/html/overview.htm.
Application forms and instructions for waivers and modifications are provided by the state board and can be downloaded at http://www.isbe.net/isbewaivers/html/application.htm .
Symposium focuses on trust and transparency
Boards must work at fairness, compliance
The theory of “Building Trust through Transparency” was learned and illustrations of how it can and does work were applied at the Fourth Biennial LeaderShop Academy Symposium, held June 12 in Lombard.
Nearly 50 people registered for the event, held at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center. It was open to school board members who have achieved membership in the School Board LeaderShop Academy and their superintendents. The event is one of the benefits of Academy membership, designed to promote and recognize board member efforts toward continuous learning and professional development.
The keynoter was former state lawmaker, author and newspaper publisher Jim Nowlan. He called for school boards to be “seen through” their workings and giving the public the best chance of ensuring fairness and knowledge of public business.
Nowlan, who served as an Illinois representative and once ran for lieutenant governor, said state meetings and records laws ensure access, participation and accountability and serve as a “strong antiseptic” against corruption and undue influence, something Illinois is widely known for, he said.
In practical application, Nowlan also acknowledged that the practice of open meetings and public access is not easy to balance with political realities. He noted, for example, how the health care plans promoted by Presidents Obama and Clinton were assailed, even though the former made his campaign public and the latter tried to accomplish his with mostly private policy maneuvers.
Nowlan, who served as an advisor to Governors Ogilvie, Thompson and Edgar (“not one of whom was indicted”), noted that the state’s legacy of political corruption continues, in spite of well-documented investigations and successful prosecutions of the violators.
“Corruption has become part of our political culture and values, which makes it so difficult to change public perception and attitude towards it,” he said.
Because school boards are often the most visible government body in smaller communities, Nowlan said their members take significant flack whenever there appears to be a reluctance or hesitation to release information. These may be “conscious or subconscious” decisions, but the reaction is often immediate and vocal.
He acknowledged that it’s difficult for school board members to separate themselves from the school board, especially after a vote is taken on an issue that is contested or debated. “You can’t disguise your membership as a board member, even if you disagree,” he said.
Also featured was a panel on the legal compliance with the Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act. Presenters included Merry Rhoades, attorney with Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt, P.C., and Cara Smith, public access counselor for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.
Rhoades reviewed some of the implementation problems and challenges raised by the state’s new FOIA law. One recurring issue is reconciling the “date received” and the “response date” for FOIA requests. Just because requests can be delivered by phone voicemail or email messages, or when school officials are absent, it doesn’t relieve the district from complying on time.
Her best advice was to take the most conservative approach to avoid the potential for challenges or litigation.
Smith acknowledged that most school boards are doing a good job with complying with the tougher requirements and meeting the spirit of the law. “If you have nothing to hide, just put it out there, and let them have at it,” she said.
As the state’s first-ever Public Access Counselor, her office is handling a large volume of requests from all public bodies needing a ruling on FOIA requests, i.e., what information is sought and what response is needed, if any. “The numbers (of requests) may not have gone up, but it does take much more time to review them,” she said.
She also acknowledged that the FOIA law and office is in its infant stage and there have been no reported court decisions on new privacy standards. “It’s new for the A.G.’s office too. Although we have had a FOIA law since 1985, the stakes just got much higher if we get it wrong.”
Smith also reminded board members that training is now mandatory for local FOIA officers and the deadline for completing that training was June 30. She also suggested that additional members of the school staff become familiar with the new laws.
Online records help members keep count of Master Board points
IASB recently mailed out a form for board members to use so they can be recognized for their efforts in “Master Board Member” activities. Directions on the form include a summary of all programs and activities that qualify for credits toward Master Board Member status.
IASB recognizes and honors board members for the time and effort they devote to self-improvement and leadership activities. Master Board Member activities are a means to achieving the Association’s mission of excellence in local school governance.
Points are assigned to professional development, division programs and activities, board development, legislative leadership, and IASB and NSBA leadership. Points range from 5 to 30. Credits are awarded through June 30 of each year and awards are presented at the fall division dinner meetings. Awards were handed out last fall to a total of 222 school board members who had earned or maintained Master Board Member status.
There are three levels available: 60 to 129 points earns Level I status; 130-199 earns Level II status; and 200 plus points earns Master Board Member distinction.
Board members are urged to make a copy for their own records prior to returning the completed document to the IASB offices. Deadline for receiving the updated forms is July 31.
To help with the record-keeping process, board members can access Master Board Member application forms and find their personal service and participation records in their own online database at IASB’s Members-Only website. This password-protected site is available at: http:// members.iasb.com.
This is a free site, but registration is required. This requires the member’s seven-digit Member ID number and last name. This ID number appears on the mailing label of all materials sent to IASB members, and begins with “2.” After completing this step, members need to set up an account with an email address and a password of their choosing.
The Master Board Member materials and records are available under the “Your IASB Involvement” tab at the top of the home page.
Forms are available for each school year going back to 1999-2000 and are provided in portable document format (PDF).
For questions on the Master Board Member program, phone Judy Williams at 217/528-9688, ext. 1103, or e-mail at jwilliams@iasb.com.
For questions about the Members-Only website, phone Jennifer Nelson at 217/528-9688, ext. 1105, or e-mail at jnelson@iasb.com.
Conference keynotes to feature ‘attitude guy,’ author, freedom writer
The lineup of keynote speakers for the 2010 Joint Annual Conference has been announced.
This will be the 96th annual conference of IASB and the 78th joint conference with the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) and Illinois ASBO, and will be held Nov. 19-21 in Chicago.
Sam Glenn, known for his “chalk art” presentations, will kick off the conference and the First General Session on Friday. A former businessman who learned how to recover from his losses, he has authored 16 books and DVDs, including “A Kick in the Attitude.”
He is also known as “The Attitude Guy” and has another program, “The Authority on Attitude,” that uses lightshow effects.
Jim Burgett is familiar to many Illinois school leaders. An author and former superintendent, he will keynote the Second General Session on Saturday. Burgett was recently honored as 2010 recipient of the Van Miller Distinguished Practitioner Scholar Award, presented annually by the University of Illinois for leadership in school administration. Burgett was superintendent in Elizabeth, Ill., before it consolidated into River Ridge CUSD 210 in 1985, and then at Highland CUSD 5, where he was named superintendent of the year.
He is the author of the book Superintendents and Principals: How to Handle the Death of a Student, Faculty, or Staff Member. He is also the co-author, with Brian D. Schwartz, of Finding Middle Ground in K-12 Education: Balancing Best Practices and the Law, and several other books. He will explore the topic he calls “Doom to Zoom,” highlighting where Illinois is and where it needs to go in education.
Manuel V. Scott,one of the original “Freedom Writers” whose story is told in the 2007 Hollywood film of the same name, will close out the conference at Sunday’s Third General Session.
A former dropout, his life turned around after participating in the Freedom Writers project at the Long Beach, CA, high school where Erin Gruwell (a former conference presenter) started the project in the mid 1990s.
Scott now holds degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and Trinity International University and will begin working toward his doctorate this fall. He has written a book, “Take Matters into Your Own Hands,” and has a DVD, “True Heroes of the World.”
Updated law survey book now available with CD ROM detailing case law, notes
The Illinois Association of School Boards has published the Eleventh Edition of its top-selling book, “Illinois School Law Survey.” It was scheduled for delivery in late June.
The book, updated bi-annually, is the most convenient way to access and cross-reference most school law issues. Its Question-and-Answer format allows readers to find answers to the most commonly-asked questions facing or posed by school superintendents, school boards and the general public.
More than 1,500 answers are based on state and federal statutes and case law in force and reported as of Jan. 1, 2010, and administrative rules and regulations current as of Dec. 15, 2009.
The book has several other key features that enable readers to find what they need quickly:
• Table of contents lists the broad topics covered in each chapter. In many cases, these topic headings lead directly to the desired information
• Table of court cases arranges in alphabetical order by name of plaintiff. All court decisions cited are listed in the table with full legal reference
• Quick reference index is a 37-page listing of subjects arranged alphabetically
• CD ROM “All in One Legal Reference,” carries the entire text of the book’s 27 chapters, Table of Cases and Quick Reference Index – plus features the full text of most statutes, regulations and court decisions cited in the text. The CD runs with any standard web browser on any PC or Mac.
The author, Brian A. Braun, has been an attorney with the firm of Miller, Tracy, Braun, Funk & Miller, Ltd., for 27 years. Braun has lectured on school law and labor relations at Illinois colleges and universities and has served both the National Council of School Attorneys as a director and the Illinois Council of School Attorneys as chairman.
“Illinois School Law Survey” is available from IASB Publications by calling 217/528-9688, extension 1108, or online at: https://www.iasb.com/shop/.
The retail price is $40 and $30 for IASB member districts, plus $5 per order for shipping. Additional network licenses are $7 per work station. Discounts are available for university bookstores.
Carousel at conference to feature 28 panels
Join your colleagues to benefit from an exciting assortment of conference panels. In one large room, 28 different presentations will be offered at one time. In a one hour and 45 minute time block, you can pick and choose to participate in three different panels of 30 minutes each. Hop aboard the Carousel on Saturday, Nov. 20, 1:30-3:10 p.m., Sheraton 5, Ballroom Level IV.
Chosen topics, and the primary applicant on each one, for this year’s Carousel:
• Successful Communication with Student-Led Conferences – Jacksonville SD 117
• Effective Board President/Superintendent Relations – Aurora University
• Sexting, Cyber-bullying and Keeping Kids Safe – Western Illinois University
• Issues, Problems and Solutions for Small and Rural Schools – Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools
• Linking Leadership with Student Achievement: A Collaborative Effort – Calumet Public SD 132
• Cyber-bullying: Discipline, Policies and the Law – Abingdon CUSD 217
• Inclusion – Providing Access to the General Curriculum – Joliet SD 86
• Successful Student Newspapers: A Collaborative Approach – Franczek Radelet P.C.
• Successful Schools – Successful Students – CHSD 230, Orland Park
• Paperless Board Meetings – Oswego CUSD 308
• The Board’s Role in Hiring Principals: The Impending Shortage – Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
• Turning Things Around in a Small Elementary District – St. George CCSD 258, Bourbonnais
• Ascending the Reading Summit: 10-Step Success Story – Lincoln-Way CHSD 210, New Lenox
• When All Teachers Teach Reading, “Learning Happens” – Eldorado CUSD 4
• The Right Way to Select an Auditor – Gorenz & Associates, Ltd.
• Collaborative Bargaining – A Different Way to Negotiate – Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS)
• The Relationship of PTELL to Student Learning – Illinois State University
• Advance Preparation for a Successful Bond Rating – Consolidated School District 158, Algonquin
• Raising Student Achievement through Comprehensive Adolescent Literacy – East Peoria SD 86
• It all Adds Up: Academic-focused Family Fun Nights – Harrison SD 36, Wonder Lake
• New Opportunities in Online Learning – Illinois Virtual School
• One Plan: Aligning the Alphabet Soup of Mandated Plans – Hononegah CHSD 207, Rockton
• Authentic Business Partnerships that Impact Student Learning – Naperville CUSD 203
• Increasing Diversity in AP and Honors Courses – School District U-46, Elgin
• Administrator Turnover in Illinois 2003-2009 – Eastern Illinois University
• Using Data to Improve Student Achievement – Software Technology Inc. – IL
• Collective Bargaining in a Recession – University of Illinois-Springfield
• The Leader’s Guide to Employment Decisions – Law Office of Shayne Aldridge
State release of food allergy guide prompts plan for sample policy
As required by Public Act 96-349, the Illinois State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Public Health, has released the Guidelines for Managing Life-Threatening Food Allergies in Illinois Schools.
These guidelines were assembled by an ad hoc committee comprised of experts in the field of food allergens, representatives on behalf of students with food allergies, representatives from public schools management organizations (including IASB Assistant General Counsel Kimberly Small), and representatives from two statewide teachers’ organizations.
By Jan. 1, 2011, each school board is required to implement a policy based on these guidelines. A sample policy will be developed by IASB’s Policy Reference Education Subscription Service (PRESS). All paid subscribers to this service will receive the publication in the late summer or early fall.
Because of the importance of this issue and its complexity for school officials to manage, IASB also plans to provide the sample policy to its member school districts and any non-member school districts that request it. IASB will provide details about how to request the sample policy when the policy is released for publication.
Deadline nearing for board secretary nominations
The deadline for submitting documents nominating board secretaries for IASB’s Holly Jack Outstanding Service Award is Aug. 1.
Districts may nominate local district employees (superintendent’s secretary, superintendent’s administrative assistant, school board secretary, etc.) who do the work of the school board secretary.
The award was created as a tribute to the memory of Holly Jack, a long-time IASB employee who was instrumental in promoting and developing the secretaries’ program at the annual conference. It will be presented at the IASB/IASA/IASBO joint annual conference in Chicago.
For more information, visit the IASB website, https://www.iasb.com/jac10/hollyjack.cfm, or contact Anna Lovern at 217/528-9688, ext. 1125, or at alovern@iasb.com.
‘Sales tax holiday’ legislation wins lawmakers’ consent for Aug. 6-15
The General Assembly approved legislation this spring that would provide a sales tax exemption for certain school-related items, amounting to a sales tax holiday in August. If signed into law, the exemption would be limited to qualified items that are purchased during a back-to-school shopping period between Aug. 6 and 15.
The holiday covers 10 days and will apply to clothing and shoes of less than $100 per item, and binders, calculators, notebooks, paper, crayons, and lunchboxes. Not included are computers and computer supplies, art supplies, or instructional materials.
Gov. Pat Quinn has been a proponent of the idea since early in 2009, and he was expected to sign the bill, according to a spokesperson.
But not everyone agrees that it is a good idea. Rep. Bill Black (R-Danville) charged the proposal is the height of irresponsibility because it would cost the state between $20 million and $50 million at a time when Illinois is mired in a devastating budget crisis.
The bill,SB 3658(Senator Demuzio, D-Carlinville), would exempt the 5% sales tax imposed by the state. The bill does not remove the base 1.25% tax rate that is shared with local governments and distributed from the Local Government Tax Fund on a point-of-sale basis.
The bill would not affect any additional sales tax imposed by municipalities exercising their home rule powers or by non-home rule municipalities that impose an additional sales tax under a specific statutory grant of authority.
The amount parents typically spend on school supplies varies. In 2008, families spent almost $600. In 2009, as many reduced spending because of the economy, it was down to about $550.
This year families could save an estimated $27.50 on that $550 (5%) with the state sales-tax holiday. Some say such an amount would not represent significant help for parents, as sale prices sometimes provide better savings.
“It is not a huge savings, which is why the Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance did not take a position on the bill,” said Ben Schwarm, IASB’s associate executive director for advocacy and governmental relations.
The last significant sales tax exemption enacted into law was on motor fuel and gasohol. That exemption was for a 6-month period during 2000 when fuel prices were high.
Amboy (June 14, District 272 news release) Amboy CUSD 272 recently had a “Clipper Clean-Up” at the local city park. This involved over twenty teachers, administrators, staff members, and family members volunteering their first day of summer vacation giving back to the city of Amboy.
Carpentersville (June 15, Northwest Herald)Despite attempted cutbacks in the fiscal 2011 budget, Carpentersville District 300 likely will face a $5 million deficit or worse next year.Board members voted unanimously on June 14 to slice away more than $1 million in expenditures via pay and benefit reductions for school administrators, and non-union and support staff.The state owes $16 million to the district, and board President Joe Stevens said all reductions from earlier this year had been made assuming that some or all of those payments would come in.“I hope we can find a way to fix this, at least parts of it; This is devastating,” said Stevens.
Chicago (June 7, Chicago Sun-Times) Seven hundred Chicago District 299 teachers received layoff letters on June 4 under recommendations Schools CEO Ron Huberman made last winter — and the Board of Education approved — for eight schools in the Renaissance 2010 program. At the time, initially estimated to affect 300-plus teachers, the layoffs targeted staff at three city high schools and five elementary schools facing overhaul through closings, academic turnarounds and the like.
Chicago (June 9, Chicago Sun-Times) Rapper Kanye West headlined a concert for students of Chicago’s most reformed high school, Farragut Career Academy, on June 8. The event, called Culture of Calm, focuses on rewarding area schools for lifting student attendance, behavior and academic performance. The performance punctuated the end of a third year of such competition in Chicago District 299. Farragut, which officials said was the most reformed, beat out six other schools to win this year’s contest, co-sponsored in part by Chicago Public Schools and the foundation launched by West’s late mother, Donda West, a university professor. Organizers set targets like achieving 80 percent attendance records and half-letter grade improvements. Farragut pulled its attendance numbers up to about 85 percent this year, with a decrease in violent incidents.
Huntley (June 4, Daily Chronicle, DeKalb) School officials plan to continue to discuss a learning partnership between Northern Illinois University and DeKalb District 428 over the summer and should have a new plan in place by the fall. Two schools are now operating as District 428-NIU professional development schools. Both are at the center of reconfiguration talks because of a referendum approved by voters in 2008 that allows the district to build two new schools and remodel several others. Such schools give NIU students clinical experience in the classrooms and also allow NIU faculty to conduct research. The goal is to raise student achievement and prepare future educators. School officials plan to implement a partnership program at the new DeKalb High School when it opens in 2011.
Morton (June 11, Chicago Tribune) The Morton High School District 201 board voted on June 9 to cut the number of credits students need to graduate and to lengthen class periods. Board President Jeffry Pesek called the move “the most effective and practical way to save the district money.” District 201, which serves more than 8,000 students at two high schools, is $94.8 million in debt and expects a deficit of $30 million by 2015. The board, which is waiting for $4 million in overdue state payments, could face bankruptcy in two to three years without substantial budgetary reform, said Pesek. In March, the district proposed eliminating seven full-time administrators, 65 full-time teaching positions and 11 1/2 non-certified staff positions by the 2010-11 school year. The credit realignment is expected to save the district about $4.2 million a year.
Naperville (June 1, Daily Chronicle) Hemant Mehta’s teacher training taught him how to write a lesson plan and how public schooling began in the United States, but he said it was inadequate for keeping order in class and getting students to pay attention. To survive his first year teaching math to high school students in Naperville, he said he needed help from Twitter, math blogs on the Internet, TV sitcoms and experienced teachers down the hall. Some educators say much is being left out of teachers’ lesson plans: from keeping kids engaged to leading a meaningful class discussion and using student test data to assess when students are ready to move on.
Peoria (June 1, Peoria Journal Star) The impact of state cuts and delayed payments to early childhood education will spread beyond children and families and hurt almost every aspect of life in Illinois, one educator predicts. “I don’t think people realize the enormity of the negative impact on our community and our social services,” said Jeanne Mentgen, program coordinator for Peoria County Bright Futures, a state-funded program for at-risk children. Mentgen had to lay off all but three teachers, 94 percent, from her staff of 43 teachers serving 580 children and families in Peoria County. Why? The state has failed to pay $800,000 it owes.
Notification required for schools getting federal funds
Now that school and district Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status has been released, ISBE is reminding schools to remember the notification requirements that apply to schools receiving federal funds.
AYP notification is required to be sent out from all Title I schools that are in federal improvement status. Districts must notify parents of the schools’ designations (corrective action, restructuring), and explain the identification and pertinent services (such as school choice).
ISBE requires districts to submit parent notification materials for Public School Choice (PSC) and Supplemental Educational Services (SES) for approval prior to release.
Parent notification materials must be submitted in an editable format via e-mail to edeimel@isbe.net for review and approval at least three weeks before their anticipated date of release.
State and federal grant reporting changes made
Two significant changes have recently been made that impact reporting requirements for state and federal grants, effective July 1, 2010.
First, Public Act 96-0795 newly requires that state grants in excess of $25,000 must have quarterly expenditure reports filed to reflect the progress of the grant program. For grants that begin July 1 and end on June 30, the reporting dates will be Sept. 30, Dec. 31, March 31 and June 30, respectively. For projects with an approved extended end date of Aug. 31, an additional report will be required through Aug. 31.
Second, the deadline for submitting expenditure reports for state and federal grants has been moved to 20 days following the quarterly reporting period instead of 30 days.
News from Board of Directors agenda
The IASB Board of Directors’ next quarterly meeting, Aug. 27-28, in Oak Brook, is to include an evaluation of the executive director emeritus, board review and assessments of current year activity reports, and monitoring reports, and a look at reports from the president and the executive director emeritus.
The meeting includes the board’s annual retreat. The board’s next meetings after that will take place at the Joint Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, on Nov. 18 and 21, respectively.
Help update IASB member information and records now
IASB is appealing to member school districts to help update Association membership records to ensure that new members or addresses will be added to the database. Please provide current information to IASB’s Janice Kidd at ext. 1142.
Deadline for conference registration drawing near
The Housing/Registration/Conference Program Promotional Packet for the 2010 Joint Annual Conference was mailed to district superintendents on June 11. The last date for receipt and processing of registration/housing by IASB Meetings Management is Sept. 17.
Hotel housing blocks are normally depleted by Aug. 1.
To obtain housing, both the completed registration and housing form, with a check or credit card to cover the registration fee ($350 per registrant), and the nonrefundable $150 per room hotel deposit fee for each individual listed on each form, must be received by IASB. Forward to: Joint Annual Conference Housing/Registration, 2921 Baker Drive, Springfield, IL 62703-5929.
September 9 – Starved Rock Division Fall Dinner Meeting, Illinois Valley Community College, Oglesby
September 14 – Wabash Valley Division Fall Dinner Meeting, Casey-Westfield CUSD 4C, Casey
September 21 – Professional Advancement - Seeking the Superintendency, IASB Springfield
September 22 – North Cook Division Fall Dinner Meeting, Rosewood, Rosemont
September 23 – Illini Division Fall Dinner Meeting, Arcola CUSD 306
September 23 – Professional Advancement - Seeking the Superintendency, IASB Lombard
September 28– Western Division Fall Dinner Meeting, LaHarpe CSD 347
September 29 – DuPage Division Fall Dinner Meeting, Carlisle, Lombard
September 29 – Southwestern Division Fall Dinner Meeting, tba
For more current information, see www.iasb.com/calendar/