NAEP finds state making notable progress to close achievement gap
But eighth-grade reading scores need some work
Illinois is one of only four states that have made notable progress toward closing the achievement gap among pupils of different races and income levels. That is one trend uncovered by the release of a nationwide test used to measure school reform, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
But while the state's poor and minority students made significant gains on the exams, minority and low-income pupils continued to score well below white and more affluent children, especially in math. And the gap has narrowed not only because of progress by minority and low-income students, but also because the progress of white and more affluent pupils has been minimal.
The national NAEP results in recent years stand in stark contrast to state test results released in October, which showed elementary school pupils making double-digit gains since 2003 on all but one of the grade-level reading and math exams.
NAEP results on the national reading exam showed that only 30 percent of the state's 8th-graders scored at or above the proficient level, a drop from 35 percent in 2003. But there has been an 18 percentage-point gain – from 64 percent to 82 percent passing – on the state 8th-grade reading exam in the same period.
State Superintendent Chris Koch said that while he would like to see all scores improving at a faster rate, he was pleased with the overall results: "I'm not concerned about the scores because we are moving up and we are closing the [achievement] gaps, and those are positive things," he said. "There is work to be done but we are making progress."
The national math and reading exams are administered to a representative sampling of 4th- and 8th-graders in all 50 states every two years as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. About 700,000 pupils took the exams this year.
Complete test results are available online at www.nationsreportcard.gov.
'Those Who Excel' awards honor four school board members for contributions
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) singled out four school board members and two school superintendents for their outstanding service to schools at the 33rd annual Those Who Excel/Teacher of the Year banquet on Oct. 13. One highlight of the awards banquet held in Decatur was the announcement of the Illinois Teacher of the Year for 2007-2008 (see story above).
Three school board member winners received the top-level Excel award from ISBE, the Award of Excellence. Those winners were: Carol Farnum, president of Aurora East District 131; Paul C. Piszkiewicz, who recently announced his retirement from the Des Plaines CCSD 62 Board of Education; and Mary Wilkerson, a board member at Evanston THSD 202. Farnum is also the director of IASB's Kishwaukee Division.
The fourth individual honored in the school board category in October was former school board member Tim Baldermann, of New Lenox District 12. Baldermann, currently the mayor of New Lenox, received an Award of Recognition.
Two school district superintendents also were honored with Excel Awards, namely Larry R. Elsea, of Southwestern CUSD 9, Piasa; and Kevin Settle, of Mt. Vernon District 80. Settle was last year's Illinois Superintendent of the Year, as named by the Illinois Association of School Administrators.
"These educators and community members represent the thousands of people who support our schools everyday," said State Superintendent of Education Christopher Koch. "They are working together to help all of our students become successful lifelong learners."
Candidates for the awards are nominated by their local schools and people in their communities. The nomination includes a brief biography of the nominee, his or her philosophy of education, professional development and community involvement and opinions of the state's most pressing educational needs. Letters of recommendation also are required.
A committee of peers chooses the award winners. The committee represents statewide education organizations and also includes former award winners.
The categories for recognition are: classroom teacher; school administrator; student support personnel; educational service personnel; school board member and/or community volunteer; and teams. The highest award level is Excellence, followed by the Award of Merit, and, finally, the Award of Recognition.
A complete list of award recipients can be found online at http://www.isbe.net/news/2007/twe_07-08.pdf .
Guidance available on how to use tort immunity fund
After receiving many inquiries on school districts' proper use of the tort immunity fund, and in light of recent court decisions surrounding the issue, ISBE recently provided updated information on the subject online at: http://www.isbe.net/finance/pdf/TortSummary.pdf.
The update primarily arises because of a recent new circuit court ruling in a case called In Re: Objection to Tax Levy of Quincy School District No. 172 for the Year 2003, Case No. 04-TX-41 (8th Cir. Ill., July 6, 2007). As with an earlier case involving Freeport District 145, an action was brought on behalf of taxpayers claiming that the public body illegally levied and expended tort funds.
The parties in the Quincy case disagreed about whether the Freeport case was binding on a circuit court in the Fourth District, however the Circuit Court concluded that it was indeed binding. Therefore, the Circuit Court adopted the standards and definitions developed by the Second District in Freeport with respect to statutory construction, legislative history, a four-prong process of developing a risk management plan, a definition of "risk management," a definition of "services," and the time frame in which a plan must be in place.
The Circuit Court denied the motion for summary judgment made by Quincy District 172, allowing the case to move forward to trial. The court found:
1. Quincy's risk management plan designed around an examination of the pre-existing responsibilities of employees was not valid and could not be properly funded by the tort fund;
2. While Quincy's plan was written, it still was not valid because the process used to create it was invalid;
3. A taxing body may properly use a tort immunity levy to partially fund employee compensation under a valid risk management plan; however, that statement was inapplicable as Quincy did not have a valid plan;
4. "Services" as used in the phrase, "Educational, inspectional, and supervisory services directly relating to loss prevention and loss reduction," means the performance of duties or work by other than in-house personnel;
5. Even if Quincy had used a valid process to create its plan, the tort levy was still improper for the year in question because the plan was not in place before the levy was made; and,
6. Both the levy and its expenditure were improper.
Thus, as ISBE explains, school districts should consult with their attorneys and auditors to determine how to address expenditures from the tort immunity fund in light of these recent rulings.
"These decisions are important for school officials to understand, being that many districts use tort levy funds, as they are uncapped, whenever legally possible," said Melinda Selbee, IASB's General Counsel.
"The updated ISBE information is a good tool for an outline of acceptable tort levy fund use. Also, the discussion in the Second District's Freeport decision is worth a read for school officials; it clearly discusses what expenses may appropriately be paid from the tort levy fund. As the updated ISBE information suggests, consult your board attorney and auditors as to how these decisions affect your current practices," Selbee said.
Public schools a match for private schools in academics
Policymakers, parents, and other interested parties often assume that private schools are better academically than public schools. But is this assumption actually supported by evidence? For the most part it is not, suggests a new study of urban public and private high school students.
The new report finds that, once family background characteristics are taken into account, low-income students attending public urban high schools generally performed as well academically as students attending private high schools.
The report – by the Center on Education Policy (CEP), a group in Washington that advocates for public schools – also found that the students at public high schools are as likely to attend college as those attending private high schools. Students attending independent private high schools, most kinds of parochial high schools, and public high schools of choice performed no better on achievement tests in math, reading, science, and history than students attending traditional public high schools.
What is more, students attending any kind of private high school were no more likely to attend college than those attending traditional public high schools, the study found.
The report also found that young adults who had attended any kind of private high school were no more likely to enjoy job satisfaction or to be engaged in civic activities at age 26 than those who had attended traditional public high schools.
The study is based on analyses of a nationally representative, longitudinal database of students and schools — the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988-2000, or NELS.
Unlike other studies that have attempted to determine whether a private school advantage exists, CEP's approach followed the progress of the same group of students over time, their achievement trends before entering high school, and aspects of family life that are particularly important in shaping students' academic, civic, and economic lives, such as socioeconomic status (SES) and parental involvement.
At age 20, math academy seeks more support for math, science
A crime scene investigation in the classroom might not be a bad thing, the president of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy says.
Max McGee said teachers at the Aurora-based IMSA have used hypothetical crime scenes to help teach science. McGee, the former state superintendent, said such exercises, which use the popular television show "CSI" as inspiration, have been successful at the school in providing a practical approach to teaching math and science. This kind of "real world" method, McGee said, could help Illinois' stagnant math and science scores, which consistently rank in the middle of the pack nationally.
"We give the students real-world problems and we give them the tools to solve them," McGee said. "Then we just set them loose."
McGee is currently heading up a statewide campaign to attract support for IMSA and extend the school's reach through new partnerships with local school districts and universities.
Satellite campuses, expanded enrollment at IMSA's existing campus and summer workshops across the state are just a few of the possibilities the school is considering, he said.
"The idea is to create a statewide network that focuses on math and sciences," McGee said.
McGee added that a summer course could be implemented on short notice and said the biggest hurdle was finding a partner for such an initiative.
IMSA's practical approach has played a vital role in its success, said Cathy Veal, a vice president at the academy.
"If you start with a compelling question then it (the subject matter) becomes relevant," she said. "You actually retain more that way than you do devoid of any context."
IMSA was founded 20 years ago and its $20 million budget is funded by a combination of state funds and private donations. It is home to about 650 students who live on the campus and its curriculum also includes history, English and other liberal arts in addition to math and science.
Loves Park teacher is 2007-08 Illinois Teacher of the Year
Ruth Meissen, an art teacher at Harlem Middle School in Loves Park, is the 2007-08 Illinois Teacher of the Year. Meissen received the honor at the 33rd annual Those Who Excel/Illinois Teacher of the Year banquet on Oct. 13 in Decatur.
Meissen came to teaching after a career in advertising. She left her position as vice-president of the Northern Illinois Advertising Council when she took some time off after her second child. It was during that time when she began to think about changing careers.
Her son told her that she should be an art teacher because "she would be good at it." It was the last thing Meissen had been considering, but she decided to enroll in some courses and see where it went. She quickly discovered that she not only liked being in the classroom, she loved it.
Meissen's extracurricular activities include working with the student council, Habitat for Humanity, fundraising, and adopting a "sister" school in New Orleans that had experienced severe damage during Hurricane Katrina. Her work with the Hynes School in New Orleans fostered correspondence programs between the students at Harlem Middle School and students at Hynes. She raised money for supplies and visited the school, at her own expense, to meet the children and their teachers.
As Teacher of The Year, Meissen receives a lifetime tuition waiver to state universities and a one-semester paid leave to pursue coursework or develop an educational project that will benefit students statewide. She will also represent Illinois at the NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala., and in the National Teacher of the Year program sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and ING.
Possible conflicts no simple matter for boards
Three new members appointed in Moline
School leaders in Moline CUSD 40 chose a retired community college professor, an executive with connections in the community, and a long-time former Parent-Teacher Association member to fill three vacancies on the school board.
Moline CUSD 40 board members voted on Oct. 22 to appoint Cecilia O'Brien, Jim Kopel and Connie McElyea to fill the positions left vacant by three others who resigned last month because of an apparent conflict of interest.
Former district employees Gary Brown, Linda Davis and Jeff Quick stepped down after the Illinois State Board of Education advised the district that the three were in violation of state law because they receive health benefits from Moline schools. Brown had been a building administrator in the district, and Davis and Quick had been teachers.
Board member Ben McAdams, a retired superintendent, also had stepped down, but he was reinstated in mid October after deciding to forfeit his district health benefits.
The four individuals' resignations from the board were triggered when they were officially informed by the state that their health insurance policies as district retirees created a conflict. Continued service on the board allegedly could have made future votes invalid and exposed them and the district to possible litigation.
Questions over a conflict of interest first arose in July when the board took up a recommendation involving changes to the district's health plan. In the past, board members who received the benefits abstained from voting. But this year marked the first time that a majority of the board had such a conflict.
As a result, school leaders asked the Rock Island County regional superintendent of schools, the county state's attorney and the Illinois State Board of Education if they were within the law by allowing a majority of the board to abstain.
The state board ruled that the affected members' stake in the district health plan created a conflict of interest and violated the law. The state board said the four board members could not remain on the school board.
But what impact might this ruling have on other boards?
IASB's chief legal counsel says the matter is not a simple one. "Although there are lots of exceptions, a board member is generally prohibited from having a beneficial interest directly or indirectly in any contract, work, or business of the district he or she serves," said IASB's general counsel Melinda Selbee.
"Whether the board members in question have such a beneficial interest and, if so, whether an exception applies, are fact-sensitive inquiries. The seriousness of the penalties for having a conflict of interest tends to result in strict interpretations of the prohibition. A board member should seek the advice of his or her board attorney concerning potential conflicts of interest," Selbee stated.
In replacing the board members in Moline, the board recently narrowed its list of 18 replacement candidates down to six. The board interviewed the six finalists before making the selection.
To help prepare the newly appointed board members for their new roles, the three will go through an orientation process to catch up on district-related issues and the rules for conducting business, officials said.
Just four Illinois districts have faced teacher strikes this school year
A recent Illinois teacher strike settlement was reached in Nippersink District 2, Richmond, located in McHenry County. The district's 100 teachers and support staff began a work stoppage on Oct. 12. A tentative settlement was reached on Oct. 21.
A total of 22 school districts have received intent-to-strike notices this year, but 17 districts already have settled with teachers, and only four teacher strikes have occurred, as of Oct. 23.
Other strikes occurred in: Harlem District 122, Machesney Park; Cahokia CUSD 187; and Earlville CUSD 9.
CONTRACTS SETTLED
Earlville CUSD 9 – IASB region, Starved Rock: Bargaining Unit Size: 37 Teachers: Notice Filed Sep. 18, 2007; Strike: Oct. 19, 2007: Settled Oct. 24, 2007
Nippersink District 2 –IASB Region, Kishwaukee: Bargaining Unit Size: 100 Teachers and Support: Notice Filed Sep. 18, 2007: Strike: Oct. 12, 2007: Settled: Oct. 21, 2007
Harlem District 122 –IASB Region, Kishwaukee: Bargaining Unit Size: 516 Certified Teachers, Pre-K thru 12: Notice Filed Aug. 8, 2007: Strike: Aug. 21, 2007: Settled: Aug. 28, 2007
Harlem District 122 –IASB Region, Kishwaukee: Bargaining Unit: Secretary, Clerical, Maintenance, Custodial, Business Director, etc.: Notice Filed Aug. 8, 2007: Strike: Aug. 21, 2007: Settled: Aug. 28, 2007
Rockford District 205 – IASB Region, Kishwaukee: Bargaining Unit Size: 2000 Teachers, Nurses and Professional Staff: Notice Filed Aug. 17, 2007: Settled: Aug. 27, 2007
Mahomet-Seymour CUSD 3 - IASB Region, Illini: Bargaining Unit Size: 50 Certified and Non-Certified staff: Notice Filed Aug.14, 2007: Settled: Aug. 22, 2007
Cahokia CUSD 187 – IASB Region, Southwestern: Bargaining Unit Size: 300 Teachers, Nurses, Librarians, and Parapro- fessionals: Notice Filed Aug. 1, 2007, Strike: Sep. 18, 2007: Settled: Sep. 27, 2007.
Source: Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) Web site at: http://www.iasaedu.org/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/05/25/4475d4f21edb4.
IPA members told to share concerns, give kids a say
State Superintendent Christopher Koch told school building administrators it is vital that they communicate their concerns and questions to him. He made that remark while speaking to principals from schools across the state during the 36th annual Illinois Principals Association conference, held in Peoria, Oct. 14-16. Koch, one of the keynote speakers, explained:
"I need to be able to see through your lens. I also know that your demands go beyond academics and test scores," Koch said.
Why does he wish to hear from principals? "We know principal leadership is a key aspect not only in bringing about reform but in helping students," he stated after his address. "They play a critical role in children's education."
More than 800 school administrators attended the conference. Conference goers participated in small group sessions and workshops designed to inform them of the latest trends and issues concerning education. They also heard from keynote speakers like Koch.
Keynote speakers also included New York University professor Pedro Noguera, who discussed "Creating Conditions that Promote Student Achievement." Noguera, who has previously addressed IASB gatherings, said changing the school culture is central to the success of any reform plan.
Noguera identified four keys to getting school cultures to change: 1) gathering a core group of activists and leaders, 2) building strategic alliances, 3) gathering a vision and a goal for the change desired, and 4) campaigning to win support for that goal.
"Student success depends upon cultivation of attitudes and habits that promote academic achievement," he added, including cultivation of such things as student confidence and competence, self discipline and motivation, and organizational and study skills.
One approach that can support higher levels of student achievement is to identify as early as possible those pupils who are truant and not working. Another is to increase access to counseling for students, and yet another approach is to hire individuals from diverse backgrounds in schools, including people who can serve as mentors, role models, and bridge builders, Noguera said.
Most of all, he concluded, schools need to listen and learn: "provide students with opportunities to have input on what is happening in their schools," Noguera told the IPA gathering.
The IPA is a professional organization that represents more than 4,300 Illinois principals, assistant principals and deans.
Over 300 board members earn awards and recognition
At division meetings this fall IASB handed out more than 300 school board member awards to board members from throughout the state. Included were 61 newly recognized master school board members, plus 178 individuals who maintained master board member status. Many more attained Level I status, with 65 awards presented, or Level II, with 54 awards, through the IASB master board member awards program.
"When you consider that achieving Master Board Member status requires roughly the equivalent of 125 hours of a board member's time and maintaining Master Board Member status requires roughly 30 hours in a single year, this is quite a statement about the commitment of Illinois school board members to voluntarily pursue professional development and offer time and leadership beyond their own district," said IASB Associate Executive Director Angela Peifer.
IASB strives to recognize and honor school board members for the time and effort they devote to self-improvement and leadership activities through IASB's master board member program.
Awards were handed out at division meetings this fall to recognize the service and participation of school board members in various IASB and/or NSBA activities within and beyond their local districts. Each of these activities is assigned from 5 to 30 master board member credits, depending upon the time commitment involved. Credits are cumulative and individuals are recognized at different milestones as they accumulate these points.
Individuals receiving the Level I designation have accumulated at least 60 credits. Those receiving the Level II designation have 130 credits or more. Individuals reaching the 200-credit level receive the master board member designation. Thereafter, the master board member designation is maintained by accumulating 50 additional credits each year.
34 Illinois district leaders share ideas at national tech conference
The National School Boards Association T+L (technology and learning) Conference held in Nashville, Tennessee, Oct. 17-19, featured more than 170 sessions on the latest technology innovations and programs in schools and administrative offices across the country. Representatives from 34 Illinois school districts were registered attendees at this annual event.
Illinois school leaders were among conference presenters at a panel session on Oct. 17 called Individualized Learning Plan: Using Technology to Improve EVERY Student's Learning. Presenters included Superintendent Neil Codell and Board President Robert Silverman of Niles Township High School District 219.
Their session explored the online Individualized Learning Plan tool developed in-house in District 219 to collect and share a variety of student data in order to improve student achievement. The panel members shared their experiences in implementing the ILP and discussed the challenges that lie ahead.
Other hot topics at NSBA's T&L conference included use of social networking sites to expand learning; science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs; and trends in technology use.
New state law limits length of physical education waivers to six years
Public Act 95-223, enacted in August, takes effect on Jan. 1 and provides that an approved physical education requirement waiver (or modification) may remain in effect for a period not to exceed two school years and may be renewed no more than two times upon application by the eligible applicant.
Before passage of this new law, physical education applications could be requested for a maximum of five years and for an unlimited amount of time. The intent of this law is that a school district or other applicant will be limited to a total of six years in which it may have an approved waiver for physical education. 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.
School districts and other organizations eligible to apply for waivers should assume that any physical education applications submitted to the state board from this time on are subject to the provisions of P.A. 95-223.
Here is a link to Public Act 95-223: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=095-0223&GA=095
Please note that P.A. 95-223 did not change the public hearing requirements for physical education waivers. Applicants for physical education waivers or modifications must continue to hold the public hearing to consider the request on a day other than one on which a regular board meeting is held.
Waiver requests from schools must be submitted to the State Board postmarked no later than Jan. 11, 2008, in order to be included in the Spring 2008 Waiver Report, which is to be submitted to the General Assembly by March 1, 2008.
Applicants wishing to implement requests at the start of the 2008-09 school year should meet the January deadline since waivers cannot be implemented until approval is received. But any application postmarked after Jan. 11 will be included in the Fall 2008 Waiver Report, which is to be submitted to the General Assembly by Oct. 1, 2008.
A brief overview of all waivers granted to school districts to date is contained in the new ISBE publication, Summary of Waiver/Modification Requests. The report is available free online at: http://www.isbe.net/isbewaivers/pdf/waivermod.pdf .
Waivers often sought to raise drivers' ed fees
But waivers of holidays remain more common
At the end of 2003 only 35 Illinois school districts had obtained waivers allowing them to increase their drivers' education fees. Today 219 districts have been granted such waivers, according to a new report from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). That total of 219 is 13 more than a year ago at this time.
Ordinarily $50 is the most schools can charge students to teach them how to drive. But school leaders say that amount—set by state law way back in 1985—is insufficient to help cover the actual costs of providing drivers' education, including rising expenditures for gas (oil prices reached $93 a barrel in October), maintenance of cars, and teacher salaries and benefits, among other costs.
What's more, schools are required to waive the fee for students who can't afford it. Meanwhile private firms charge hundreds of dollars to provide similar drivers' training courses.
The state requires high schools to offer a drivers' education course that includes 30 hours of classroom time and six hours of behind-the-wheel training. Besides authorizing a student fee, Illinois reimburses school districts about $100 per pupil for behind-the-wheel training and $26 for classroom instruction.
Although requests for state waivers regarding drivers' education mandates are on the rise, by far the most popular application of the waiver law has been for mandates on holidays. Since 1995, roughly 100 percent of school districts statewide have received approval for relief from the requirements of Section 24-2 of the School Code regarding legally mandated school holidays.
In the past year, school districts submitted 281 holiday waiver requests that received approval from ISBE. For the 2006-07 school year, 87.8 percent of districts – 766 – began the year with existing holiday modifications in effect. Overall, 2,504 applications have been approved since 1995 to allow these school districts and other entities to use legally mandated school holidays for purposes other than school dismissal.
The Illinois waiver law permits school districts to petition ISBE for a waiver or modification of School Code mandates or of the State Board's rules and regulations. To apply, a school district must demonstrate that it can address the rule or mandate's intent in a more "effective, efficient, or economical manner" or that the waiver is needed "to stimulate innovation or improve student performance."
IASB staffers join in major board research symposium
Education researchers say far too little solid research is available about boards of education and their impact on student achievement. That's why school board association staff members, including some from IASB, and education researchers from across the nation met in Des Moines, Iowa, in September.
The symposium, co-sponsored by IASB, was called the first academic conference on school board research since 1975. This gathering of more than 150 participants and observers also included school board members, college students and professors.
Attendees said it makes good sense to scientifically study the school boards' role in student achievement, mainly because boards are being held accountable for students' success. The state and federal governments are demanding reform at the district level.
One key item explored at the conference was the Iowa Lighthouse Study, which from 1998 to 2000 looked at attitudes of board members in high-achieving and low-achieving school districts. The study found that the beliefs and attitudes of school board members make a difference in student learning. A subsequent five-year study conducted by school board association staff—including some IASB staff members—identified specific board roles and areas of performance that have a positive impact on district efforts to improve achievement, as well as the knowledge, actions, and beliefs necessary to perform in those areas.
The top concern uncovered by the Lighthouse study is that many school board members say their goal is to have "all" students learn, but many may not believe that is possible, said Mary Delagardelle, of the Iowa School Boards Association and the Iowa School Boards Foundation. She recently received a doctoral degree from Iowa State University, where she wrote an award-winning thesis entitled "Roles and Responsibilities of Local School Board Members in Relation to Student Achievement."
Delagardelle and the Iowa foundation recently launched a multi-state research project to study the effects of non-traditional school board training on student achievement. The training that will result, based on findings from the first two phases of the Lighthouse study, will aim to get school board members to examine their beliefs about what students can achieve and whether those beliefs are supported by evidence.
Also, Delagardelle plans to examine whether exposing board members to "best practices" can pay dividends in student achievement. One suggestion proposed by researchers is that training could help school board members become more consistent in how they tell their community about efforts to raise student achievement, which might improve levels of community support for schools and school budgets.
Among the attendees representing IASB was Cathy Talbert, IASB's associate executive director for field services and policy services. Talbert said she hopes more university researchers conduct studies, particularly into such matters as how school boards can influence student achievement. Based on the research presented at the Iowa symposium, "The research confirmed what we all believe — that school boards can and do make a difference in student achievement," Talbert said.
Join board members nationwide to reach members of Congress
You have the opportunity to join school board members from across the country at the National School Boards Association's Annual Federal Relations Network Conference in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 3-5, 2008. During the legislative conference, you will learn in-depth federal issues affecting schools, hear from education experts and political pundits, and lobby your members of Congress. Topics of discussion may include increasing funding for IDEA (special education) and Title I and the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind.
The legislative booth at the Joint Annual Conference in November was set up to discuss this exciting event and participation in IASB's federal advocacy program.
Journal features article on new school facilities
The November/December issue of The Illinois School Board Journal features articles on innovations in school facilities, a comparison of school reform to baseball and an explanation of IASB's Service Associates.
School Board Members Day proclaimed
The nearly 6,000 men and women who are elected as members of their local boards of education in Illinois serve tirelessly and willingly.
Their dedication and service is largely unrecognized. But that changed on Nov. 15, 2007. That day was proclaimed 'School Board Members Day' in Illinois, by resolution of the Illinois General Assembly.
The purpose of this recognition is to help local school districts and communities understand and value the service of their local board members. The Illinois Association of School Boards encourages local districts to establish their own activities in conjunction with this event.
There is no limit to what can be done; but it is important to do something on behalf of board member service. Several ideas for suggested activities or events that can be created locally to honor local board members have been linked on IASB's Web site.
These include activity tips for administrators, staff, students and parents, and the community; some sample public service announcements for local radio; a sample proclamation that can be adopted locally; and a sample news article that can be published in a local newspaper or district newsletters.
These samples can be found at: http://www.iasb.com/sbmd.cfm .
'School Board Members Day' will not only be recognized in 2007, but on Nov. 15 every year after, according to House Resolution 162 that was adopted on June 13 by the Illinois General Assembly.
The proclamation states, in part, that:
"We (the 95th Illinois General Assembly) proclaim Nov. 15 in 2007, and Nov. 15 of each year thereafter, as 'School Board Members Day' in the state of Illinois, as a way to honor those citizens who devote so much of their energy and time for the education of our children."
Rep. Renee Kozel (R-Mokena) was sponsor for the resolution; Reps. Paul D. Froehlich (D-Schaumburg) and Sidney H. Mathias (R-Arlington Heights) were co-sponsors.
The recognition of school board members varies from state to state; some are recognized on single dates, while others use weeks or even an entire month to recognize members. School Board Members Day is just one of several resources IASB has developed to help explain school board service. For additional resources, visit: www.iasb.com/training/sbservice.cfm.
Abingdon (Oct. 11, The Register-Mail) Abingdon District 217 is participating in a feasibility study for a wind turbine energy project. The board learned in October that a feasibility study – which includes District 217, ROWVA District 208, Farmington District 265, Galesburg District 205, Knoxville District 202 and Carl Sandburg College – will determine if the wind energy project is financially feasible and the best location for the turbines. Each educational entity is paying part of the cost of the study. The extra money will remain in a fund for future use.
Carpentersville (Oct. 6, Northwest Herald) Carpentersville District 300 has plans to investigate the use of wind turbines to generate electric power. The school board will consider spending $55,000 on a 12-month wind feasibility study. The money would pay for a tall pole in Hampshire that would hold special wind meters. The study would determine whether a wind turbine could generate enough power to be worthwhile in the area. If the results are affirmative, the district could pursue grants to cover much of the project's cost.
Cornell (Sep. 27, The Times) Voters in two area school districts will be among the first in the state to take advantage of a new law that loosened limitations on school consolidation. Officials for Cornell CHSD 70 are moving ahead this spring with a referendum to join with Flanagan CUSD 4. Prior to the new legislation, Cornell could not merge with Flanagan because it is a high school district and Flanagan is a K-12 unit district. Under the new law, those differences can be overcome – as long as they are approved by ISBE and voters.
DeKalb (Oct. 17, Daily Chronicle) DeKalb CUSD 428 may soon be seeing more money from the state, thanks to the approval of a contract with a law firm that will recalculate general state aid. By a 6-0 vote on Oct. 16 the board approved a contract with a law firm to file claims to ISBE in hopes of recouping general state aid that may have been lost due to local tax readjustments. The formula that determines how much state aid school districts receive is dependent upon taxes received.
Elgin (Oct. 10, The Daily Herald) The vote to approve the new teacher employment contract in School District U-46, Elgin, could depend upon whether the district's 2,400 teachers are willing to overhaul the way they are evaluated. The proposed evaluation tool is based on research-based best practices, and intended to replace a more subjective system. But a group of teachers — some of whom wore yellow "vote no" stickers to a recent information session — charged that the proposal is vague and overly complex. Under the proposed system, supervisors would observe first- and second-year teachers at least three times annually, and twice annually the next two years.
Elgin (Oct. 17, Chicago Tribune) Teachers recently rejected a contract in School District U-46, Elgin. The teachers failed to ratify a contract that would have increased their pay by about 6 percent this school year, a vote that may have reflected concerns about money as well as respect, a union official said.
Freeport (Oct. 6, Journal Standard) Freeport District 145 officials are talking with two energy-saving consulting firms to determine if obtaining a wind turbine could be a worth-while pursuit to reduce $850,000 a year in energy costs. If the board agrees to go forward, a wind test study would need to be conducted before a more-advanced feasibility study could be done.
Galesburg (Oct. 10, The Register-Mail) The Galesburg District 205 school board questioned a local trade initiative with China and decided on Oct. 9 not to send a letter in support of a local Foreign Trade Zone designation for a nearby industrial park. The board had been asked to send a letter of support that an economic development group could include in its application for Foreign Trade Zone status.
Naperville (Sep. 28, Chicago Tribune) A jury verdict poses problems for Indian Prairie District 204 officials, after the district was informed it had to pay more than $30 million for land acquired under eminent domain in order to build a third high school. Problems posed by the size of the award in the condemnation lawsuit might keep the district from opening a new high school in fall 2009 as planned.
Naperville (Oct. 11, The Daily Herald) Indian Prairie District 204 enrollment is up again this year but still lagging behind most projections, according to figures released by the district. A housing slump temporarily is stalling the expected influx of students, according to the Superintendent Stephen Daeschner.
Marseilles (Oct. 22, The Times) A 10-year legal challenge over a tax increment financing (TIF) district has concluded with all parties in the lawsuit reaching an agreement. In 1997, the city of Marseilles created a tax increment financing district for property south of the Illinois River, located in two Seneca school districts but with a Marseilles address. Seneca Elementery District 170 and Seneca High School District 160 lodged the legal challenge to the TIF. The undisclosed pact covers key disputes.
Off-campus student threats: Tinker test remains
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.
ISBE announces FY 2009 budget hearings in November
The Illinois State Board of Education's Finance and Audit Committee has set Fiscal Year 2009 budget hearings to be held statewide. The public is invited to attend and anyone wishing to participate may sign in upon arrival at each location.
Participants are asked to provide 15 copies of all written testimony to be submitted. Hearings began in October, with the final hearings to be held:
Public input from these hearings will be used by the state board in weighing its budgetary recommendations for Fiscal Year 2009 to the legislature. Those recommendations are traditionally the start of the school budgeting cycle.
Education system coordination bill signed
Governor Rod Blagojevich recently signed a law to provide better coordination of the state's education systems. HB 1648 is aimed at helping align the state's focus from preschool through graduate school.
The legislation creates the Illinois P-20 Council, which will advise leaders in state government and education stakeholders on how to better align Illinois' education systems.
The bill creates the new statewide council, which will study and make recommendations.
The governor will chair the new council. Members will serve representing school boards, among other groups.
Elverado CUSD 196, Elkville, joins Association membership
IASB recently added yet another new member school district, Elverado CUSD 196, Elkville. But despite this good news, the Association's member-district count did not change. That is because another district did not renew its membership, namely Cary CCSD 26. More than 98 percent of the state's 869 school boards are members of their association. There are currently 15 non-member districts.
Elverado CUSD 196 is located in Jackson County, in IASB's Shawnee Division in southern Illinois. Dave Love is the new member district's field service director.
Board secretaries event growing at conference
IASB is expanding a two-day training strand for school board and district secretaries and clerks or recording secretaries at the 2007 Joint Annual Conference. This year's event features 12 topics plus a "meet-and-greet" session.
Sessions for board support professionals will run concurrently on both Friday, Nov. 16, and Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Swissotel, Chicago. There is no separate registration fee for these programs, but participants must be paid registrants.
These professional development opportunities are open to school board members and district staff who serve as board secretaries or who perform the duties of the board secretary, including superintendent secretaries and administrative assistants.
Registration is available online at www.iasb.com/jac07/.
For more information phone Holly Jack, at ext. 1229, or check out the IASB Web site, www.iasb.com, for information about the Conference itself.
November 15 — IASB Board of Directors' Meeting, Hyatt Regency, Chicago
November 15 — School Board Members Day
November 16 — Illinois Council of School Attorneys' 21st Annual Seminar on School Law, Hyatt Regency Chicago, For school attorneys only. Advance registration & fee required
November 16 — Chicago Schools Tour, Hyatt Regency Chicago, Breakfast 8:00 am Tour 8:45 to 12:45 Advance registration & Fee required
November 16-18 — IASB, IASA, IASBO Joint Annual Conference, Chicago
November 16-17 — Board/District Secretary Sessions at 2007 IASB/IASA/IASBO Annual Conference, Swissotel, Chicago, Friday: 1:00-3:00 p.m.; Saturday: 10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
November 18 — IASB Board of Directors' Meeting, Hyatt Regency, Chicago
November 22 — Thanksgiving Day
December 4 — Two Rivers Division Winter Governing Committee Meeting, Lonzerotti's, Jacksonville, 6:00 p.m.
December 5 — Hanukkah
December 5 — Central IL Valley Division Winter Governing Committee Meeting, The Chateau on the Lake, N. Pekin, 6:00 p.m. - Registration; 6:30 p.m. - Dinner
December 5 — Abe Lincoln Division Winter Governing Committee Meeting, Mariah's, Springfield, 6:00 p.m.
This newsletter is published monthly by the Illinois Association of School Boards for member boards of education and their superintendents. The Illinois Association of School Boards, an Illinois not-for-profit corporation, is a voluntary association of local boards of education and is not affiliated with any branch of government.
James Russell, Director of Publications
Gary Adkins, Editor
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