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Illinois School Board Journal
July-August 2000

Decade of the 1990s: The Sampson years

by Gerald R. Glaub

Gerald R. Glaub is deputy executive director of the Illinois Association of School Boards.

Wayne Sampson was appointed executive director of IASB just in time to lead the organization into the decade of the 1990s. He’s staying on the job just long enough to lead it out again.

Appointed chief executive of IASB in late 1989, Sampson has announced he will retire August 31, 2000. And just as the decade of the 90s was a time of rampant change everywhere, the record will show that Sampson’s nearly 11-year tenure was a time of significant change and growth for the Association.

Over those 11 years, the proportion of school boards holding active membership in the Association grew from 92 percent to 97 percent. And, although dues revenue grew by just 43 percent over that time, the Association’s financial base advanced remarkably with a 90-percent increase in total revenue (from $2.8 to $5.5 million) and a 266-percent increase in member equity (net worth). Non-dues income increased 140 percent, including a 200-percent jump in income from sponsored programs (e.g., insurance, investment services).

Reaching a solid financial base is just one accomplishment for IASB under Wayne Sampson’s leadership. Here is a year-by-year summary of the important "firsts" and other highlights from the 1990s:

1990 — IASB installs an automated telephone answering system ... publishes "Playing Fair With the Children of Illinois" and launches a campaign to educate school boards and citizens on the issues of financial adequacy, equity and local effort ... publishes the first edition of the "Illinois School Law Survey"... teams up with the National School Boards Association to contract with the Chicago Board of Education to conduct a workshop for 2,000 members of local school councils ... issues its first combined Yearbook and Guide to Services and Staff ... presents the first IASB Distinguished Service Award to the Chicago Tribune to recognize that newspaper’s sponsorship of the annual all-state high school academic team.

1991 — IASB conducts its first televised workshop—an interactive program aimed at school board candidates—in cooperation with TI-IN at Western Illinois University ... presents 100 business firms and other employers with special commendations for their support of employees serving on local school boards ... creates a new staff position to develop a resource center and information services program.

1992 — IASB heads off a labor movement to make school employees eligible for unemployment compensation benefits during their summer vacation period ... conducts an in-depth survey of school board members regarding who they are and their perceptions regarding their work and the schools, generating responses from 2,748 individuals.

1993 — IASB Springfield staff locates in temporary quarters from May until December while the headquarters building receives badly needed renovation ... IASB formally joins with the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Principals Association and Illinois Association of School Business Officials to form the Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance ... launches a joint Alliance newsletter by facsimile transmission to keep membership informed of legislative activity ... introduces a new legally referenced policy subscription service for school boards (PRESS), and 350 initial subscribers sign up.

1994 — Landmark legislation long sought by IASB allowing school districts to request waivers of burdensome state mandates is signed into law. Governor Jim Edgar invites Wayne Sampson and other IASB leaders to attend the bill-signing ceremony.

1995 — IASB adopts a new mission statement: "... excellence in local school governance and support of public education"... obtains a $25,000 grant from AT&T to support the School Technology Fair and Tech 2000 ... goes online via Access Illinois, an electronic bulletin board that provides instant access to information about IASB programs and services ... initiates a drive for school districts to form the Illinois School District Drug and Alcohol Testing Consortium to comply with federal laws concerning drug and alcohol testing of school bus drivers.

1996 — IASB helps grassroots school supporters in McHenry County create McVotes, a legislative service organization similar to the highly successful Legislative Education Network of DuPage (LEND) ... launches a homepage on the World Wide Web, enabling members and others to obtain current information on IASB services and publications from anywhere at any hour ... develops a School Design Data File, a new service providing customized school design information and ideas to member districts and school architects ... issues the Illinois School Code on computer disk ... holds its first Multicultural Job Fair for Teachers and Administrators.

1997 — IASB launches semi-annual meetings of the full staff, leading to agreement on "core values" and development of a comprehensive Human Resources Handbook ... launches staff study of school district governance leading to "Principles of Effective Governance"... works with a team of school board members and representatives of Motorola to design the School Board Institute, a two-day program offered regularly at Motorola University ... culminates an 18-month study of IASB communications by introducing a whole new look for Association publications and other printed matter, including a new logo and theme.

1998 — IASB works with school boards associations in four other states to produce and publish Targeting Student Learning to help define the role of the school board in improving student performance ... publishes a set of guidelines on how to develop a performance-based employment contract for the superintendent, as required by new state law.

1999 — IASB joins with the school administrators and school business officials associations to launch the Illinois Energy Consortium to help school districts capitalize on the deregulation of electrical energy ... introduces a new curriculum for newly elected school board members, beginning with a workshop on the basic principles of school district governance, followed by a session on school law and finance.