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State News 
Illinois heading to DC to pitch for Race to the Top funds Called upon to defend the state’s bid will be: Miguel del Valle, Chicago City Clerk and chairman of the state’s P20 Council, and Audrey Soglin, executive director of the Illinois Education Association. They will be joined by Chris Koch, superintendent of Illinois schools, his general counsel, Darren Reisberg and his chief of staff Susan Morrison.
Poised to get 5.6% raises, Kaneland teachers willing to talk cuts
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – In the wake of spending cuts made by the Kaneland school board, the teachers union has offered to talk about ways to save money. The Kaneland Education Association this week asked to “engage in informal conversations” regarding the budget, to “determine if there is a way to mitigate the negative effects of budget decisions on students,”
Schools are more anxious than usual this year
Chicago Tribune – “They don’t answer anything.” Such uncertainty has been widespread across Illinois, and it was exacerbated by Gov. Pat Quinn’s pronouncement last week that he would slash $1.3 billion from education funding. The final budget numbers won’t be set for several weeks, if not months, as Quinn battles lawmakers to reach consensus. Local school officials must create spending plans now
Budget cuts, layoffs expected for Elgin district U-46 WGNtv.com – ?ELGIN, Ill. – The second largest school district in Illinois is expected to announce Monday night if there’ll be major budget cuts and layoffs. …
U46 to vote on cuts, layoffs ABC7Chicago.com – ?But they’re also bracing for a much larger $44 million deficit if Governor Quinn’s education funding cuts hold up in Springfield. …
Belvidere District 100 Job Cuts
Rockford WIFR (CBS) 23 – It all depends on when the state solidifies its budget and decides how much it will pay the district. A large public turnout is expected for the Belvidere school board. The meeting will be held at Belvidere Central Middle School tomorrow night at 6pm.
Kaneland coaches, AD prepare for budget fallout
Geneva Kane County Chronicle – “If you lose a level [of competition] to save a couple teachers’ jobs, then yeah, I guess you’ve got to be OK with that.” The District 302 school board on Monday approved its first phase of budget cuts. Those scale-backs included the loss of 10 high school coaching positions and Kaneland’s middle school, interscholastic sports
218 jobs on layoff lists for Oswego, West schools
Fox Valley Villages – in at the level we hope it would, we have every intention of recalling employees,” he said, adding that the governor’s proposed budget would cut another $9 million from Oswego’s budget. West Aurora Education Association representatives could not be reached Friday. West plans another layoff list in April — one that includes administrators, Chapin said.
District 207 to recall five dismissed custodians
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – to pare down an anticipated $19 million deficit in the 2010 budget. Overall, the school board authorized $13.5 million in cuts for next year, including laying off 75 certified, largely nontenured teachers and 62 employees in nonteaching jobs, and reduced spending for technology, supplies and energy use. Despite such measures, the district is facing anywhere from a $4 million to $9 million
Riverton cuts 10 teacher jobs to reduce deficit
Springfield State Journal Register – a rainy day. And believe me, it’s a rainy day right now,” he said. The district’s $500,000 in personnel cuts includes eliminating the pre-kindergarten program, which employs three teachers, three paraprofessionals and a parent coordinator. But Mulligan said the district is forming a group to look at the possibility of a fee-based program
Federal stimulus funds won’t save District 186 jobs next year The Springfield School District has started receiving nearly $15 million in federal economic stimulus funds. But most of the highly regulated money won’t help the district with its $8 million budget deficit or avert the need to eliminate 56 teaching positions and other proposed cuts next year.
In My View: Teacher cuts should be last resort
Springfield State Journal Register – Cut classroom teachers. Oh, no, we’re not going to cut classroom teachers. Well, OK, cut some classroom teachers. Smaller class sizes promote better learning. No, wait on second thought, smaller class sizes really don’t matter. And, above all, “Believe.” District-speak during these recent budget discussions. Inconsistent? Confusing? Double talk? How about all of the above?
School districts consider consolidation Citing declining enrollments and slashed budgets amid state government’s financial crisis, several central Illinois school districts are considering consolidating.
Illini West schools announce first-ever staff cuts in wake of state budget crisis
Quincy Herald-Whig – of summer custodial help; $152,732 through personnel reduction; and increased revenue of $7,500 with a still-to-be-approved $25 student participation fee. Under the budget proposed by Gov. Pat Quinn, the district stands to lose approximately $330,00 in revenue next year, not including special education reductions. Quinn proposed an approximate $1.1 billion reduction in the
Urbana school board to vote on cuts at rare Sunday meeting
Champaign News Gazette – more than what we were working with when we set our ($2 million) goal for cuts,” Dimit said. The district must make decisions about reductions in staffing now. If the cut to the state’s education funding is as deep as Quinn proposed, it could mean a deficit budget for the Urbana school district next year, or further cuts in areas other than jobs,
Urbana school board approves $2 million in budget cuts
Champaign News Gazette – cover programs previously paid for by a state safetey block grant. Dimit said he is concerned about what will happen next year if Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget proposal – which would reduce education funding by 17 percent – stands. “We have the greatest fear that unless things are resolved in Springfield, we’ll be back here in a year from now having to do something
Catlin school board cuts $350,000 from districts budget
Champaign News Gazette – cials are looking to cut more than $350,000 in education-related and building-related expenses next year, and to tap into the district’s reserves to cover any remaining shortfall. The Catlin school board voted Thursday to eliminate the district’s pre-school program, and to reassign the two teachers who had been working in the Children At Risk Educationally program into other areas.
Special Report: Quincy schools in crisis over costs of education
Quincy Herald-Whig – members as part of $4 million in budget cuts because of a projected $6.5 million deficit this year and a $7.5 million shortfall next year. The same night, the Galesburg School Board announced 77 teachers and support staff, along with an elementary school principal, would lose their jobs because of a $3.3 million state funding shortfall and uncertain funding of other state grants.
‘Perfect storm’ hits our schools
Joliet Herald News – You know the phrase “good news, bad news”? Unfortunately I have some bad news, and some worse news for Plainfield School District families and taxpayers. The bad news is that we recently finished a process by which we cut about $22 million from next year’s budget to help alleviate a projected $16 million deficit in our operating fund. Some of these cuts and reductions rely on one-time, unsustainable savings
It’s crunch time for sports funding While most suburban school districts and their extensive sports programs were feeling the economic squeeze in the last few months, the Chicago Public Schools waited for the hammer to fall. And waited. And waited. It fell earlier this week, with a loud thud.
Naperville career center braces itself for suddenly unemployed teachers
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – “The hope is that letting the affected staff know far enough ahead of the cuts gave them time to work and make plans for what was going to follow professionally.” St. Charles Education Association President Pam Turriff said she also worked “very hard” with the administration to “make this difficult time as easy as possible.”
Your Legislators save corrupt schools post
Chicago Daily Southtown – Phil Kadner – This state’s budget may be roughly $13 billion in the red, but Illinois lawmakers saved at least a few jobs this week. Legislators killed a bill that would have abolished the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education, where Charles Flowers reigns as superintendent and has been charged with theft and official misconduct, both felonies, by the Cook County state’s attorney.
UIC takes a stand for higher education Chicago Flame Online – Such an increase, explains the letter written to Governor Quinn by the furlough day organizers, threatens “to cut off the promise of a superior higher …
Students rate Harper faculty among best in nation
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Associate psychology professor Helen Burroughs, who boasts one of the highest scores, has a theory why students regard her colleagues so highly. “I have never met a teacher at Harper College who doesn’t have the same the goal as I do, which is success for students,” the Barrington woman said. “There’s a positive and supportive culture throughout the campus.”
State schools’ money woes may mean students will find better deals Frankie Tiberio has wanted to go to U of I since she was little. But with potential tuition increases – and a $16,000-a-year scholarship to Augustana – she feels the private school might be a better deal. She’s applying for every scholarship imaginable to offset U of I costs.
Higher education should be a high priority for Illinois
Chicago Sun Times – Budgets reflect our priorities translated into dollars. Gov. Quinn’s original state budget proposal was to cut an additional 16 percent, or $400 million, from funds for higher education. That threatened both the quality and the affordability of higher education
Political News
Illinois budget ‘belt-tightening’ won’t squeeze all
Medill News Service – won’t mean fewer ethics manuals for executive branch employees. While funding for the State Universities Retirement System is set to drop 97 percent to just more than $4 million, and the state’s teachers’ Retirement System will lose nearly $800 million, the Executive Ethics Commission would receive millions of dollars under a proposed spending increase of more than 2,000 percent.
Statehouse Insider: Quinn left people want more … of something
Springfield State Journal Register – Gov. PAT Quinn was roundly and deservedly criticized in January for his state of the state speech, which went nowhere in particular and took forever to not get there
Mayors say cut to income tax money would devastate local budgets
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn appears to be breaking a promise to suburban communities that he wouldn’t toy with their share of the state’s income tax revenue, and area officials say such a move could have a
Pension pressure on taxpayers builds
Chicago Tribune – An influential group of Chicago business leaders last week offered support for Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposal to boost corporate taxes 21 percent. But there’s a catch: They want major budget cuts, a cheaper pension plan for state workers and scaled-back health benefits for state retirees.
State still seeking a real budget plan Southtown Star – Rich Miller – ? Pat Quinn’s spending outline last week was an almost complete fantasy. It has pretty much zero chance of surviving intact and will have to be tossed out and …
Quinn’s budget counts on lawmakers’ help Rockford Register Star – Pat Quinn’s new budget plan sent at least one clear message to legislators last week: Unfortunately, lawmakers don’t necessarily agree. …
Quinn, Cross Disagree on Income Tax Hike
Chicago WFLD (Fox) 32 – After an appearance at a West Side school, Quinn said without the income tax hike, the statewide cuts would be devastating. “I don’t want to see 17,000 teachers get pink slips and laid off,” he said. “I don’t think that’s good for Illinois. It’s not good for jobs.” House minority leader Tom Cross also stopped by FOX Chicago Sunday
Quinn Tours Schools, Stumps For Education
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 – about the importance of fitness and fighting childhood obesity. On Wednesday, Quinn proposed a budget without any tax increases, which called for cutting $1.3 billion from state education funding. But he then asked Illinois lawmakers not to pass that budget, but to pass a 1 percent income tax “surcharge” to fund education instead.
Quinn Wants To Borrow Nearly $5 Billion _ But How?
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 – While laying out his budget plan, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn sounded less like the leader of a state facing a $13 billion deficit than a guy looking to find a credit card with a better interest rate. When the state fails to pay public schools, colleges
Kass: Tax Increase Bad Idea
Chicago WFLD (Fox) 32 – There has been lots of reaction to Governor Quinn’s plans to balance the state’s budget. One of the most controversial proposals is to raise the state’s income tax 33 percent. Tribune columnist John Kass joined us with his take.
Playing pretend in Springfield
Chicago Sun Times – Phil Kadner – Let’s pretend Pat Quinn is the governor. And let’s make believe that every penny of the income tax increase he’s proposing would actually fund education. Now, close your eyes and imagine that Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, both Democrats, no longer exist. You have to do this because both of those guys have said there will be no income tax increase without Republican support in the Legislature.
OUR VIEW: Governor’s budget plan not much help
Mattoon Journal Gazette – Gov. Pat Quinn took an extra month to lay out his budget plan to the people of Illinois. He asked for 30 more days for this? The governor’s budget calls for spending $32 billion in the general revenue
OUR VIEW: Governor’s budget plan not much help Journal Gazette and Times-Courier – ? Pat Quinn took an extra month to lay out his budget plan to the people of Illinois. The governor’s budget calls for spending $32 billion in the general …
Finke: Quinn’s no-win situation Peoria Journal Star – Pat Quinn was roundly and deservedly criticized for his state of the state speech in January that went nowhere in particular and took forever to not get …
Our View: Bury this budget plan
DeKalb Daily Chronicle – than taking stock of the state’s ever-expanding list of programs and making appropriate cuts based on public priorities. The governor used his address to lament the loss of 17,000 teachers if the tax is not passed, while touting “targeted investments” that save jobs. He called education “the key to economic opportunity,” while making it his largest
Print preview: You say taxes, they say ‘responsibility’ Chicago Current – Pat Quinn called for a one-percent tax increase to avoid education cuts. The coalition is pushing for more. Its backers include unions like AFSCME and SEIU, …
Governor Looks for Someone to Lend $4.7 Billion
WGIL AM Radio 14 (Galesburg – So, who can lend Illinois the $4.7 billion Gov. Pat Quinn wants to borrow to move the state closer to balancing the budget? Following Quinn’s proposal to borrow the money, his budget director says the state can borrow from other state funds
Democrats to pick Quinn’s running mate March 27
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – The party would then officially vote for its nominee March 27 in Springfield, he said. About 200 Illinoisans have applied for the job, which has sat vacant since Gov. Pat Quinn’s ascended to the governor’s mansion following Rod Blagojevich’s ouster.
Quinn budget has no money for lt. gov. Southtown Star – Pat Quinn’s budget proposal wouldn’t fund state government’s second-ranking position of lieutenant governor. But that shouldn’t be taken as a hint Quinn’s …
At least change how we choose lt. gov. candidate Bloomington Pantagraph – ?Pat Quinn, as lieutenant governor, became involved in many conservation-related issues. So a law was passed to have the lieutenant governor chair the …
Brady rails against tax increase as he kicks of gubernatorial campaign
Chicago Daily Herald – State Sen. Bill Brady renewed attacks on the governor’s call for a tax increase Sunday in Addison and promised to increase private-sector jobs as he officially began his campaign to be the next governor of Illinois. With running mate Jason Plummer and other GOP office candidates at his side, Brady said Gov. Pat Quinn’s idea was nothing more than borrowing from the future to pay for the past.
GOP’s Brady Kicks off Chicago Area Campaign for Governor MyFox Chicago – Pat Quinn’s backyard on Sunday, and introduced himself to the biggest bloc of voters in Illinois. Before a cheering crowd in west suburban Addison, …
Brady rails against tax increase as he kicks of gubernatorial campaign Chicago Daily Herald – Pat Quinn’s idea was nothing more than borrowing from the future to pay for the past. “It’s not enough to fight against a tax increase. …
Brady should support moderate tax increase Bloomington Pantagraph – ?Tuesday night the Republican candidate for governor, Bill Brady, spoke about changing Springfield and making Illinois a better place for his family and …
Green Party’s Whitney Proposes Alternate Budget
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 – Whitney released his proposal on Thursday, the day after Gov. Pat Quinn released a budget proposal that called for increased borrowing and a $1.3 billion cut to education funding, then called for a 33 percent income tax hike to prevent the cut. Whitney claims his plan would “solve the budget crisis in Illinois and build a full employment economy
Forget budget — some lawmakers more concerned with monkeys
Chicago Daily Herald – Lawmakers introduce thousands of proposals that have nothing to do with the budget and ethics debates that are gripping the state Capitol. While many never see the light of day, that doesn’t stop lawmakers from suggesting unique laws dealing with everything from the pets we can keep to when we turn on our car’s headlights.
STATEHOUSE ; What’s caused this mess?
Streator Times-Press- Scott Reeder – Gov. Pat Quinn wants to raise your income taxes by one-third, and if you don’t end up forking over the dough he’s going to punish the schoolchildren of Illinois. In case you missed it Wednesday, that was the governor’s budget address in a nutshell.
New Web Site introduced to create more transparency in honor of Sunshine Week Daily Illini – ? Pat Quinn announced the launch of the Sunshine Project Web site, designed to increase accountability and openness in state government. …
Blagojevich serves up humiliation in ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ debut
Arlington Heights Daily Herald -Condemned for his crimes against the gods, Sisyphus of Greek mythology was sentenced to roll a boulder up a mountain for eternity. Impeached and humiliated, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich seems destined to drag his mountain of shame from TV show to TV show. The man who once dreamed of ascending from the governorship to the White House, now shuffles along his downward spiral as a walking
‘Apprentice’ contestants poke fun at Blagojevich Review of Sunday night’s premiere: If Rod Blagojevich is trying to rehabilitate his image on “The Celebrity Apprentice,” he first needs to win over the Victoria’s Secret model. Then he can worry about potential jurors.
National News
‘No Child’ left behind in Obama overhaul No Child Left Behind created “perverse incentives” for states to lower academic standards, according to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who said the Obama administration’s new proposal is designed to reward schools that boost student achievement.
Obama seeks to overhaul No Child Left Behind
Chicago Tribune – Reporting from Washington President Obama said he would send to Congress on Monday a blueprint for overhauling the nation’s education program and the No Child Left Behind project to improve schools, support teachers and set standards that would give high school graduates “the best chance to succeed in a changing world.”
Duncan: Education proposal broadens focus beyond math, reading, to ‘well-rounded education’
Chicago Tribune – President Barack Obama’s proposal to overhaul education standards championed by his predecessor aims to broaden the focus beyond math and reading to “a well-rounded education,” education Secretary Arne Duncan says.
Obama’s education law overhaul to focus on college
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier – for the United States of America.”The blueprint also would allow states to use subjects other than reading and mathematics as part of their measurements for meeting federal goals, pleasing many education groups that have said No Child Left Behind encouraged teachers not to focus on history, art, science, social studies and other important subjects.
The New Poor – For-Profit Schools Cashing In on Recession and Federal Aid – NYTimes.com One fast-growing American industry has become a conspicuous beneficiary of the recession: for-profit colleges and trade schools. At institutions that train students for careers in areas like health care, computers and food service, enrollments are soaring as people anxious about weak job prospects borrow aggressively to pay tuition that can exceed $30,000 a year.
Laid off-teacher tells students she might become stripper
Belleville News-Democrat This year, high school teacher. Next year, stripper and egg donor? When students asked an Enochs High School English teacher this week what she’d do if she lost her job to budget cuts, she said she’d have to become a stripper and sell her reproductive eggs to pay the bills. Though it was a sarcastic comment, some parents are not taking it so lightly. As the retort was relayed to parents, one mother thought it was inappropriate and complained to Enochs High officials.
TIME.com’s Top Stories
Twitter and TV: How Social Media Is Helping Old Media
A new medium gives an old one a lift, as TV fans gather around the Twittercooler
The Falklands: For Argentina, Oil Reopens Old Wounds
Almost three decades after they launched a disastrous war to reclaim the territory they call ‘Las Malvinas’, Argentina’s leaders are again pushing their claims against Britain
10 Ideas for the Next Ten Years: Bandwidth Is the New Black Gold
HBO’s The Pacific: What Fresh Hell
The Pacific makes painfully clear in its early episodes, the Marines that it follows had no idea what they were getting into.
Giving Afghans (and More) a Vote in Britain’s Election
As part of a new project, U.K. residents are allowing people in developing countries to tell them how to vote in parliamentary elections. The aim: to give poorer countries a say in elections that could end up impacting them
What a Health Care Loss Would Mean for a President Used to Winning
If the President fails to win the upcoming congressional votes designed to get a health care bill to his desk, it will be one of the few times a loss truly threatens his future
A Tale of Two Taliban Reveals U.S. Afghan Dilemma
Mullah Zaeef and Mullah Zakir are both former Gitmo inmates. While one is now leading the Taliban insurgency, the other is suing for peace — but warning that this would require an American withdrawal
Study Suggests Lead-Poisoning Risk Could Lurk in Spice Racks
A study by Boston researchers finds that excess lead may be ingested through commonly used Indian spices and ceremonial powders
China’s Property: Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble
A high proportion of China’s growth comes from investment in real estate. That’s why we should all be worried
Box Office: Alice Turns Damon a Sickly Green
Yet another Iraq war movie, even one with Matt Damon, couldn’t withstand the appeal of Tim Burton’s psychedelic Alice in Wonderland
Most Viewed Articles on washingtonpost.com
1) Rielle Hunter speaks for the first time in GQ interview about John and Elizabeth Edwards, Andrew Young, and the big-money donors
For more than two years after Rielle Hunter emerged at the center of the John Edwards love-child scandal, the former campaign videographer kept quiet — while Edwards denied fathering her daughter (before finally acknowledging it) while Elizabeth Edwards wrote a book describing her as an aggress…
2) Democrats upbeat on health-care bill
Democratic leaders scrambled Sunday to pull together enough support in the House for a make-or-break decision on health-care reform later this week, expressing optimism that a package will soon be signed into law by President Obama despite a lack of firm votes for passage.
3) The Beck Factor at Fox
NEW YORK In just over a year, Glenn Beck’s blinding burst of stardom has often seemed to overshadow the rest of Fox News.
4) Health reform’s ruins
The reconciliation process shows the Democrats want to win at all costs.
5) A Network Divided: The Glenn Beck Factor
NEW YORK — In just over a year,Glenn Beck’s blinding burst of stardom has often seemed to overshadow the rest of Fox News.
6) Obama priority shift could help his party
Despite holding high-profile meetings last week on energy and immigration reform, President Obama will focus the next few months on two issues that could help his party in November: stronger financial regulations and ways to mitigate a Supreme Court ruling that allows direct corporate spending on…
7) Obama’s happiness deficit
Obama should show Americans that he’s happy they made him the president.
8.) Chinese assert new power, in defiance of the West
BEIJING — China’s government has embraced an increasingly anti-Western tone in recent months and is adopting policies across a wide spectrum that reflect a heightened fear of foreign influence.
9) Simpson’s ‘Beauty’: The bloom’s gone
Back when dinosaurs in low-rise denim roamed the land, a barely famous, chastity-promoting pop singer from Texas named Jessica Simpson had a show on MTV, “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” which chronicled her nascent marriage to a man who’d sung in a barely famous boy band.
10) A cost-control mirage
Obama is telling people what they want to hear, not what they need to know.
Word of the Day for Monday, March 15, 2010
gravitas \GRAV-uh-tahs\, noun:
High seriousness (as in a person’s bearing or in the treatment of a subject).