Below are links to news stories of interest from newspapers that came up during a search today. These links were active at the time of this e-mail, but should you want to save a story, printing it or cutting and pasting the entire article and saving it to your computer is recommended.
Pension plan clears committee. Call your state rep NOW! March 24, 2010 – Watch the brief “Call to Action” video. The proposal by Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) to cut pension benefits for future teachers and state employees passed out of the… more
State News
Ill. House approves 4-day school weeks
Chicago WLS (ABC) 7 – On Monday, the Illinois House passed a bill that would allow some schools to have a four-day school week. Students would be in class the same number of hours but have longer days or shorter summer breaks. It could save money on building costs, utilities and fuel for busses. The measure was approved by an 81-21 vote.
4-Day School Weeks May Be Coming In Illinois
WBBM TV CBS 2 Chicago – has to work, and so… what do they do with their child. There are so many problems on this issue. There’s no quick solution. Everyone has to come together and figure this out.” The Chicago teachers Union and other major education organizations are against the idea, the Tribune reported.
Four-day school week? It’s possible
DeKalb Daily Chronicle – With Illinois schools facing major budget shortfalls, lawmakers might soon allow the switch to a four-day school week. The Illinois House voted 81-21 on Monday afternoon in favor of House Bill 4886, which would amend the school code to allow a district to operate on a four-day school week. The bill now heads to the Senate. The legislation, sponsored by Danville Republican Rep. Bill Black
Illinois districts could have option of four-day school week
Peoria Journal Star – if (the state) would let us be creative in how we use the day, especially with technology, we could make it work. “With iPods, desktop and laptop computers, netbooks, cell phones (students and teachers) could be expected to work at home and connect to the school via electronic equipment. Our students are members of the ‘Y’ generation – they have never known a time that cell phones and computers
Illinois House OKs 4-day school weeks
Galesburg Register Mail – “They would have as many as 36 fewer days to learn material,” Cahill said. “Kids get worn out after a while and teachers probably even get more tired out.” Cahill said that even if the bill is approved in the Senate and signed by Gov. Quinn, District 205 would not be interested.
Four-day schools and other ideas
Phil Kadner – It was only a year ago that President Obama criticized the “agrarian calendar” of public schools in the United States and called for a longer school year. But this week the Illinois House of Representatives approved a four-day school week.
Chicago mayor says 4-day school week a bad idea
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says the bill the Illinois House passed allowing schools to offer classes four days a week instead of 5 is just a bad idea. Daley says closing the schools one weekday would put a tremendous burden on working parents – single parents in particular.
School cuts hit below the bottom line
Chicago Tribune – And while officials hope to hire some back, there’s little hope of salvation from the state since Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed slashing $1.3 billion in education funding. Many other school districts also are facing the possibility of eliminating dozens of teaching jobs and dealing with the fallout of larger class sizes and fewer options for students
Illinois Schools Cut Teachers and Staff
NBC Chicago – Another Illinois school district is trying to erase budget woes by cutting teachers. School board leaders in Indian Prairie School District 204, covering Bolingbrook, Aurora and Naperville, voted to approve the release of 145 non-tenured teachers at the end of this school year, marking the biggest ever release for the district.
Illinois’ public schools hit by ‘double whammy’ of economic pain
Addison Press – “We’re paying the things that have to be paid every month,” Henry said, and education funding has to compete with other state priorities, including debt payments, Medicaid reimbursements and a working state government. The state makes its general state aid payments
State cuts force Sparta schools to cut 45, including 13 teachers
Randolph County Herald Tribune – Sparta, Ill. – With state legislators unwilling to pass the 33 percent state income tax hike Gov. Pat Quinn wants, he has proposed a $1.3 billion cut in educational funding, about $500 per student. School districts, already cash-strapped because of delays in state payments
Naperville area school district cuts 145 teachers (WBBM) — The school board in Indian Prairie District 204, which serves the Naperville area, is cutting 145 non-tenured teachers. Chicago WBBM 780 Radio – school board in Indian Prairie District 204, which serves the Naperville area, is cutting 145 non-tenured teachers. One district official calls it a “sobering moment.”
Indian Prairie school board eliminates 145 teacher jobs
Chicago Tribune – Monday approved $12.2 million in cuts, which come on top of $9.2 million in cuts approved in December. School officials blame the state’s ongoing financial woes and the governor’s proposal to reduce education funding next year. District 204 comprises 33 schools and about 29,000 students from Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield.
School board votes to lay off 41 teachers The Springfield School Board voted to lay off 41 classroom teachers and eliminate dozens of other positions during an emotional meeting Monday night at Grant Middle School. The meeting was moved from the nearby boardroom to Grant’s gymnasium to accommodate a large audience, mainly composed of teachers. Many teachers wore pink shirts to support colleagues receiving pink slips.
More than 40 Springfield teachers are getting pink slips
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – pink slips along with some other Springfield School District employees. At Monday night’s meeting, the school board made it official. They voted to cut teacher’s jobs. The Springfield Education Association is the union representing them. Six jobs that were on the chopping block were saved last night. Some workers spoke up, and the board took them off the list.
Emotions Run High At Springfield School Board Meeting WCIA-3 News – A comment from a Springfield School Board member sparked emotions at a meeting Monday night. When the board was discussing cutting a program geared towards helping behavioral issues in classrooms, board member Judith Ann Johnson spoke up. She said if children were learning what they needed to learn, there wouldn’t be as many issues. “They don’t know how to do some stuff, and they’re treated like crap,” Johnson said. The comment drew gasps from the crowd. Teachers in the audience took it as a direct attack.
Our Opinion: Johnson owes an apology The State Journal-Register – ?THIS IS A tense and emotional time for the Springfield School District. With a fiscal 2011 budget shortfall likely in the millions, …
Second weapon found at Grant Middle School A student at Grant Middle School, 1800 W. Monroe St., was found with a weapon Tuesday, the second such incident in as many days. After finding a .22-caliber Derringer handgun on a 15-year-old boy Monday, police and school officials used hand-held metal detectors Tuesday morning.
Ball-Chatham schools hike fees for next year CHATHAM – The Ball-Chatham School Board is raising fees for registration, athletic participation and parking to help make up for a projected $2.2 million loss in state funding next school year.
Kaneland notifies teachers of potential job cuts :: Beacon News :: Local News
Suburban Chicago News – The Kaneland School Board on Monday authorized formal release notices to 94 non-tenured first-, second- and third-year teachers; nine non-tenured four-year teachers; and 15 part-time teachers as part of a second phase of budget cuts to make up for losses in general state aid next year.
Mokena 159 to parents: Raise $250,000, we’ll bring back extracurriculars next year
Frankfort Neighborhood Star – of the arrangement, including when payments would be due to the district, will be ironed out later. Perry emphasized the need to get a jumpstart on fundraising before time runs out to hire a band teacher for next year or renew its membership in its athletic conference. “There’s a sense of urgency,” she said. The Illinois Elementary School Association, which coordinates sports and other
Nearly 100 District 205 Positions Eliminated
Rockford WIFR (CBS) 23 – The layoffs come as a result of Superintendent Dr. Lavonne Sheffield’s plan to reform District 205 by eliminating teachers who she says do not deserve to be tenured. So far, first and second year teachers have been dismissed from their positions. Some 3rd and 4th year instructors are also not being renewed
District 205 to cut language program, change class sizes
Elmhurst Press – Assistant Superintendent for Finance Pat Masterton presented the Board with four different state education funding scenarios, which projected additional losses ranging from about $275,000 to $3.1 million on top of the planned 10 percent reduction. Saying additional cuts were necessary
Charleston school board to consider schedule reductions, more cuts Wednesday
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier – Still, a scenario of eliminating funding for all extracurricular activities and trying to rely on booster club funding instead is another option Superintendent Jim Littleford plans to present to the school board tonight. The board won’t vote on any of the long-range options tonight and probably won’t have to really consider them until more is known about Illinois school finances,
School board eyes $52,000 more in reductions, fee hikes
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier – No Charleston High School sports or activities would be eliminated but nearly all would see schedule reductions with the latest round of proposed budget cuts that go before the school board tonight. But while the CHS boys’ and girls’ swimming teams wouldn’t be eliminated as once proposed, the program is among those that would have to rely on volunteer coaches
Planning for the future of Decatur’s two public high schools
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – has been meeting for months, narrowing down options to improve MacArthur and Eisenhower High Schools. The task force has received community input, and on Tuesday will give its recommendation to the school board. The plans include renovating existing facilities, new construction, creating one main high school, or doing nothing. And doing nothing, Superintendent of Decatur Public Schools,
Four More Chicago Charter Schools Face Unionization
Chicago Chicagoist – Teachers who work at the campuses of ASPIRA schools in Chicago have begun organizing a union, asking principals at their schools to recognize the Chicago Alliance of Charter teachers and
CPS Officials Rally for Funding MyFox Chicago – … causing many charter schools to close. Huberman spoke at the rally, saying they will push Quinn to support the tax increase for education.
Duncan’s list symbolizes split When he led the Chicago schools, Arne Duncan kept a list of all the big shots who asked for help in getting certain children into the city’s best public schools. A spokesman for Duncan, who is now U.S. education secretary, said Wednesday that Duncan used the list not to dole out rewards to politicians and other insiders but to shield principals from political interference
Arne Duncan’s list and the Chicago Way
Chicago Tribune – They were edgy and many were considering leaving Chicago. In response, the mayor built top magnet and college prep high schools, pushing through work-rule changes to attract the best teachers. He produced the schools that nervous white-collar voters demanded. Members of the professional class wanted city life. But they wanted their children educated.
Clout In CPS Admissions Under Duncan?
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 – the children of well-connected parents into the best schools. The Chicago Tribune traces it all to former Chicago Public Schools chief executive officer Arne Duncan, who is now U.S. Secretary of education. The Tribune obtained a log of people who stepped in to help get children into schools while Duncan was at the helm of CPS. Among them were Mayor Richard M. Daley’s office,
CPS officials plan menu overhaul Chicago public schools plan to ditch their daily nacho service in high school and get rid of doughnuts and Pop-Tarts for breakfast as part of a major nutritional overhaul of menus, according to interviews and documents examined by the Tribune.
Illinois ’ Race to the Top bid marked by aggressive timeline
State Supt. Chris Koch and others are grilled about the state’s capacity to implement dramatic change in short order, especially with the budget crisis.
New Chicago schools program helps preschoolers get to class
The first preschool walking bus in which parents get paid to escort little ones to school gets started in Chicago.
Chicago schools looking for partners in bid for more federal dollars
In a bid to win more stimulus money, CPS wants to identify non-profits that can help the district bring reforms to scale.
Audit of Chicago selective and magnet school admissions finds lax oversight
CEO Ron Huberman says he’s not surprised that the system was gamed and introduces new guidelines for accepting students outside of the official process.
McCorkle continues to fight
Teachers, parents and students rally to keep a South Side school from closing, despite a School Board vote to shut it down this year.
Political News
Forum: Keep Illinois politicians’ hands off education dollars
Peoria Journal Star – if they have any chance of keeping control of their respective governments. In Illinois the state Constitution states that the Legislature has the primary responsibility for the funding of public school education. The politicians on the Supreme Court have ruled that primary does not mean 50 percent. Now that the country is going through a near depression, the politicians realize
Lawsuit claims Illinois’ education funding system is unconstitutional and … WQAD – ?Pat Quinn, claiming the way the state funds schools is unfair to taxpayers. Illinois’ public schools are funded mostly through property taxes.
Kirk, Giannoulias and the Illinois income tax
Chicago Current – Giannoulias reiterated his support for the tax on Saturday, during an appearance with the Illinois Education Association, a powerful teachers’ union.
EDITORIAL: Stop stalling and balance the budget — without a tax hike
Berkeley Suburban Life – Regardless of what’s going on around them, Gov. Pat Quinn and members of the Illinois General Assembly don’t seem to feel any urgency to resolve the state’s budget crisis. Both the House of Representatives and Senate passed a woefully
State Capitol Q&A: Many opinions on lieutenant governor job When it comes to Illinois’ lieutenant governor, everybody has an opinion. This week’s State Capitol Q&A covers the latest efforts to reform the office and who may be in line to be the state’s next second in command.
Boland drops out of lieutenant governor race Bloomington Pantagraph – One of the finalists vying to become the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor has dropped out. State Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, …
Four leaders for lieutenant guv — if it matters Crain’s Chicago Business (blog) – For a job with no power and no future — at least most of the time — the race to replace Scott Lee Cohen as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor …
State Senator Susan Garrett as Lt. Gov Front Runner? WCIA-3 News – State Senator Susan Garrett of Lake Forest says she is still in the dark about whether she will be picked as the Democratic nominee for …
Democrats’ lieutenant governor favorites emerging Herald & Review – ? A Lake County Democrat acknowledged Tuesday that a top aide to Gov. Pat Quinn contacted her about joining the race for Illinois lieutenant …
Garrett downplays Lt. Gov. front-runner talk Chicago Daily Herald – SPRINGFIELD – Several of Susan Garrett’s colleagues touted her as likely to end up with the Democratic nomination for …
National News
National reading scores stagnant Despite “No Child” law, students are mired at a basic level of reading, federal report finds.
Conservative-leaning social studies textbooks alarm liberals
Belleville News-Democrat – When Texas’ conservative-leaning Board of education voted for new social studies standards this month, parents, teachers and lawmakers far beyond the Lone Star state – particularly the liberal ones – took notice
China Slams Google For Ending Censorship
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 – “Business is business. But when it involves political tricks, business will come to an end soon,” the China Daily wrote. Beijing encourages Internet use for education and business but tries to block access to material deemed subversive or pornographic, including Web sites abroad run by human rights and pro-democracy activists.
Once Opponents, Insurers Back Effort to Make Health Reform Succeed
The health-insurance industry has shifted focus in the wake of the reform bill’s passage, pivoting from opposition to making sure the new law succeeds beyond most expectations
Do Statins Work Equally for Both Men and Women?
Millions of American men and women take statins. But do they work equally for both sexes?
Washington’s Shrinking Options on Iran Nuke Sanctions
Obama Administration officials are promising Israel that they will “prevent” Iran from going nuclear, but the sanctions strategy may not deliver the desired outcome
American Idol: Judging the Final Eleven
Legendary music veteran Miley Cyrus imparted her decades of showbiz wisdom to the young whippersnappers of tonight as they chose #1 songs from the Billboard Hot 100
Study: Money Isn’t Everything — But Status Is!
Absolute wealth makes people happy, studies show. But a new paper says having money isn’t enough; what matters is having more than your neighbor (or friend or co-worker)
Most Viewed Articles on washingtonpost.com
1) In Senate, GOP has last chance to change health-care overhaul
Hours after President Obama signed sweeping health-care legislation into law Tuesday, the Senate began a debate on another piece of the package, giving Republicans one last chance to alter the bill before it begins to transform insurance coverage for millions of Americans.
2) Stupak’s original sin
In one feckless moment, a House member goes from health reform hero to heel.
3) Three points for conservatives
Current forms of conservatism seem thoroughly un-conservative.
4) For some, a disquieting shift in U.S.-Israel ties
The two-week-old dispute between Israel and the United States over housing construction in East Jerusalem has exposed the limits of American power to pressure Israeli leaders to make decisions they consider politically untenable. But the blowup also shows that the relationship between the two all…
5) Cuccinelli forges his own path in suing U.S. government over law
RICHMOND — Not five minutes after President Obama signed health-care legislation into law Tuesday, top staff members for Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II made their way out of his office, court papers in hand and TV cameras in pursuit, and headed to Richmond’s federal courthouse to sue…
6) Finally, Democrats govern
Democrats discover how to govern — and do their November prospects some good.
7) A healthy dose of caution
The most honest rhetoric for health bill backers would have been “Gee, I hope this works.”
8.) Awaiting Discovery: Sarah Palin’s Alaska
After trying, apparently unsuccessfully, to sell a travelogue TV series about Alaska that . . . zzzzzzzzzzzz . . .
9) With a signature, Obama seals his health-care victory
His replies of “Thank you, thank you” were barely audible over the applause, whistles and shouts that filled the East Room on Tuesday, and when the noise finally faded, President Obama nodded to history in summing up the moment and the celebration unfolding before him.
10) Illegal withdrawals tied to ATM card skimmer
Thousands of dollars in unauthorized withdrawals were made from bank accounts in the Washington area after a skimming device was attached to an ATM in Alexandria, authorities said.
Word of the Day for Wednesday, March 24, 2010
defenestrate \dee-FEN-uh-strayt\, transitive verb:
To throw out of a window.