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.
State News
Ken Swanson interview on WGN-AM 3-29-10 (Audio only)
Reliance on local money drives school funding imbalances For much of the last two decades, Illinois schools have lurched from financial crisis to financial crisis, with no shortage of potential solutions floated through blue-ribbon panels, reform legislation, lawsuits and even a constitutional referendum. To date, the only clear winner has been inertia.
Illinois misses out in federal school cash dash Chicago Sun-Times – Deficit-ridden Illinois schools missed out on a windfall Monday when Delaware and Tennessee won …
Illinois loses race for federal education money Chicago Tribune – Illinois narrowly lost a national contest to overhaul its public schools Monday, but state education officials vowed to try again for federal funding in the …
Illinois loses first round of Race to the Top
Springfield State Journal Register – with ineffective tenured teachers. But fixing the teacher issue could create tension with unions, which so far have cooperated with the federal money pursuit. Charlie McBarron, a spokesman for the Illinois Education Association, said the IEA would have to review the specifics of the evaluations to know the extent of how the state could reform dealing with tenured teachers.
State Doesn’t Win Race… This Time
Peoria WEEK (NBC) 25 – Illinois has lost its chance to get over $500 million in education funding, at least this time around. Delaware and Tennessee were announced as the winners of the “Race to the Top” competitive program on Monday.
Illinois passed over for education grants
Chicago Daily Southtown – The Education Department asked states to concentrate their proposals on four areas: adopting standards and assessments to better prepare students for careers and college; getting high-quality teachers into classroom; turning around low-performing schools; and creating data systems to track performance. Federal officials will collect a second round of applications for the highly selective
The next heat
Chicago Tribune Editorial – No surprise here. Illinois wasn’t expected to be competitive when the federal challenge was announced last year. This state did, though, make remarkable strides in reshaping its long stagnant education protocols: Illinois finished fifth overall, well ahead of early front-runners such as Louisiana, which placed 11th, and Colorado, 14th.
State, U46 finish out of the money for fed grant
Elgin Courier News – selected from 16 finalists, received the grants in the first round of the $4.35 billion federal competition. Both tweaked their education laws and enlisted the support of their school districts and teachers unions to better their chances. Illinois was one of the 16 finalists announced earlier this month, and School District U46 stood to receive a portion of the grant money.
‘I hate this job,’ board chief says after layoffs of 50
Belleville News-Democrat – and staff will be laid off throughout the state in the next school year. The coalition, which includes the Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association, made its projection after learning that three-quarters of the state’s districts had planned for 17,000 layoffs.
‘Devastating’ layoffs loom in school districts statewide Chicago Sun-Times – Teachers in south suburban Homewood School District 153 and southwest suburban Wheaton-Warrenville Unit District 200 also made concessions. …
Larger class sizes ahead as teachers collect pink slips Chicago Tribune – Her district, Wheaton Warrenville School District 200, has proposed eliminating up to 71 teachers next year, part of $6.4 million in cuts. …
Champaign Teacher RIFs
Champaign WCIA (CBS) 3 – other staff got Reduction in Force notices. Last year there were only 82. The district lays off teachers every year until it can figure out how many it can afford to re-hire. The increase in RIFs is because a lot of Stratton teachers will have their hours reduced. The district cut the extended day program to save money. The district says not counting Stratton staff, 98 teachers
It’s ‘Pink Slip Tuesday’ for 61 Oswego High School teachers OSWEGO, Ill. (STMW) — Oswego High School’s theater director, a learning disabilities teacher – a learning disabilities teacher and a gifted-resource teacher are just three of 61 first-year teachers who will receive honorable dismissal notices today from Oswego School District. The Oswego school board on Monday voted 7-2 to pass the second phase of its deficit-reduction plan, which included layoffs to 61 first-year teachers, 12 of which are part-time.
Meeting drawn from dispute
Danville Commercial-News – will take up a measure at Wednesday’s special meeting that could lead to the reduction of one laid-off teacher’s position for next year. He said ongoing discussions with the Danville Education Association and advice of the district’s attorney had led to a proposal that could slightly realign the list of 82 positions — which would be cut by one to 81.
Orland SD 135 cuts staff to fix budget Orland School District 135 Supt. Dennis Soustek estimates the district will save about $800,000 during the next school year through layoffs unanimously approved by the school board Monday night. The board voted to cut three full-time teachers and a part-time kindergarten teacher as part of the district’s reduction in force process. Board member Ann Gentile was absent. The board also eliminated two part-time custodial positions.
Knoxville cuts 11 school aides
Galesburg Register Mail – The Knoxville school board approved the reduction of 11 elementary and junior high school aides Monday.
Sandwich schools fearing cuts for next school year
Beacon News – While Sandwich schools should make it through this school year OK, cuts may be needed in the next school year. Superintendent Rick Schmitt told the school board this month that the district’s overall fund balances will allow it to sustain many of its current programs and services, but “right now it looks like we might have to cut back on staffing
Glenbard high schools’ layoffs will reduce services
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Molek said he expects the district to call back between six and eight part-time teachers. That number is usually closer to 20. Glenbard Education Association President Tom Tully said an open process regarding the cuts made the layoffs easier to digest.
Consolidate districts to save money
Crystal Lake Northwest Herald – The state has an outdated system of regional school superintendents – 45 in all – scattered across the state. Couldn’t money be saved by consolidation, reorganization and streamlining the educational bureaucracy? Of course it could. Couldn’t some of that money be used to keep teachers in the classroom and important programs in place? Of course it could. But local community members would have to rethink how they provide an education, and be willing to embrace change in order to make necessary improvements.
Mattoon schools on state financial watch list (again)
SPRINGFIELD — The Mattoon school district has landed on the Illinois State Board of Education’s financial watch list for the second year in a row, although district officials cited the state’s withholding of about $1 million in reimbursements as a factor.
Editorial: State must do its part to make pension fix work
Addison Press – That is a very big “if.” Reckless legislators and governors are the true cause of Illinois’ pension crisis, not too-generous benefits for rank-and-file employees and teachers. Gov. Pat Quinn and legislators were practically breaking their arms patting themselves on the back Thursday after taking such a bold vote. But their work on pensions is not done
Leave teachers’ pensions alone
Chicago Tribune – Here we go again. The legislature is allowing the Chicago Public Schools to use pension money to balance their budget. Some legislators are calling for reducing pension benefits of retired teachers. While some pension reform is needed, it cannot be on the backs of retired Chicago teachers. Most of us earned our pensions by working 38 years, dedicated to Chicago kids,
Public pension reforms move in right direction Bloomington Pantagraph – ? Pat Quinn to sign the bill quickly and not cave in to pressure from unions, who oppose a two-tiered pension plan. Then, it is important to enact more …
School cuts and the college bound Daily Herald Editorial – It’s a tough time of year for high school seniors. In the next few weeks, they’ll have to finally commit to a college for next fall, taking into account family finances, rising tuition and an uncertain economy.
Editorial: A four-day school week? Readers share their viewpoints
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader – I sense a subterfuge here. I think this is a bluff to force massive tax increases. * I do not see how this will benefit the students. The time would be extended the remaining four days but, as a teacher, I would much rather have an entire extra class period rather than a small amount of minutes added to the other days. You would never recover the amount of minutes lost due to shortening
CPS vows special ed overhaul Critics describe the Chicago Public Schools special education system as so complex and litigious that parents of children with disabilities must hire a cadre of medical and legal experts to have any hope of getting their child proper educational services. Disputes with the district can drain parents’ resources and patience, and leave the physicians who care for their kids exasperated.
Political News
Campaign 2010
Champaign WCIA (CBS) – Governor Quinn’s running mate is talking up support for an income tax increase. Sheila Simon and Quinn made a stop the U of I on Monday. They used it to highlight the need to raise income taxes by 33%. Simon says it’s part of a bigger plan to get the state back on track.
Sheila Simon
Champaign News Gazette – Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, right, and lieutenant governor candidate Sheila Simon speak to the media after Simon was introduced at the Illini Union on Monday.
New Democratic team greets voters
Chicago Tribune – Sheila Simon greeted commuters Monday at a Chicago train station, a campaign tradition that in this case comes nearly two months after the primary election. Gov. Pat Quinn stood alongside Simon, his choice for running mate after primary winner Scott Lee Cohen dropped out due to damaging revelations about his personal life
Quinn opens quest to introduce Simon to state
Mattoon Journal Gazette – A pair of smiling admirers approached Sheila Simon as soon as Gov. Pat Quinn finished speaking Monday at the University of Illinois.“We’re huge fans of your entire family,” said one woman, who wore a decades-old campaign button for Simon’s father,
Did Simon really deserve the lt. gov nomination?
Chicago Sun Times – If Sheila Simon really is the best candidate to run for lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket, then why was she Gov. Quinn’s third pick?
Our View: Simon adds reform, rhythm to ticket, if not experience
Peoria Journal Star – political royalty is a step up from the questionable character represented by the winner of Illinois’ Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, who later stepped down. In that sense Gov. Pat Quinn and the Democratic Party had little to lose with their invitation to Sheila Simon of Carbondale to join the ticket for the November election. She is the daughter of the late Sen. Paul Simon
Mitchell: Art Turner Was Snubbed Governor Quinn has chosen a familiar name to fill the lieutenant governor seat, but could there be some backlash for his decision? Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell joins us with more on the decision to pick Sheila Simon.
WHITNEY BLASTS DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP ON HEALTH CARE AND PUBLIC PENSIONS Decatur Tribune – ? Two major events this week strikingly illustrate how the leadership of the Democratic Party makes a pretense of defending the interests of working people …
Illinois taps consultant to help take lottery private
Crains Chicago Business – “It’s about operating the lottery in a responsible way.” The state is moving quickly on the process in light of the current budget deficit and aims to have candidates to recommend to Gov. Pat Quinn by August. Many interested companies have contacted the state, and there may be national as well as international bidders, Ms. Winnett said. A law finalizing the terms for outsourcing lottery
Biden to speak Wednesday in Peoria
Springfield State Journal Register – of Abuse at the Peoria Civic Center. In the U.S. Senate, Biden sponsored the 1994 Crime Bill and the Violence Against Women Act, which, among other things, provides funding for prevention education for children. The center’s Prevention Program made 35,000 student contacts last school year, teaching body safety and respectful relationships, according to a news release.
A state with no limits
Chicago Daily Southtown There can be only three reasons why Senate Bill 3668 exists. A. The members of the General Assembly are in a great hurry to get to Springfield quicker so they can continue their hard work for the people of Illinois. B. The state is broke, needs money and sees an easy way to generate a ton of revenue by issuing speeding tickets to a confused motoring public. C. No one in state government cares if we live or die.
National News
Only Two States Win Race to Top
Wall Street Journal – The Obama administration delivered a jolt to US public education Monday by selecting just two states, Delaware and Tennessee, …
Race to the Top winners: How did Delaware and Tennessee succeed?
Christian Science Monitor – In announcing the Race to the Top winners, Education Secretary Arne Duncan noted that both states had strong buy-in from almost all districts and teachers …
Arne Duncan the heartbreaker and Race to the Top
Washington Post (blog) – Just a few weeks ago, Duncan proudly announced that there were 16 finalists in his $4 billion “Race to the Top” competition for cash, er, I mean, …
Feds poke holes in DC Race to Top bid
Washington Post (blog) – The District may well end up with a piece of the Obama Administration’s Race to the Top action when the grant competition moves to its second round later …
DC comes in last in Race to the Top
Washington Post (blog) – The District’s application for federal grant money to help improve schools has fallen short — way shot, DC Schools Insider reports. …
New York Daily News – Delaware and Tennessee beat out 38 other states – including New York – and the District of Columbia to win “Race to the Top” funds. …
A Disappointing Race to the Top
Wall Street Journal – ?The Obama Administration yesterday awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in education grants to only two states, which we’re glad to say made good on its …
New York misses out on education grants
WIVB – ?New York has missed out on what Governor Paterson says could have amounted to $700 million in education grants.
Paterson: NY to apply for 2nd round of ed grants
Newsday (subscription) – (AP) — Gov. David Paterson said Monday he wasn’t surprised that New York missed out on up to $700 million in federal education grants, but he believes the …
Feds poke holes in DC Race to Top bid
Washington Post – The District may well end up with a piece of the Obama Administration’s Race to the Top action when the grant competition moves to its second round later …
Obama’s Education Awards Put High Value on Union Support
Wall Street Journal – The Obama administration sent a core message to the states by picking just Delaware and Tennessee as winners in its $4.35 billion Race to …
Florida’s terrible teachers bill a test for Duncan
Washington Post – The state of Florida could prove to be a big test for Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Legislators in the Sunshine State are moving with all due speed to …
EMP: The Next Weapon of Mass Destruction?
Some argue that it’s time for the U.S. to worry about an electromagnetic-pulse attack by setting aside a day every year to worry about it
Obama’s Visit with Karzai: No Pat on the Back
The President’s journey to Kabul came amid growing concern over whether the Afghan government will play its part in the U.S. strategy against the Taliban
Where Manny Pacquiao Is the Underdog: Philippine Politics
The best pound-for-pound boxer in the world can certainly put up the campaign funds but he has several distinct disadvantages in his obsessive run for office
A New Name in American Paranoia: Hutaree
Raids in the Midwest brought in seven members of an extremist Christian group suspected of plotting against police and the federal government
Ready for Your Biometric Social Security Card?
Could a national identity card help resolve the heated immigration-reform divide?