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.    

Statehouse rally for tax increase could be largest in history
Bloomington Pantagraph – SPRINGFIELD — Up to 15,000 citizen lobbyists are expected to descend on the Capitol on Wednesday to rally for a tax increase to help fix the state’s crippled budget. 

City prepares for massive Statehouse rally
Springfield State Journal Register –  the casualty count in terms of people and organizations and institutions and needs unmet,” Bouman said. Representatives of about 100 organizations will attend, he said, including the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 

Lawmakers preview Wednesday’s teachers rally
Streator Times-Press – public education supporters and members of the Service Employees International Union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association will arrive early at the Capitol, where they are scheduled to stay all day to reach out to lawmakers and make their statement. Gov. Pat Quinn, who has been pushing a on 

More dollars sought for education
Alton – part in the rally will include members of the Service Employees International Union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association. School districts throughout Illinois are reducing staff and making severe budget cuts as the state is months late – and millions of dollars behind – in reimbursement 

New money-making idea for state: iTax
Chicago Sun Times – An army of union-backed protestors is expected to converge on the state Capitol Wednesday to push for the Quinn income-tax increase. As many as 15,000 members of AFSCME Council 31, SEIU, the Illinois Education Association and Illinois Federation of Teachers are expected for the massive event, which will shut down streets around the Statehouse in order to accommodate 300 buses. 

Thousands expected at Capitol rally today
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – That’s resulted in a $4.5 billion payment backlog, including $1.3 billion owed to schools. “The bottom line is, it hurts the kids,” said St. Charles Education Association President Pam Turriff. “We just want to make the legislators aware that we all feel they need to step up to the plate and fund education for all kids.” 

Forum, rallies focus on state budget
Marion Daily Republican – Melody Sexton, the local Illinois Educators Association chair, expressed her frustration at more than 100 education staff riffed in the past few months due to budget concerns. “As a teacher, I’m upset about the whole deal,” she said. “Already some schools were working on a shoestring budget. If you don’t step up, we’re going to lose totally and next year 

Lawmakers preview Wednesday’s teachers rally
Streator Times-Press – Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association will arrive early at the Capitol, where they are scheduled to stay all day to reach out to lawmakers and make their statement. Gov. Pat Quinn, who has been pushing a one percentage point income tax increase, said lawmakers should vote for the 33 percent tax hike because it would help education, which otherwise is slated 

More dollars sought for education
Alton Telegraph – Web site (www.illinoiseducationassociation.org) explains its position: “We support a balanced approach to fixing the state budget. That means budget cuts and a revenue increase. IEA supports Gov. Quinn’s proposed 1 percent income tax increase for education. Our schools and communities would be devastated by the layoffs and budget cuts that have been proposed. 

Our View: State budget requires answers, not evasions or excuses
Peoria Journal Star –  up to 15,000 is expected to descend on the Illinois Statehouse today to demand that lawmakers get serious about fixing a $13 billion budget hole by raising taxes and avoiding dramatic cuts to education funding. Should the anticipated number materialize, it would rank as the largest such rally in state history. That doesn’t mean they’ll get what they want:

State News

Four-day school week hits a roadblock in Senate committee
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier – SPRINGFIELD—An Illinois Senate panel Tuesday shot down a proposal that would allow Illinois school districts to hold classes four days a weekJust two of 11 members of the Senate Education Committee supported a plan to allow local districts to give students a full school year of three-day weekends.Although the measure received widespread backing in the House 

State shirking responsibility for education
Bloomington Pantagraph – have watched equalized assessed valuation fall or not kept pace with the demands of a growing student body. As a result, districts across the state have sent out layoff notices to about 30,000 teachers. Unit 5 has sent layoff notices to 120 first-year teachers. In District 87, 26 teachers have been given layoff notices. These “reduction in force” notices are a rite of spring 

Athletic activity fee implemented in ROWVA
Galesburg Register Mail – Galva will field co-op junior and senior high teams of football, football cheerleading and senior high golf and cross country teams in the fall. A memorandum of understanding with the ROWVA Education Association was approved by the board Monday that will “allow the board or superintendent to talk to individual REA members regarding opportunities for individual members to negotiate 

Class sizes, teacher salaries headline District 201 public forum
Westmont –  Parent Melissa Kemp said class sizes are already at capacity and said larger classes would not help students academically. Instead, several parents suggested pay freezes for teachers and staff, which has yet to be discussed by the board. The board is expected to begin negotiating a new teacher contract within the next couple of months, officials said. 

Du Quoin school board cuts 26 jobs; pay freeze invoked
Carmi Times –  wore pink Friday, not only in support of their fellow educators but in protest of the Illinois General Assembly’s failure to deal with the state’s fiscal crisis. In addition, both the Du Quoin Education Association and the board have voted to invoke a one-year salary and wage freeze, which affects both the educational staff and the administration. 

State shirking responsibility for education
Bloomington Pantagraph – have watched equalized assessed valuation fall or not kept pace with the demands of a growing student body. As a result, districts across the state have sent out layoff notices to about 30,000 teachers. Unit 5 has sent layoff notices to 120 first-year teachers. In District 87, 26 teachers have been given layoff notices. These “reduction in force” notices are a rite of spring 

Wheaton Warrenville teachers approve 2-year contract
Chicago Tribune – “This agreement represents a strong commitment from the teachers of District 200 to be part of the solution,” Bryce Cann, the president of the Wheaton Warrenville Education Association, which is the district’s teachers union, said in a statement. “As education funding from Springfield becomes increasingly less dependable, 

Alton schools switch bus provider
Alton Telegraph – trying to react to a state fiscal crisis,” Elson said. He said the state is $1.7 million behind in reimbursing the district for transportation costs so far this school year. Also, he said Gov. Pat Quinn is proposing a 25 percent cut for state reimbursements for transporting students in his next budget, which would cost the district $795,000. Three parents spoke against pushing back start time

Political News

Governor Quinn Calls for More Budget Cuts MyStateline.com – Quinn met with lawmakers to propose an additional 400 million dollars in cuts to the spending plan. His also wants an extension to the state’s time frame … 

Lawsuits over Illinois budget mess could be coming
Bloomington Pantagraph –  Thousands of state vendors could face the prospect of having to go to court to collect money they are owed by the state. In a memo to legislative leaders Tuesday, Gov. Pat Quinn acknowledged the possibility that the state’s budget mess could force angry vendors to file lawsuits with the Illinois Court of Claims this fall.   

Our View: State budget requires answers, not evasions or excuses
Peoria Journal Star –  For a change, it would be appropriate if they did not just place blame to score political points or make excuses while pledging action … someday. Gov. Pat Quinn took a tiny step in that direction Tuesday in announcing an additional $400 million in cuts. Now it’s time for another step.   

Quinn to Cohen: Bring it on
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Gov. Pat Quinn said he’s ready to take on Scott Lee Cohen in the general election if the embattled Chicago pawnbroker publicly announces he’s making an independent run for the state’s highest office.   

Brady says he’ll release tax returns
WLS Chicago – Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady will release his income tax returns after all, announcing the change of heart Tuesday just hours after his Democratic opponent, Gov. Pat Quinn, took him to task over the issue.   

Gov. Pat Quinn pressures rival Bill Brady into releasing tax returns
Chicago Tribune – After coming under sharp criticism by Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn for declining to release his tax returns, Republican challenger Bill Brady switched course Tuesday and said he will disclose them this week. Brady, a state senator from Bloomington,   

Fair Map Amendment backers falling short on signatures
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader – SPRINGFIELD — The Fair Map Amendment proposal touted by supporters as an anti-corruption tool is falling way short in a quest to get it on the November ballot, with a deadline fast approaching. More than 120,000 people have signed petitions to get the proposed citizen initiative on the ballot, but that’s less than 50 percent of the 288,000 needed.   

Kirk to return Goldman Sachs donations
Chicago Daily Herald – Congressman Mark Kirk said he plans to return campaign contributions from employees of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to his campaign for a U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama in Illinois. “I will err on the side of caution,” Kirk said at a news conference in Chicago. Kirk said his campaign is still determining how much Goldman employees donated to him   

 Blagojevich Fundraiser’s Suicide at Issue for Prosecution
Chicago WFLD (Fox) 32 – Prosecutors asked a federal judge on Monday to bar former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers from telling the jury at his racketeering and fraud trial about his chief fundraiser’s suicide. Prosecutors said Christopher G. Kelly’s suicide in September has no bearing on anything at issue in the Blagojevich trial, which is due to get under way June 3 before federal Judge James B. Zagel.   

Blago calls feds ‘cowards and liars’
Crystal Lake Northwest Herald – Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich described the federal prosecutors who have brought racketeering and fraud charges against him as “cowards and liars” Tuesday and challenged Chicago’s U.S. attorney to meet him face to face in court if he is “man enough.” In an extraordinary outburst timed to go live on evening news shows,   

Blago due in court after blasting feds
Chicago WLS (ABC) 7 –  Former governor Rod Blagojevich is scheduled to head to court for a status hearing in his corruption case Wednesday, where he will face the prosecutors he called cowards and liars. On Tuesday at his lawyer’s office, Blagojevich again said he was innocent and that the government was out to get him. That is nothing new, but in his two-minute speech   

Why did he say that? Rahm says it was a slip
Chicago Sun Times – Chicago political tea readers were pondering on Tuesday what was behind the timing of White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel’s admission to PBS’ Charlie Rose that he wants to run for mayor of Chicago when Mayor Daley quits. After all, Emanuel tried mightily in January to douse chatter about his mayoral ambitions when such talk first surfaced.   

Word of the Day for Wednesday, April 21, 2010

empyrean \em-py-REE-uhn; -PEER-ee-\, noun:

1. The highest heaven, in ancient belief usually thought to be a realm of pure fire or light.
2. Heaven; paradise.
3. The heavens; the sky.

adjective:
1. Of or pertaining to the empyrean of ancient belief.

Greetings:

It’s almost here. SOS Rally day is tomorrow! We expect Springfield to be flooded with 15,000 members of the Responsible Budget Coalition. It will be hard for the governor and legislators to ignore the unified voice of so many.

If you are coming to Springfield, it will be a very different day than most IEA Lobby Days. Here are some things to be aware of:

Wear comfortable shoes. The march route is approximately one mile, so comfortable walking and standing shoes are a must. Wear pink clothing, if possible, to support fellow members who have received pink slips.

Be sure you have all your “stuff” before getting off the bus. Visors and rally towels will be distributed as you leave your bus.

The parking lots at IEA headquarters will be where you receive refreshments.

You will be given a visor on the bus. Keep the visor with you because that will ensure you get a meal at the IEA building. Hotdogs, chips, a cookie and a drink will be available starting at noon and being served for several hours.

Below are some links to other information you likely are to find helpful as your planning your day:

Rally Day Q&A

Rally Day page on the website with all you need to know

Rally Day Reminders

Have your talking points ready if you have appointments to see your legislators.

            We support the 1 percent income tax increase for education, but it isn’t enough.

            Support House Bill 174, or similar legislation that provides adequate funds to fix

            the problem. We understand a combination of increased revenue and budget

            cuts are needed.

Be sure to tell legislators your stories. Let them know how budget cuts are affecting your schools and the impact these cuts will have on your communities.

If you can’t be here for Rally Day, please take a moment to visit the IEA website where you will see a large red-white-and-blue rectangle that says “E-mail Your Legislator.” Please click on it and you will have the opportunity to send your lawmakers either an already prepared letter, or feel free to write them your own, urging them to save education jobs and find a solution to the education funding problem.

Also, if you have not yet found us on facebook or twitter, Rally Day would provide the perfect opportunity to do so. In fact, if you’re on twitter, do a search for the hashtag “#SOSRally” and you will find tweets from others from IEA who are here and tweeting from the event. Feel free to add your own messages and stick the hashtag in at the end.

You can also follow the live stream of the rally on the IEA website. We will be tweeting and updating our facebook page throughout the day. Be part of the action, even if you can’t be in Springfield.

Fairfield school featured in USA Weekend

Fairfield High School lost a treasured member of their staff last fall when Dana Hungerford died suddenly of a heart attack. A teacher at the school for more than 30 years, his love of his family, his community and his sense of humor were treasured by those who knew him.

In his honor, the staff and students of the school decided to raise money to build a playground at a local park. Their efforts were recognized by their own community, who stepped out in force with open wallets, the local park district, which found some grant money, and USA Weekend, which chose the school as one of the 10 featured “Make A Difference Day” winners.

The school was featured in the Sunday magazine. Also included to the right of the story are ways that you or your school can get involved with Make a Difference Day.

As a result, the money raised will now go to fund three separate play structures around Fairfield, a small, financially-struggling town in southern Illinois.

Watch the IEA website and the May Advocate for a story about the school, its students and its staff coming soon.

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. 

Rally Day is TOMORROW!!  We’re encouraging everyone to wear pink to the rally in support of those who have been RIF’d.  Click here for a list of things to keep in mind as you’re planning your trip: 

The tentative schedule of events for the day, which is subject to change:

9 to 11 a.m.   Buses arrive at IEA HQ-visit legislators (time permitting)

11 to 11:30 a.m.   Walk to rally staging point at 2nd and Capitol

11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.   SOS rally speakers at 2nd and Capitol

12:15 p.m.   Beginning of march

1 p.m.   Visit legislators (time permitting)

Statehouse rally for tax increase could be largest in history
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier – As many as 15,000 citizen lobbyists are expected to descend on the Capitol Wednesday to rally for a tax increase to help fix the state’s crippling budget.  If those estimates are correct, the rally will be the largest in Statehouse history.

State News

Chicago pastors link youth violence to school funding
Chicago WLS (ABC) 7 – The ministers say that when children aren’t in school or in extra curricular activities they are more likely to commit crimes or to be victims. Their message for lawmakers: Vote for education funding or we won’t vote for you. “What we’re asking our elected officials today is not to balance the budget on the backs of education. 

Pension reforms confuse some teachers
Alton Telegraph –  While Urbanek described the process as “simple,” some believe the changes will just cause more confusion for teachers.   Ken Schneck, president of the Moline Education Association, finds the plan confusing.   He said he believes many of the local union’s 518 members are going to be straddling the two pension systems.     

U-46 unveils very lean tentative budget
Chicago Daily Herald – several major assumptions. On the revenue side, it assumes that Gov. Pat Quinn’s tentative budget will pass, which, without a tax increase, calls for a 17 percent decrease to elementary and secondary education funding. For U-46, that means general state aid would be cut in half, from $66 million this year to just $33 million next year. Categorical would be reduced by $8.8 million, 

U46 will cut expenses by at least $27M for 2011
Elgin Courier News –  almost $39 million less than it received this school year. And the main reason for that expected decline is Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed 2010-11 education budget, which would reduce general education funding by about $1.3 billion statewide next school year. And not only could the state cut its general state aid to U46 by about half — from $66 million in 2009-10 to $33 million 

Charter school forges ahead in uncertain times
Elgin Courier News –  That amount is in addition to the $12 million the state already owes the school district. And the governor has proposed a 25 percent decrease in education funding. Those financial gaps are the reason the school board has voted to lay off 180 teachers, saving the district a total $3.48 million. 

Study: Teacher Salary Not Equal to Achievement
Chicago WFLD (Fox) 32 – Chicago – Big pay doesn’t necessarily mean big results, according to a recent Sun-Times analysis of teacher salaries across the state. It found out of the 25 top salary districts in Illinois, only seven of them lead in student achievement. Dance instructors get paid the most, around $79,000. 

Our Opinion: Kill measure that would weaken FOIA
Springfield State Journal Register – the principles at work as the new FOIA was drafted last year. IN THEIR RUSH to qualify for a chance to win federal Race to the Top funding for education, lawmakers weakened the FOIA by making teacher evaluations exempt from public scrutiny. We, and we think most of the parents of public schoolchildren in Illinois, believe that was a mistake. 

9 kids hurt in Joliet school bus crash
Chicago Daily Southtown – Nine elementary students were taken to hospitals after a school bus driver lost control, sending the bus into a ditch this morning in Joliet.  Illinois State Police responded to a crash about 7:25 a.m. on Illinois 53 near Zarley Road, about a mile north of Laraway Road, involving a school bus, which was en route to Laraway Elementary School in Joliet, according to a release from State Police. 

West eyes budgets for clubs, sports  Aurora Beacon News – Pat Quinn has proposed, falling home values and rising costs like union-negotiated raises. The district laid off 127 teachers and made other cuts. … 

Elgin families to try for settlement in racial bias suit  Chicago Daily Herald – A federal judge’s harsh words have prompted the five Elgin families suing Elgin Area School District U-46 to make … 

Belvidere students question senator about state funding  Rockford Register Star – Pat Quinn. Burzynski, who represents Boone County, DeKalb County, eastern Winnebago County and a portion of Ogle County, said he’s hopeful Quinn’s proposed …   

Chicago Teachers Struggle To Find Out Pension Amounts Chicago WFLD (Fox) 32 – decades of work. “I’m disappointed that my retirement is not all I thought it would be, because of this situation here with my pension,” said Thomas. “It’s just unconscionable to have so many teachers who have worked their lifetime who are now depending on their retirement moneys and are not getting them,” Chicago teachers Pension Fund Board of Trustees Vice President Linda Goff said.

Political News

Quinn Says Brady Should “Rethink” His Candidacy  Progress Illinois (blog) – Pat Quinn had some harsh words for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady today. “I think anybody who wants to aspire to this office and doesn’t want …   

Gov. Quinn to Release Tax Return
Harrisburg WSIL (ABC) 3 – Gov. Pat Quinn is releasing his income tax returns. Quinn’s campaign says he will release his 2009 returns Tuesday. The Chicago Democrat has criticized his Republican opponent, Bill Brady  

Rahm Running for Mayor?  ChicagoNow (blog) – ? Going back to Congress or bumping off Quinn for a shot at Blago’s throne would be a step down. By telling Charlie Rose, who almost no one watches since … 

Quinn: “I Thought the World Was Enough for Him”  NBC Chicago (blog) – ?Pat Quinn, speaking today at the Allegro Hotel on his tax returns, responding to reporter questions about Rahm Emanuel’s announcement that he wants to be …

 National News  

The Huffington Post: Closing the Achievement Gap  (Ellen Galinksy, Education Blog, National) “This year, a number of changes are planned by the Obama Administration, the Department of Education, the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers and others to address the achievement gap in the United States, a gap that begins before children even enter school and widens as children grow up.”

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories 

The Liberal Democrats Shake Up the U.K. Elections

A strong showing by the Liberal Democrats’ leader Nick Clegg in Britain’s first-ever televised campaign debate has led to a surge in popularity that could bring a surprising result in Britain’s May 6 poll — just not the way you think 

Over the River, Ralliers Gun for Washington’s Attention

On Monday, 100 or so gun-rights advocates gathered at Gravelly Point Park in Arlington, Virginia, gave up the glitz of the Mall to take advantage of state law, which, unlike Washington D.C., allows people to carry loaded handguns and unloaded rifles 

The Cost of Europe’s Volcanic Ash Travel Crisis

As the cloud of volcanic ash hanging over Europe dissipates, E.U. authorities give the okay to fly again. But the recession-hit region won’t emerge from the five-day travel ban unscathed 

Why Gates Is Right to Worry About U.S. Iran Strategy

Analysis: Comments attributed to the Defense Secretary highlight an inconvenient truth — the Administration’s sanctions effort is unlikely to change Tehran’s behavior 

Tanorexia: Are Some People Addicted to Indoor Tanning?

A new study suggests that a small number of frequent indoor tanners may have an addiction to the behavior, and show higher rates of anxiety and depression than their paler peers

Word of the Day for Tuesday, April 20, 2010

agrestic \uh-GRES-tik\, adjective:

Pertaining to fields or the country; rural; rustic.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              

CONTACT:  Charlie McBarron

PHONE: 217/801-0227 

EDUCATION EMPLOYEES WILL BOARD BUSSES WEDNESDAY TO DELIVER AN SOS TO STATE LAWMAKERS

Pro-revenue Springfield rally could be biggest ever

April 19, 2010 – Springfield, IL – Thousands of education employees will head to Springfield Wednesday to participate in what might be the largest rally of its kind ever in the state capitol. 

It’s estimated that more than 4,000 Illinois Education Association (IEA) members from throughout Illinois will participate in the SOS (Save Our Schools, Save Our State) rally, which is expected to draw as many as 15,000 participants. 

The rally, sponsored by the Responsible Budget Coalition (RBC), is focused on convincing lawmakers to take action to end the state budget crisis. State government is facing a shortfall of $13 billion. Unless there is an increase in revenue, it is estimated as many as 20,000 education employees will be laid off, causing larger class sizes, the elimination of music, arts and sports programs in many districts and an overall decline in education quality statewide. 

“Children throughout Illinois will be denied a top quality education by these drastic cuts,” said IEA President Ken Swanson. “We have a crisis that is on the brink of becoming a tragedy. The legislature must act now.” 

Swanson said the best solution is for the Illinois House to pass HB 174, or something like it, which would provide a comprehensive tax reform measure. HB 174 cleared the Illinois Senate last spring but has not been voted on in the House. 

“It will take revenue to save our schools and save our state,” Swanson said. “Our message to lawmakers is they must end the bad behavior that led to this crisis and address the revenue needs of the state.” 

# # #

 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.  

 Rally Day is April 21.  IEA has partnered with several other organizations and rally day is proving to be a fairly large event. We’re encouraging everyone to wear pink to the rally in support of those who have been RIF’d.  Click here for a list of things to keep in mind as you’re planning your trip: 

The tentative schedule of events for the day, which is subject to change:

9 to 11 a.m.   Buses arrive at IEA HQ-visit legislators (time permitting)

11 to 11:30 a.m.   Walk to rally staging point at 2nd and Capitol

11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.   SOS rally speakers at 2nd and Capitol

12:15 p.m.   Beginning of march

1 p.m.   Visit legislators (time permitting)

(Lunch will be available at noon and served throughout the day. Members may eat at their leisure.)

State News 

Illinois Statehouse rally for tax increase could be largest in history
Quad City Times – The cost of hiring substitutes to fill in while the teachers are in Springfield will be covered by the Illinois Education Association at about $90 a day … 

Springfield lobbying trip planned for final UI furlough action day
Champaign News Gazette – Clerical and service workers, graduate employees and union faculty at the University of Illinois will meet with thousands of teachers, parents and students in Springfield Wednesday to lobby legislators for adequate support of public education. The event is the last of four Common Furlough/Action Days planned 

State has wide gap between high teacher pay and results  Elementary students in Bannockburn had the fourth-highest test scores in Illinois last year, but that achievement wasn’t reflected in the pay of their teachers, whose average salaries ranked 242nd among elementary school districts statewide. The school district is one example of the wide disparity between teacher pay and student achievement.   

New pensions: bane of teachers or needed reform?
The Courier News – The law increases the age of retirement for newly-hired teachers to 67 after 10 years of service, and caps the salary at which benefits are calculated at about $107,000. It also discontinues compounding cost-of-living increases and bases benefits on the highest eight consecutive years of salary of the last 10 years worked instead of the current four.   

Lawmakers, don’t create pension loopholes  Southtown Editorial – Talk already is emerging that some members of the General Assembly would support dropping the retirement age for teachers. Teachers, they believe, hold a special position and deserve an earlier retirement than, say, state office workers, highway maintenance workers or university employees.   

High teacher pay no guarantee of results  Chicago Sun-Times – It ranked third in teacher pay — averaging $92300 — even though students’ test scores placed the district 368th among high school districts statewide, …   

Schools turn to voters, fundraising amid cuts
Chicago WBBM 780 Radio – School districts battered by state budget cuts are turning to referendums and even private fundraising to pay for the basics of public education. Several school districts have referendums on the May 4 primary ballot, and other districts are considering fundraising foundations as a way to preserve teacher jobs and programs   

Forum: State tax increase would help preserve education, other key priorities
Peoria Journal Star – Bob Darling – President, Peoria Federation of Teachers – Illinois is facing the greatest financial crisis we’ve ever seen. Over 20,000 teachers and other school employees could be laid off. Tuition is skyrocketing in higher education. Our state budget projects a $12 billion-plus deficit.   

Dance teachers’ pay soars over all others  You might think that the highest-paid high school teachers would be in fields such as math and science — but that’s only partly correct.   In Illinois, the top-paid high school subject is dance, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis found. Dance teachers make an average of nearly $79,000 a year.   

District 45 one of many hurt by state’s payment delays
Wood Ridge Reporter – “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.   

Pontiac elementary parents trying to save sports, band programs
Bloomington Pantagraph –  all extracurricular activities were among $2 million worth of budget cuts for 2010-11 approved by the school board last month. Graham said school officials previously met with the Pontiac Education Association to ask for cost-saving concessions, but the union declined to adjust the contract. These concessions would have included: reducing pay rate for coaches; forgoing pay for   

High school suspensions up sharply in Springfield
Springfield State Journal Register – One of the goals the Springfield school board gave School Superintendent Walter Milton this year was to decrease suspensions. Milton said that requires a careful balance. “We want to send a message to our schools   

OUR VIEW: Four-day school week is option that should be considered
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier – In Custer, S.D., where a four-day week has been in place for 15 years, about $50,000 to $70,000 has been saved annually — enough to hire two teachers.The proposal isn’t without its negatives, but neither are the other measures being adopted by local school districts to trim costs, such as cutting teacher and aide positions   

School official: Withhold tax funds from state
Suburban Chicago News – Calling the state a “deadbeat entity,” the president of the Indian Prairie school board is proposing the district not send the state the money it withholds from its employees for income taxes as long as Springfield continues to be delinquent on the money it owes the district  

Area school districts push for county sales tax vote in November
Springfield State Journal Register – A committee of representatives from area school districts has decided to push for a Sangamon County school sales tax referendum on the November ballot. However, the Springfield school board, representing roughly half of the county’s students, must back the initiative in order for the effort to move forward. Springfield school board President Art Moore,   

St. Charles schools chief readies for busy summer of budget shuffling
Chicago Daily Herald –  The only thing Schlomann said he feels he knows for sure is that it will be less state money than the district currently receives. “Even if we restore school funding, even at a flat level, you still have increased expenses,” Schlomann said. “So you are still losing money. Nobody is planning on state funding being at the same amount of money   

‘This year, the forecast is worse’: Quincy School District, parents brace for cuts to pre-kindergarten, special education programs
Quincy Herald-Whig – budget includes a $54 million cut to preschool programs. Districts around the state are braced for drastic reductions, with some districts eliminating their pre-K program entirely. In Quincy, three teachers were reassigned to other schools, and one is retiring. Four paraeducators were released, as was one staffer who provides family support. The school’s only physical education teacher position   

Local parents learn lesson on lobbying
Glen Ellyn Sun – We really didn’t know what to expect when we decided to make the trek to Springfield. Hundreds of parents around the state and locally have let us know they are supportive of our efforts. People have been thanking us in person and online.   

Evanston Students Turn Cyber-Bullying Upside Down
WBBM TV CBS 2 Chicago – High school Students Launch ‘Evanston Mice’ Facebook Page Filled With Cyber-Praise To Counter Mean-Spirited ‘Evanston   

Plains grad elected to student post with teachers’ group
Springfield State Journal Register – A 2005 Pleasant Plains High School graduate attending Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville will spend the next two years helping fellow students who plan to pursue a career in education.  Michael Ruggless, 22, has been elected the Illinois Education Association’s Student Program Chair-elect. He will start his job in mid-July and will serve a two-year term.   

U of I, SIU Presidents Speak at Capitol
WGIL AM Radio 14 (Galesburg) – as interim president following an admissions scandal. He and his Southern Illinois University counterpart, Glenn Poshard, said they are having to deal with financial stresses that include Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed 6.2 percent cut in state funding. Ikenberry told representatives Illinois has a bright future but must prepare to cut expenses and increase revenues.   

Report says targeted campus violence, such as Virginia Tech shootings, grew in last 2 decades
Chicago Tribune – violence on college campuses, from serious assaults to the mass shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007, is up sharply over the last two decades. The study by the FBI, Secret Service and education Department found that targeted campus violence is hardly a new phenomenon, citing for example a campus murder-suicide in 1909.   

Few stand up for custodians in District 140   A public hearing Thursday to discuss the possibility of outsourcing custodial services in Kirby School District 140 was not attended by officials from the union that represents the district’s custodians. Only two of the district’s 37 custodians attended the meeting. They pointed out, however, that the majority of the custodians work nights and could not attend.  Neither custodian could explain why representatives from Service Employees International Union Local 73 were not in attendance.  

Political News

 Quinn Says Legislature Will Take Up Tax Increase Proposal  Chicago Public Radio – Illinois Governor Pat Quinn says he still expects lawmakers to take up a proposed income tax increase before the end of the current legislative session. …   

Tax Increase to Save Education Not Gaining Steam  WIFR – Governor Pat Quinn proposed an income tax increase from three to four percent to plug the $1.3 billion in cuts to education, but some local lawmakers don’t …   

What Quinn should be doing, but isn’t  Southtown Star – Pat Quinn may not be sending his Republican rival, Bill Brady, flowers. He’s not singing him love songs. “You hardly talk to me anymore when I come through   

Statehouse Insider: Quinn’s managers not helping his cause
Springfield State Journal Register – Gov. PAT Quinn ought to consider taking executive action and giving a dope slap to some of the people around him. He needs to do something, because right now those people don’t seem to be thinking clearly  

Talking Politics: Governor’s Race  WSIL TV – ?The latest polls in the race for Illinois governor spell trouble for Pat Quinn. The Democrat incumbent trails Republican challenger Bill Brady by seven to … 

Bernard Schoenburg: No Dem foes for 3 GOP county officials   State Journal-Register – ?PAT QUINN ended that program, but had to defend it during the Democratic primary election for governor against Comptroller DAN HYNES. Delgado backed Hynes. …     

Brady Unveils New Website
WGIL AM Radio 14 (Galesburg) – Republican candidate for governor Bill Brady is unveiling a new Web site that blasts Gov. Pat Quinn’s call for an income tax hike. Brady says the last thing Illinois needs is a tax hike, and says his plan to reduce state government spending by 10 percent over 10 years is a better idea   

Boiling mad in Illinois
Chicago Sun Times – These two faces represent the fledgling Tea Party movement in Illinois. It is driven by disdain for deficit-riddled government, a love for Fox Television personality Glenn Beck and a hatred of if not the man, at least the policies of — President Obama, who ascended to the White House use last year with 3.3 million Illinois votes.   

Quinn dumps plan to hire aide as $85K kayaking czar
Bloomington Pantagraph –  Gov. Pat Quinn quickly dumped a plan Wednesday to hire a longtime aide as the state’s $85,000-per-year canoe czar. Just hours after the hiring of Claude Walker was made public in a story   

Our View: How can Illinois go on without a canoeing czar?
Peoria Journal Star – when he talks about the cuts he’s making in the budget? The relentless drip, drip, drip of things like this simply undermine what little confidence people have left in state government. What was Quinn thinking? Sure, DNR is recovering from years of neglect under Rod Blagojevich, who was notoriously disdainful of Illinois’ state parks and other recreational opportunities.

National News

Status Quo 1, Kids 0
Chicago Tribune – Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Thursday vetoed an education reform bill that would have eliminated tenure protection for teachers and based their pay on student achievement. From all the backslapping and breathless relief that followed, you’d think Crist had spared the children of Florida like Gretel saved Hansel.

TIME.com’s Top Stories

David Cameron: Britain’s Next Prime Minister?

Britain’s Conservative leader, David Cameron, is ahead in the race for 10 Downing Street. But the electorate still isn’t sure who he is or what he stands for

Thailand Tourism Devastated by Political Unrest

The country’s key foreign exchange earner faces massive losses as the battle between the authorities and protestors show no sign of abating

Built for Blahniks: A Chevy for the High-Heel Crowd

Chevy tweaks its SUV for the stiletto crowd

Who Will Get the Stevens Seat?

After a 35-year run, John Paul Stevens gives Obama a second chance to reshape the court

How Not to Raise a Bully: The Early Roots of Empathy

State laws and school-district rules may help curb bullying on campus, but many researchers suggest a better way is not to raise a bully in the first place

Apollo 13 at 40: Houston, We Have a Miracle

There’s a reason that during training the astronauts never simulated the kind of emergency they encountered — because everyone assumed you’d surely wind up dead

Iceland Fallout: Why a Minor Volcano Causes Major Disruptions

The eruption in Iceland hardly compares with some of the major ones in history. But in our interconnected modern world, the impact can be massive

Why Pakistan’s Military Is Holding Back in North Waziristan

Islamabad’s forces aren’t pursuing the Taliban in North Waziristan, despite American pleas, because it says it is heeding the lessons of Iraq

Let Me Eat Cake: A Night of Culinary Luxury

What better time than a recession to explore the heights of culinary luxury. Pass the caviar, please!

Dems Prepare for Election-Year Health Care Fight

The party now realizes health reform is not going to sell itself. It’s not going to become instantly popular, even with the immediate benefits Democratic leaders have been touting.

How the Goldman Case Sheds Light on Hedge Funds

The SEC suit against Goldman Sachs accuses the firm of working with a huge hedge fund to create a toxic security that defrauded investors, generating new questions about the largely unregulated hedge-fund industry

Ahmadinejad Struts His Stuff in the Nuclear Showdown

Unmoved by threats of new U.N. sanctions, Iran’s leaders try to turn the tables on Washington with a nuclear summit of their own

From Poland’s Tragedy, Hope for Better Ties with Russia

The death of many Polish leaders in a plane crash may yet lead to a reconciliation with Russia

Heeding the Warnings of Another Oklahoma City

Many liberals and analysts believe a mass continuous loop of antipathy and anti-Washington vitriol has created an environment ripe for the creation of another Timothy McVeigh

Box Office: An Old Dragon Rises to Nick Kick-Ass

Labor groups break off from N.C. Democrats
RALEIGH, N.C. — A political rebellion is brewing inside an old funeral home near the state Capitol here. Frustrated liberals and labor organizers are taking aim at the Democratic Party, rushing to gather enough signatures to start a third party that they believe could help oust three Democratic…
(By Philip Rucker, The Washington Post)

With W.Va. coal politics, a new edge
In southern West Virginia, it used to look as if three Democrats, who have served in Washington for a combined 115 years, had figured out the delicate, occasionally violent politics of Appalachian coal.
(By David A. Fahrenthold, Frank Ahrens and Steven Mufson, The Washington Post)

Armed and angry, and demonstrating on the capital’s edge
Daniel Almond, a three-tour veteran of Iraq, is ready to “muster outside D.C.” on Monday with several dozen other self-proclaimed patriots, all of them armed. They intend to make history as the first people to take their guns to a demonstration in a national park, and the Virginia rally is…
(By Ann Gerhart, The Washington Post)

Europe’s aviation officials urged to drop flight bans
LONDON — Civil aviation authorities in Europe came under heavy pressure Sunday to ease flight restrictions as airlines and government officials sought to limit the economic fallout from a crisis that is disrupting the global trade in goods as varied as precious gems and tropical fruit.
(By Anthony Faiola and Karla Adam, The Washington Post)

Word of the Day for Monday, April 19, 2010

scapegrace \SKAYP-grayss\, noun:

A reckless, unprincipled person; one who is wild and reckless; a rascal; a scoundrel.

There could be more than 14,000 attendees at Wednesday’s SOS (Save Our Schools, Save Our State) Rally Day on the east side the Statehouse in Springfield.  At least 4,000 of those are expected to be IEA members.

What messages will all those energized advocates be delivering?

A balanced approach

The state is in an unprecedented mess.  We cannot cut our way to fiscal solvency, but we need to support every honest effort to reduce non critical state spending.

Message:

We support a balanced approach to fixing the state budget.  That means budget cuts AND a revenue increase.

One percent income tax increase for education

Schools throughout Illinois will be devastated if the proposed $1.8 billion cut in education spending becomes a reality.  The impact will include a decline in education quality:

• Perhaps 20,000 teachers and support staff laid off
  • Larger class sizes
  • Cuts in languages, arts and other non—core areas
  • Elimination of sports, field trips, extracurricular programs

Message:

IEA supports Gov. Quinn’s proposed one percent income tax increase for education.  Our schools and communities would be devastated by the layoffs and budget cuts that have been proposed. However, this proposal will not save our schools or save our state.

Comprehensive tax reform – Pass HB 174 or equivalent

To save our schools and save our state, Illinois needs comprehensive tax reform:

• Provide adequate funding to public education
  • Elementary and secondary
  • Higher education
  • Adult learning
• Fund human services providers
• Fund required pension payments
• Reduce the state budget deficit/eliminate the need for borrowing

Message

IEA urges passage of comprehensive tax reform legislation, such as that found in HB 174.  A comprehensive revenue bill, including a tax increase, is needed to adequately fund education and human services and to put Illinois back on solid financial footing for the future.

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.  

Rally Day is April 21.  IEA has partnered with several other organizations and rally day is proving to be a fairly large event. We’re encouraging everyone to wear pink to the rally in support of those who have been RIF’d.  Click here for a list of things to keep in mind as you’re planning your trip:

The tentative schedule of events for the day, which is subject to change:

9 to 11 a.m.   Buses arrive at IEA HQ-visit legislators (time permitting)

11 to 11:30 a.m.   Walk to rally staging point at 2nd and Capitol

11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.   SOS rally speakers at 2nd and Capitol

12:15 p.m.   Beginning of march

1 p.m.   Visit legislators (time permitting)

(Lunch will be availble at noon and served throughout the day. Members may eat at their leisure.)

State News

Get the facts on teacher pensions
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Instead of Social Security, teachers and administrators receive a pension through the Illinois teachers’ Retirement System, established by the state in 1939

Gov. Quinn signs pension reforms into law
Springfield State Journal Register – and prohibiting someone from drawing a public pension while working another public job. The changes affect all five of the state-funded pension systems — for state employees, downstate teachers, university workers, lawmakers and judges Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, supported the changes in the bill, but said the state should do more.

Gov signs pension reform legislation
Chicago Sun Times – Gov. Quinn signed pension-reform legislation Wednesday that will require new state workers to stay on the job until age 67 and deprive incoming employees of the same blue-chip retirement package

Quinn signs pension revamp
Chicago Tribune – the new law doesn’t address Illinois’ $77 billion shortfall in the government employee pension systems, it is expected to save taxpayers money in the coming decades on retirement costs for teachers, lawmakers and many public servants throughout state government, universities, cities, counties and park districts. “It’s imperative to show the taxpayers we’re serious about saving money,”

 Quinn signs pension overhaul, cautions against changing it
Chicago Daily Herald –  It’s imperative that we have this reform to show the taxpayers we’re serious about saving money.” The new law raises the retirement age for new teachers, state and local government workers to 67, bans so-called double dippers and restricts how much salary goes toward pensions. The proposal was rammed through the General Assembly in one day

 Ill. Law Trims Future Pension Benefits For Savings
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 -he said it bolsters his case for an income tax increase to help whittle down a $13 billion deficit. “It protects taxpayers and it protects the retirement of thousands of public employees and teachers,” Quinn said after signing the bill in his state Capitol office, surrounded by Republican legislative leaders as well as those from his own Democratic party.

Union argues pension reform doesn’t address current problem of unfunded liability
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – Quinn made law changes to public employee pensions. They trim future employees’ benefits and raise the retirement age to 67 from 60. The Democratic governor says the changes will save $220 billion over 35 years.  But the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees says the law doesn’t do anything to address the pension systems’ $80 billion in liabilities that have not yet been paid.

U-46 teachers’ contract negotiations begin Thursday
Chicago Daily Herald – The first of five contract negotiation sessions between Elgin Area School District U-46 and its teachers union will take place Thursday. With significantly fewer items up for discussion, Elgin teachers Association President Tim Davis said officials hope to have a contract in place

WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderLocal teachers getting ready to …
WREX-TV – About 90 public school teachers and support staff from Winnebago, Boone, and DeKalb Counties will travel from the Illinois Education Association office at 4949 Harrison in Rockford to Springfield to tell legislators their stories of economic hardship created by state’s budget crisis.  55 Sycamore High School students will also be going with them. 

Wheaton Dist. 200 OKs 1-year teacher pay freeze
Chicago Daily Herald – discretionary spending reimbursement, which generally covers materials teachers buy for the classroom. In a statement released by the district after the contract’s approval, Wheaton Warrenville Education Association President Bryce Cann expressed support for the agreement. “As education funding from Springfield becomes increasingly less dependable, it becomes even more 

Litchfield Board Recognizes Several Students
Hillsboro Journal News – Superintendents Report – Allison made several reports to the board. He said the district had submitted a letter to the Litchfield Education Association, asking them to make concessions in their contracts for the coming year.  “It may or may not happen, but we feel this is in the best interest of the district,” he said. 

D204 parents, students protest in Springfield :: Bolingbrook Sun :: News
Suburban Chicago News – Because of her concerns, Emily decided to forgo class for the day and join her mother, Cathy, and brother, Alex, on the “Caravan to the Capital,” organized by a group of District 204 parents. Sporting black T-shirts with “Restore Education Funding” printed on the back, approximately 30 parents and students left from the Fox Valley mall early Wednesday morning. 

Fees going up in area schools
Chicago Tribune – suit up for sports as many cash-strapped schools raise their participation fees. Faced with dwindling state revenues and property taxes, dozens of local districts have cut expenses and laid off teachers. Now many are asking students to pay more when they register for class or sign up for after-school programs that were free a generation ago — driving up the cost of a public education 

Harsh words for state as Mattoon school district seeks preschool grant outside of cooperative
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier – Administrators Tuesday labeled the state as untrustworthy and a “bad business partner” while encouraging the Mattoon school board to insulate the district from having to cover more of the state’s unpaid bills.The board voted unanimously to go solo in applying for a state Early Childhood Grant 

Budget cuts earn Dist. 209 some respect
Forest Park Review –  The district eliminated 37 other support positions and cut 15 operations and management positions. Among the positions eliminated were 10 part time teachers’ aides, five 12-month secretaries, seven full time security workers and two teen pregnancy counselors. 

With state funding in doubt, Proviso lops 58 teachers
Forest Park Review – of poor performance while the other 38 teachers are being released as a cost cutting move given the uncertainty about the level of state aid next year said Chris Welch, president of the District 209 school board. “The first criteria was performance,” Welch said. “There were some non-tenured teachers, we believe the number was 20 non-tenured teachers, who were released for performance based 

Ikenberry, other university presidents grilled in Senate
Champaign News Gazette – Tough budget times translated to tough questioning of three public university presidents in the Illinois Senate on Wednesday, and no one faced more difficult questions than Stanley 

Political News

Edgar: ‘Sometimes you have to deliver bad news’
PioneerLocal.com –  Edgar said. “We got into this when the economy was going pretty well. But we overspent. For 10 years, we lived beyond our means.” Edgar gives Gov. Pat Quinn credit for having the courage to call for higher taxes. “I don’t think he’s going to get it,” Edgar said. “I would have told him he should have talked about cuts first.” 

Senate committee to vote today on bill to let schools to build wind farm
Chicago Daily Herald – Things are finally looking up for three suburban school districts aiming to build a wind farm downstate and save millions on their energy costs. A bill that would allow the districts to do just that passed the Illinois House in late March and is set for a Senate committee vote today. Last year, Carpentersville-based Community Unit District 300, Keeneyville Elementary District 20 in Hanover Park

A gang of thieves and Gov. Blagojevich
Chicago Daily Southtown – Blagojevich’s defense team likely will claim that this was just business as usual in Illinois. Sadly, they are probably right. The teachers Retirement System pension fund is mentioned quite a bit. This is the fund that governors and lawmakers have dipped into time and again to finance the operation of this state. Instead of  

Blagojevich sought ‘good gig’ in return for Senate appointment, document says
Springfield State Journal – was convicted in June 2008 of fraud, money laundering and bribery in connection with an alleged $7 million scheme to shake down a contractor and money managers seeking to do business with a state teachers pension fund. But his sentencing has been postponed indefinitely and he is believed to be cooperating with prosecutors as they prepare for the Blagojevich trial. 

Feds detail ex-gov.’s thirst for cash
Crystal Lake Northwest Herald – was convicted in June 2008 of fraud, money laundering and bribery in connection with an alleged $7 million scheme to shake down a contractor and money managers seeking to do business with a state teachers pension fund. But his sentencing was postponed indefinitely and he is believed to be cooperating with prosecutors as they prepare for the Blagojevich trial. 

Cellini left a ‘nervous wreck’ by Blagojevich fundraising, document says
Springfield State Journal Register – The charges relate to an alleged attempt by Blagojevich fundraisers Antoin “Tony” Rezko and Christopher Kelly, along with Stuart Levine, then a member of the teachers’ Retirement System board, to get a $1.5 million donation to Blagojevich’s campaign or a $2 million finder’s fee from a principal in a firm that wanted to manage TRS funds. 

Quinn kills plan for new DNR canoe czar
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier – Gov. Pat Quinn quickly dumped a plan Wednesday to hire a longtime aide as the state’s $85,000-per-year canoe czar.Just hours after the hiring of Claude Walker was made public in a story first reported by the JG/T-C Springfield Bureau, Quinn’s administration cut him loose, saying the state’s financial problems are too large to take on new programs

National News

Afghanistan: A Tale of Soldiers and a School  It was, in fact, a no-brainer, a perfect metaphor. The Taliban closed schools; the Americans opened them. That this particular school was located deep in the enemy heartland, in a district — Zhari — that was 80% controlled by the Taliban, an area the Russians called the Heart of Darkness and eventually refused to travel through, in a town that will be strategically crucial when the most important battle of the war in Afghanistan — the battle for Kandahar — is contested this summer, made it all the more perfect.
Inside the Battle for Hearts and Minds

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Palin Rallies the Tea Party Ahead of Tax Day Protests

Before flooding the nation’s capital, thousands of supporters of the burgeoning anti-government movement journeyed to this liberal redoubt — which they invoked as its ancestral home — for a raucous rally on the Boston Common

Russia’s War on Terror: A Crackdown By Popular Demand

In the North Caucasus, Moscow goes in hot and perhaps brutal pursuit of the alleged organizers of the subway bombing

In India, a Celebrity Wedding Nearly Derailed by Scandal

When a scandal almost derailed a wedding between a Pakistani cricketer and an Indian tennis player, Hyderabad’s media shifted their attention from the real problems of the city

Syrian Saber-Rattling Has U.S. Concerned

Damascus is determined to recover the Israeli occupied Golan Heights, whether through diplomacy or proxy warfare. And that is raising the danger of a regional war

Britain’s Election: Raiding the Obama Playbook

The U.K. election campaign is looking a little American this year, from the “Change we can believe in” rhetoric to the TV debates. But will President Obama’s strategies help convince a dubious British public?

Battle over financial regulation heats up
The battle over reshaping the country’s financial regulation escalated on several fronts Wednesday, with President Obama stepping up his personal efforts to win Senate passage of an ambitious bill while senators from both parties fought to claim the anti-Wall Street mantle.
(By David Cho, Brady Dennis and Scott Wilson, The Washington Post)

Treasury polls public on housing plan
Nineteen months after the government seized mortgage-finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in what has become the costliest bailout of the financial crisis, the Treasury Department on Wednesday began the process of overhauling them.
(By Zachary A. Goldfarb, The Washington Post)

W.Va. governor asks coal mines to stop work for a day
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III (D) asked all underground coal mines in his state on Wednesday to halt production for one day, so that workers can review safety issues in the wake of the April 5 explosion that killed 29 miners south of Charleston.
(By Steven Mufson and Ed O’Keefe, The Washington Post)

Embattled Holder stands his ground at hearing
Senators challenged Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Wednesday over the Obama administration’s long-delayed pledge to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay and its plans to try alleged Sept. 11 co-conspirators. But Holder conceded little and emerged from the session mostly unscathed.
(By Spencer S. Hsu, The Washington Post)

Chesapeake blue crabs are back in the black
GRASONVILLE, MD. — And now for something completely different: good news about the Chesapeake Bay.
(By David A. Fahrenthold, The Washington Post)

Word of the Day for Thursday, April 15, 2010

pelf \PELF\, noun:

Money; riches; gain; — generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten.

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.    

Rally Day is April 21.  IEA has partnered with several other organizations and rally day is proving to be a fairly large event. We’re encouraging everyone to wear pink to the rally in support of those who have been RIF’d.  Click here for a list of things to keep in mind as you’re planning your trip: 

The tentative schedule of events for the day, which is subject to change:

9 to 11 a.m.   Buses arrive at IEA HQ-visit legislators (time permitting)

11 to 11:30 a.m.   Walk to rally staging point at 2nd and Capitol

11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.   SOS rally speakers at 2nd and Capitol

12:15 p.m.   Beginning of march

1 p.m.   Visit legislators (time permitting)

(Lunch will be availble at noon and served throughout the day. Members may eat at their leisure.)

State News  

Quinn plans to sign bill to cut state pension costs  Chicago Tribune (blog) – Gov. Pat Quinn plans on Wednesday to sign legislation aimed at saving billions of dollars through reforms of the state pension system that will …   

Gov. Quinn to sign pension reform bill today
Springfield State Journal – Quinn said Tuesday he was reviewing Senate Bill 1946, which makes major changes in pensions for newly hired state government employees and teachers as part of an effort to save the state billions of dollars and shore up concerns about its financial stability. He has until late May to take action.   

Pension Plan: Political Football?  MyFox Illinois – SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn has not yet acted on a sweeping pension plan sent to his office more than two weeks ago. …  

Quinn: No political gamesmanship at work with pension plan  Chicago Daily Herald – Gov. Pat Quinn said Tuesday he wouldn’t hold pension reform hostage to try to scrounge up more votes for … 

Study: Illinois Among the Worst at Pension Funding
Chicago Public Radio – The report by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence examines a sampling of pension systems from each state. Funding levels for Illinois teacher and state worker pensions ranked among the lowest in the country in 2009. And researcher Joshua Franzel says the short-term outlook is dim.   

Quinn Makes His Case for Tax Hike for Education  Chicago Public Radio – ?Illinois Governor Pat Quinn can’t say for sure when or if the state legislature will act on his proposed tax increase for school funding. …   

Quinn heads to Springfield to push for tax hike
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Gov. Pat Quinn is heading to Springfield, and he wants lawmakers to act on his proposal to raise the state income tax.    

Gov. Quinn Still Backing Tax Hike
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – Governor Quinn is not backing down on his proposal to raise the state income tax. Quinn wants lawmakers to raise the personal and corporate income tax rates 1% to stave off deep cuts to education. The Governor says school funding could be cut $1.3 billion without a tax increase. Quinn says he expects lawmakers to eventually vote on an income tax increase 

State superintendent gives awards to ESL schools, calls for tax hike
Belleville News-Democrat – Prior to his East St. Louis visit, Koch visited Edwardsville and discussed the state’s funding situation, telling school officials that he did not see any way out of the education funding problem without raising the state income tax.  ”The money just is not there and will not be unless additional revenue is identified,” Koch said. 

Angry parents join “Caravan to the Capitol” to protest education cuts
Medill News Service – Caravan to the Capitol is a group of approximately 60 parents who will be heading to Springfield Wednesday to air their concerns.  Sherry Tatar, the group’s informal leader, says the parents came together after realizing that School District 204 couldn’t do anything about the budget cuts.  “We have to turn to Springfield,” she says. “How can you be cutting these teachers? How can you be cutting music programs?” 

Special education schools plead for fewer cuts  Alton Telegraph – Pat Quinn introduced his state budget last month for the upcoming fiscal year, education bore the brunt of potential cuts totaling more than $1 billion.   

School districts slashing as state cuts funding
Highland Park News – A survey of Illinois school administrators in March suggested the state could lose as many as 20,000 education-related jobs pre-kindergarten through 12th grade by the time school opens in the fall. “We are completely in unchartered waters,” said Charles McBarron, director of communications for the Illinois Education Association, a union representing many suburban teachers.   

Halloran: State’s woes are forcing reductions
Morris Daily Herald – Illinois’ financial situation has many school districts worried, and Morris Community High School District 101 is no exception.  During Monday evening’s school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Pat Halloran gave the board a brief overview of the district’s financial condition relative to state-funding dollars. 

Editorial: Turning tenure on its ear
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader – Sadly, beyond angering the state’s top two teacher unions, the series was largely ignored among the people who could do anything about fixing what is broken. Indeed, rather than moving toward more accountability, state legislators have pushed for less; most recently by exempting teacher and administrator evaluations from the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.  

Evanston superintendent warns against malicious Facebook page
Chicago Tribune – The page on the popular social networking Web site had attracted more than 400 fans by Tuesday afternoon. But the only hint of its earlier comments came from the page’s description: “This page is made to tell you all about people in Evanston.” The page had been scrubbed clean of any offensive material that had been posted there in previous days.   

Hiawatha School publicizes state financial woes
Stickney Life – Hiawatha Elementary School staff have a message for the State of Illinois and they want everyone driving on 26th Street to know it.  The sign out front of the school reads “The State OF ILL owes District 100 $1.9 million.”  Timothy McGinnis, assistant superintendent for finance and operations at School Berwyn School District 100, said the state is about four months behind in paying its bills.   

Chicago Schools Go for Gold on Lunch Standards
Chicago Public Radio – said today they’ve recently purchased 200,000 peaches and one million apples from Michigan. In order to achieve the “gold” certification from the USDA, CPS will also have to increase nutrition education in schools and give students more opportunities for physical exercise.   

Political News

 Governor Quinn: Top Priority is State Budget  MyStateline.com – Springfield-Lawmakers are back to work in Springfield and Governor Quinn says the budget is their number one priority. With a 13 billion dollar deficit, … 

State Quits Paying Service Providers, Owes $4.5B
WBBM TV CBS 2 Chicago – The State of Illinois stopped paying its service providers, in order to keep the government functioning on a day-to-day basis.  The state currently owes $4.5 billion in unpaid bills. By the end of this budget year on June 30, that number will grow to $6 billion. The problem stems from overspending during the administration of since-deposed Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Chicago Tribune reported.  

Kirk Out-Raises, Leads Poll Over Alexi
Chicago Chicagoist – Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk With all of the controversy surrounding Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias and his campaign’s shifting to damage control mode, perhaps the news that Republican opponent Mark Kirk has raised almost twice as much money isn’t that big of a surprise. The Sun-Times reports that Giannoulias is reporting fundraising in the first quarter 

Giannoulias raises $1.2M in Senate bid
DeKalb Daily Chronicle – Democrat Alexi Giannoulias said Tuesday that he raised $1.2 million during the first three months of the year in his bid for President Barack Obama’s old Senate seat, significantly less than his Republican opponent in a state controlled by Democrats. Giannoulias, Illinois’ first-term state treasurer, raised $1 million less than the $2.2 million raised by Republican

National News

Iowa Governor signs teacher diversification bill
Quincy WGEM (NBC) 10 – Gov. Chet Culver has signed a bill requiring state education officials and leaders at the state’s public and private colleges to study how to better recruit and retain minority teachers. Culver went to a Des Moines school Tuesday  

Misgivings about a race for school aid
At Adelphi Elementary School, students peel away from their classrooms twice a week for tutorials in reading and math. Clusters of five or six children shuffle into a book closet, a hallway, a computer lab or any place teachers can fit a few chairs for 45 minutes of catch-up lessons or enrichment.
(By Nick Anderson, The Washington Post)  

 Rhee’s surplus revelation draws ire
Teachers union leaders angrily accused D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee of unethical behavior Tuesday by failing to disclose the discovery of a $34 million surplus in the school system budget in February, three months after laying off 266 teachers because of what she described as a budget…
(By Bill Turque, The Washington Post)

Eye on federal money, Md. proposes school reforms
Maryland education officials charted a reform path Tuesday that would overhaul statewide exams, make student performance a factor in teacher evaluations and toughen graduation requirements in math and science. They hope their proposal will make the state eligible for millions of dollars in federal…
(By Michael Birnbaum, The Washington Post)

On world stage, Obama at ease as seminar leader
During his first year in office, President Obama was often best overseas when he was behind a lectern or onstage before a crowd with a microphone in his hand.
(By Scott Wilson, The Washington Post)

46 nations join U.S. in nuclear pact
President Obama persuaded 46 countries Tuesday to sign on to a plan to put the world’s nuclear material beyond the reach of terrorists within four years, but the commitments are voluntary, and experts said reaching the goal will be difficult.
(By Mary Beth Sheridan, The Washington Post)

Choice of leader for mine probe criticized
After a coal mine explosion that killed five people in 2006, an internal review by the Mine Safety and Health Administration sharply criticized its own inspection process. It said many safety flaws had not been corrected before the blast because of faulty inspection practices “coupled with weak…
(By Steven Mufson and David A. Fahrenthold, The Washington Post)

An almost predictable capriciousness
LEPTIS MAGNA, LIBYA – Only a handful of tourists wandered through the unspoiled ruins of this ancient Roman city edging the azure waters of the Mediterranean. It was high season, when buses should have been disgorging hundreds of affluent visitors from Europe and beyond. But among the arches and …
(By Sudarsan Raghavan, The Washington Post)

At peak of influence, SEIU chief set to leave
As he prepares to turn over the reins of the Service Employees International Union, Andrew L. Stern is at the apex of his political influence. He helped lead the push for the health-care overhaul that became law last month. He has visited the White House 38 times in President Obama’s tenure, far…
(By Alec MacGillis, The Washington Post)

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Russian Adoption: What Happens When a Parent Gives Up?

Torry Hansen’s abandonment of her adopted son, 7-year-old Artyom Savelyev, has rocked Russia, the U.S. and the international adoption community

Bank Lobby Takes a Hit on Derivatives Reform

For weeks now, suspense has flitted through the air in Washington. The reason is something that almost no one in America understands: derivatives

Obama Makes Progress on Nuke Security, Less So on Iran

The goals of the Washington summit are uncontroversial, but efforts on the sidelines to win backing for sanctions against Iran have mixed results

The Great Firewall: China’s Web Users Battle Censorship

China’s Web-censorship regime may be formidable, but ordinary Chinese are learning to scale the “Great Firewall” a little at a time. Can the authorities hold them back?

Why Obama Backed Down on an Embattled Nominee

Perhaps because a battle over replacing Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is shaping up, the Obama Administration has decided to save its political capital and give up on Justice Department pick Dawn Johnsen

Word of the Day for Wednesday, April 14, 2010

bloviate \BLOH-vee-ayt\, intransitive verb:

To speak or write at length in a pompous or boastful manner.

Hundreds of Rockford Education Association (REA) members, along with community members, rallied Tuesday in support of the estimated Rockford 573 teachers and staff who have received layoff notices for the next school year.

The SOS (Save our Schools, Save Our Staff) rally preceded a special meeting of the Rockford Board of Education, at which 50 district employees were reinstated.

According to the Rockford Register Star, REA members met with district officials last week and urged that employees in hard-to-fill positions, such as special education, bilingual and early childhood, be reinstated.

It often takes half the school year to fill those positions, said REA President Molly Phalen. She wasn’t informed of the union employee changes before the vote.

“Why would you dismiss teachers in those positions?” she said.

Read more about this story.

(Photo: Matthew Johnson)

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

 Even in tough times, extracurriculars hang on
Springfield State Journal Register – In “Clubs and activities: A hidden benefit of equitable funding,” published in the March/April 2010 issue of the Illinois Association of School Boards Journal, Joseph Matula said he found while comparing Illinois school districts that “those with an equalized assessed valuation (EAV) greater than $100,000 per pupil provide 48 percent more clubs and activities than school districts with an EAV per pupil of less than $100,000.” 

Clubs and activities: A hidden benefit of equitable funding
Illinois Association of School Boards – Advocates of a change in the emphasis of school funding on property taxes see the things that wealthier school districts have and would like all children to have the same opportunities. Some feel this disparity is tied to racial bias (see Chicago Urban League v. State of Illinois). Others fear the wrath of taxpayers in that any change will be interpreted as a tax increase and the legislators who support it will surely lose in the next election. 

Expert says 4-day schools don’t always save as much money as expected
Decatur WAND (NBC) – allow school districts to cut one day of school each week to save money. Custer, S.D. has had 4-day weeks for 15 years. Superintendent Tim Creal says it saves up to $70,000 a year — enough for two teachers. Gore, Okla. schools are going back to five days after one year. Officials say class periods on in-session days are too long for pupils. 

Lawmakers may let schools adopt 4-day week  Illinois school districts would have the option of dropping one day of classes per week  under legislation making its way through the Statehouse. The move could save districts thousands in transportation and utility costs. 

Dist. 300 board reviews what’s been cut, what it still needs to
Chicago Daily Herald – budget reductions made to date and those likely to come. The board is trying to slash $15 million from the 2010-11 budget to cope with delayed state payments, Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed reduction in education funding and expected increases in insurance costs. Between cuts that have been approved by the board and tentative agreements reached with the district’s unions, 

7,457 voters sign petition blocking Palatine Dist. 15’s $27 mil loan
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – It seemed like an impossibility given the monumental task and the minuscule amount of time to do it.  But opponents of the $27 million bond issue narrowly approved last month by Palatine Township Elementary District 15 knew not to underestimate the attention voters are giving to government spending in the midst of a recession. 

District 205 Deans Won’t Be Laid Off Yet; More Staff Let Go  WGIL Radio News – ? $3.5 million in changes to the Galesburg School District budget are being set in motion now that the Galesburg School Board …   

Galesburg Athletic Pay to Play Proposal Discussed  WGIL Radio News – ? Galesburg School officials are clarifying a part of the proposal to make $3.5 million in changes to the District’s budget –   

Galesburg Parents Save Cooke Elementary School Gain  WGIL Radio News – ?-  Parents around one Galesburg School District elementary school have essentially saved their school …   

Evanston cops looking into ‘malicious’ Facebook site linked to school  Police are investigating a Facebook site called “Evanston Rats,” and have contacted several Evanston Township High School students who appeared to post comments attacking other students.   

Schools chief warns of malicious Facebook site
PioneerLocal.-  Evanston Township High school Superintendent Eric Witherspoon warned students today that posting malicious comments on the “Evanston Rats” Facebook site could result in criminal prosecution and school discipline,   

Township democrats spurn corrupt post
Chicago Daily Southtown –  Phil Kadner –  Democratic township committeemen have decided not to run a candidate for Cook County regional schools superintendent in November. “We felt the money as a budget item is best invested in the classroom as opposed to administration,” said Frank Zuccarelli, the Thornton Township Democratic committeeman who was picked by Cook County party leadership to head a search team for a possible candidate.   

Fees keep kids from prom
Plainfield Sun – A Plainfield South parent who owes the district money doesn’t understand the why the school is preventing her son from going to prom. On Wednesday, she received an automated phone message saying all outstanding school fees must be paid in full before students can purchase prom tick   

State will soon cut off MAP scholarships for college students
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier –  Illinois higher education officials next week likely will stop telling applicants they’re approved for the state’s largest need-based college grant program. 

Our Opinion: LLCC stays true to its mission  IF IT’S BEEN a few years since you’ve been on the Lincoln Land Community College campus, you’re in for a surprise on your next visit. 

After $8.5 million in cuts over past three years, Quincy School Board members willing to discuss new sources of revenue
Quincy Herald-Whig – the average education fund tax rate among the 25 downstate Illinois’ large-unit districts at $2.50 per $100 of assessed valuation. The district’s finances also will be affected by how the teacher contract is resolved this summer. The last contract covered three years. The salaries and pay increases included have become a template for other contract agreements in the district.   

Student teacher arrested for sexual abuse
Quincy KHQA (CBS) 7 – A student teacher at a Quincy Elementary School is behind bars after police say he had inappropriate sexual contact with a 16 year-old boy.

Political News

Quinn heads to Springfield to push for tax hike  AP Gov. Pat Quinn is heading to Springfield, and he wants lawmakers to act on his proposal to raise the state income tax. The Democrat has proposed raising … 

Illinois Lawmakers Facing Several Battles in New Sesssion
Chicago WFLD (Fox) 32 –  not be able to reach an agreement by May 7 when the session closes.  If the session goes past then, the budget will require a super-majority to pass. Lawmakers will also be working on two key school funding issues: vouchers and four-day school weeks. Illinois state representatives have already approved a new law that would allow school districts to operate just four days a week,   

Cash-strapped Illinois owes companies $4.5 billion
Chicago Tribune – State government is such a deadbeat because its coffers are nearly empty, dating to ex- Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s overspending and a decline in revenue because of the poor economy. As a result, Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration has stopped paying service providers in order to keep government functioning day to day. The state owes more than $4.5 billion to such providers,   

Is Gov. Quinn even thinking?
Chicago Tribune – Eric Zorn – Once again, we have a Democratic governor — Pat Quinn, successor to the ousted and indicted Blagojevich — with dismal approval ratings trailing his GOP challenger, state Rep. Bill Brady of Bloomington, in early polling. Public Policy Polling has Brady up 10 points — 43 percent to 33 percent — with 53 percent of those surveyed saying they disapprove of the job Quinn is doing. Rasmussen Reports has Brady up 7 points — 45 percent to 38 percent — with 56 percent saying they disapprove of the job Quinn is doing. Both organizations surveyed approximately 500 voters the first week of April   

Lawmakers Debate Ways to Rework Political Map  MyFox Illinois – SPRINGFIELD – State senators from both parties are calling for changes to the way legislative maps are drawn. …   

Citizen Redistricting Effort Up Against Senate Plan  WSIL TV – Some say changing the culture of corruption in Illinois will require changing the way the state draw legislative districts. …   

Giannoulias fundraising falls short of Kirk total  CHICAGO (AP) — Democrat Alexi Giannoulias said Monday that his campaign posted its best fundraising quarter yet in the first three months of the year but that he didn’t match the quarter posted by Republican Mark Kirk, his opponent for President Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat.   

All or nothing on Blagojevich FBI tapes, defense attorney says  CHICAGO — Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother’s attorney said Monday that all of the FBI’s tapes of the ousted governor talking on the telephone should be kept sealed or else all of them should be released so the public can hear them in their entirety.   

Economic stress eases, but Illinois still among the five worst
Arlington Heights Daily Herald  – Economic stress declined in the nation’s most troubled areas in February as unemployment stabilized and the pace of foreclosures eased, according to The Associated Press’ monthly analysis of conditions in more than 3,100 U.S. counties. After peaking in January, economic stress dipped in February in half the states and half the 3,141 counties. “We are not out of the woods yet,   

High cost of Illinois government planes
Quincy KHQA (CBS) 7 –  Everyone knows how much every penny counts in the State of Illinois — especially in today’s budget climate. Thousands of teachers have been cut to help make ends meet…..but there’s a huge expense you might not have thought about. And it’s sucking up a large chunk of change. Steve Staeger looks at the high cost of Illinois’ government planes 

National News

NJ gov wants teachers union leader fired for memo
Belleville News-Democrat – Christie spokesman Mike Drewniak said the governor wants Bergen County teachers union head Joe Coppola fired for his “irresponsible” memo. The memo from the Bergen County Education Association to its locals included a closing prayer that read:  ”Dear Lord this year you have taken away my favorite actor, Patrick Swayze, my favorite actress, Farrah Fawcett,   

Rural Minn. School Replaces Books With iPads
WBBM TV CBS 2 Chicago – watched a group of his students tap out a test drive on the new iPad. The iPad can access the Internet, hold the contents of books and provide a place for notes. The Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop school board turned a new page on learning by approving $265,000 on this high-tech program. In addition to buying 230 iPads, it will upgrade all school buildings with Wi-Fi   

Missouri gets $54M to fix struggling schools
Belleville News-Democrat –  First priority will be given to 52 struggling schools – mostly concentrated in Kansas City and St. Louis.  The U.S. Department of education said districts must choose one of four options: closing the school and transferring students to higher-achieving schools; replacing the principal and rehiring no more than half the teachers;   

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

In Appeal for Diplomacy, Obama Invokes the Mushroom Cloud

Bush used the image to justify invading Iraq; Obama hopes it will focus attention on tightening security around nuclear materials

Is the U.S. Army Losing Its War on Suicide?

The rate at which soldiers are taking their own lives is increasing under the burden of repeat deployments in war zones

Getting Haiti’s Earthquake Homeless to Move

The first of what may be a new model of shelters has opened up. But will Haiti’s homeless make the move there out of the capital?

The Top Contenders to Replace Justice Stevens

Though President Obama is considering as many as 10 candidates, most observers put the odds on his selecting from a short list of established legal minds who will likely deflect inevitable claims that they are outside the mainstream of legal thought

For Foodies, Ramps Are the New Arugula

There is no shortage of fans, at home and in restaurants; after all, the Church of the Ramp is one of the fastest-growing denominations in the religion of seasonality

Word of the Day for Tuesday, April 13, 2010

ne plus ultra \nee-plus-UL-truh; nay-\, noun:

1. The highest point, as of excellence or achievement; the acme; the pinnacle; the ultimate.
2. The most profound degree of a quality or condition.

In his State of the Union Address, President Obama called on Congress to send him a new jobs bill to sign. He said it should be “our number-one focus in 2010.” The House of Representatives has already passed the NEA-supported Jobs for Main Street Act, which would save or create hundreds of thousands of education jobs, and provide a critical infusion of funds into struggling communities.

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  

Interest groups gear up for fight with legislators over funding  As a result, interest groups across the state, led by unions representing state workers and teachers, have begun deploying an arsenal of persuasion tools on lawmakers who will begin the final stretch of the legislative session this week. They plan to cap the effort with a rally in Springfield April 21 – perhaps the biggest of its kind in city history.   

State now behind $1 million in payments to Harrisburg schools
Harrisburg Daily –  About $400,000 of that amount is in the Transportation Fund. That fund will need a cash infusion to meet April payments, Smith said. The school board in January authorized Tax Anticipation Warrants – borrowing against future taxes — in case any funds dipped too low. “But I delayed that because we got an infusion of cash   

Check may almost be in the mail to Rochester schools   ROCHESTER — The Rochester School District may finally be getting the $10.1 million in Illinois school construction grant money it’s been waiting eight years to receive.   

SD227 board member still fighting for civil rights
Chicago Daily Southtown – In 1961, David Morgan fled the Jim Crow South in search of a better education in Chicago.  Nearly a half-century later, the 68-year-old educator says his freedom of speech has again been denied, his civil rights violated.  “We are fighting another civil rights battle here in the south suburbs,” Morgan said.  This battle is being waged not by white authority, but black – the troubled school board that oversees three high schools in Rich Township School District 227.   

Dist. 204 parents pushing for education funding reform
Chicago Daily Herald -Two months ago, Indian Prairie Unit District 204 officials fought the battle for state education funding with signs in their own front yard. Now, parents say, they’re taking the fight to Springfield. For three days in February, every sign at each of the district’s 33 schools told any   

District 200 teachers pay frozen in first year of new pact
Chicago Daily Herald – A tentative two-year contract that freezes most teacher salaries for one year is likely to win approval Wednesday from the Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 school board. If ratified, the pact will take effect July 1.   

District: Is 6 elementaries 1 too many for Urbana?
Champaign News Gazette –  The Urbana school board will begin talking at a special meeting Tuesday about whether the district should close one of its six elementary schools.   

RIF ripples: Much still unresolved after budget-related layoffs
Champaign News Gazette – Francinna Wright is in her 10th year of teaching young children at Urbana’s Washington Early Childhood school. She loves the close-knit atmosphere at her building, where many of the teachers have worked together for years. Her teaching style, the classroom setup and the units she teaches are all well-established. But because state funding for early-childhood programs   

Feds funds keeping preschool programs above water
Champaign News Gazette – Though state funding for early childhood education programs is still up in the air, Danville school officials said they will be able to offer at least 140 preschool seats in the upcoming school year, thanks in part to the continuation 

State cuts imperil preschool program   Northwest Herald – Pat Quinn and the Illinois State Board of Education, grants for District 19’s preschool program would be cut by 25 percent to 30 percent. …  

Kadner to receive lifetime achievement award
Southtown Star – His outrage is chronicled in literally hundreds of columns, which earned him the Illinois Education Association’s Hero in Education Award. …  

Kaneland teachers, school board to meet
DeKalb Daily Chronicle – the Kaneland School District may be nearing a deal that could avert some of the job losses planned at schools in Elburn, Sugar Grove, Maple Park and Montgomery. Representatives of the Kaneland Education Association are scheduled to meet with the Kaneland District 302 Board of Education on Monday, April 12, before the regular school board meeting   

Teachers Await Grade Level Survey
Mount Prospect Journal – have pushed back finalization of a survey to gauge teacher and staff views of grade level centers in River Trails Elementary School Dist. 26. Supt. Dr. Dane Delli said he, along with River Trails Education Association President Ann Forman and board member Alex Carrillo, are setting up a date most likely for sometime next week to get together and construct the survey.   

Creve Coeur to use stimulus on laptops
Peoria Journal Star – opportunity to enrich and support the middle school experience.” The district is among 15 Illinois school districts that will get $10 million in federal grants to enhance literacy and math education with technology. The money will pay for items such as laptop computers, computer notebooks and other “one-to-one” technological devices.   

Local School District Among 15 Getting Millions in Technology Grants
WGIL AM Radio 14 (Galesburg) –  Fifteen Illinois school districts, including one in Warren County, will get $10 million in federal grants to enhance literacy and math education with technology. The federal stimulus money will pay for items such as laptop computers, computer notebooks and other “one-to-one” technological devices.   

SD227 shares in $10 M in technology grants
Matteson Richton Park Star – Rich Township High School District 227 is among 15 illinois school districts that share $10 million in federal grants to enhance literacy and math education with technology. The federal stimulus money will pay for items such as laptop computers, 

Florida’s bold move
Chicago Tribune Editorial – The legislature’s move has teachers unions up in arms. Andy Ford, the president of the Florida Education Association, told Education Week that his group would work to shake up the make-up of the legislature. “We’re looking toward the November elections, where we’d repeal and reform the legislation, if we can change some seats in the Senate and the House,” Ford said.  Despite enormous pressure, legislators have sent a message that they’re committed to breathtaking reform. Their boldness is refreshing, a template we hope Illinois emulates.

Recession hits ‘private public’ schools, too
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – A study published last month by a nonprofit think-tank, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, reported that more than 1.7 million American children attend “private public schools” – filled with predominately white children, with less than 5 percent coming from low-income homes. In Illinois, 45 of the 60 schools deemed “private publics” are in the suburbs.   

U Of I Tuition Hike May Not Be As Bad As Thought
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 – That would be about $10,337 a year in Champaign, plus room and board. At UIC, tuition would be about $9,092, and in Springfield $8,068. Quinn has suggested an income tax “surcharge” to restore education funding for schools and universities, but his proposed budget calls for cutting education funding by $1.3 billion. Ikenberry said Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget would not chop   

School for blind, deaf children to stay open
Chicago Tribune – through local schools or special education co-ops. The Rock Center is one of many schools being stung by a recession that has diminished state revenue and property taxes, forcing numerous teacher layoffs. But although traditional school districts are able to fall back on property tax revenue, the Rock Center relies entirely on the state.   

After $8.5 million in cuts over past three years, Quincy School Board members …   Quincy Herald Whig – Quinn is going to follow through with what he said,” School Board Vice President Tom Dickerson said. “You’re talking about another $2 million or $3 million …   

Grayslake District 46: Teachers union deal helps save programs
Chicago Daily Herald – and standard step increases account for the 2.75 percent average. With the concessions already approved by the Grayslake Federation of Teachers union members, the agreement will go before District 46 school board for official approval April 28. District 46 Superintendent Ellen Correll said Friday the teachers’ willingness to accept reduced raises will benefit students next year.

Political News

General Assembly returns to full plate
Chicago Daily Southtown – From Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed income tax increase to managing the state’s roughly $13 billion deficit, Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield this week with a hefty plate of unsettled measures before them. 

 Illinois Still Behind On Its Bills   Chicago Public Radio –  Governor Pat Quinn has lobbied hard to raise the income tax rate but the legislature appears unlikely to go along with him at this time.  

Bernard Schoenburg: Brady’s margin of victory grows a bit   The State Journal-Register – ? Pat Quinn, 7 percent for some other candidate and 10 percent unsure. Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, NC, also revealed results from a poll of 591 Illinois …  

Illinoisans must end tolerance of corruption   Bloomington Pantagraph – ?Pat Quinn is banking on ethics being a key issue in November’s gubernatorial election. Simon, a law professor at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, …   

The Illinois spiral  Chicago Tribune Editorial – History often occurs with such bombast that we couldn’t miss it if we tried: a climactic battle, a pivotal court decree, the inauguration of an African-American president. Other times, history evolves quietly via the Law of Accumulation: Little things add up.   

Judge may unveil Blagojevich document  A federal judge says he may make public large portions of a sealed document outlining the government’s corruption case against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.   

Judge with Chicago ties is on Supreme Court short list
Chicago Tribune – Blackmun for articulating in Roe and other cases “the important insight that a core set of individual rights exist that neither the states nor the federal government may trample.” At a 2005 law school lecture in New York, Wood also took direct aim at the notion that jurists need follow a strict and literal path in interpreting the meaning of the Constitution, a dearly held principle   

Lucky fix for schools without raising taxes
Chicago Daily Herald – Gov. Quinn brought the people of Illinois to the proverbial fork in the road and has presented us with two options: Either raise our income tax 1 percent or cut education. I have a better solution. The adult population of Illinois is around 9.5 million people. If my calculations are correct, 1.3 billion divided by 9.5 million equals about 136 one-dollar lottery tickets per adult.   

National News

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Can Obama Make Progress on Global Nuclear Security?

A Washington summit on securing nuclear materials will be largely about symbolic declarations and non-binding promises. But hawks and doves agree that it’s better than nothing

Why Republicans Aren’t Spoiling for a Supreme Court Fight

If Republicans believe there is political hay to be made over the fight to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court, they didn’t show it in speeches at this past weekend’s Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans

Study: Spanking Kids Leads to More Aggressive Behavior

Many parents have found that a swift whack is sometimes the only way to get a child to behave, but a new study says it is bad in the long run

Is the Stock Market Headed Back Down?

An interview with David Rosenberg, chief economist and strategist at Gluskin Sheff in Toronto

Massacre Prompts Debate Over India’s Maoists War

A horrific massacre of paramilitary forces by Maoist guerrillas is part of a conflict that is increasingly about prosperous India versus poor India

After Stevens: The Long and Short of Obama’s SCOTUS Nominee Lists

Here is the unofficial list of other names from one outside group that is keeping a close eye on the President’s team as they work to reach a decision.

Can Hatoyama Be Japan’s Change Agent — At Home and Abroad?

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama wants a more equal relationship with Washington, but nobody’s quite sure what that means

Questioning a Proposed Anti-Bullying Law

Gov. Jennifer Granholm is renewing her calls for the state to enact strong anti-bullying legislation.

What Would Henry Luce Make of the Digital Age?

The author of a new biography of Henry Luce wonders how the Time Inc. founder would meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century 

Word of the Day for Monday, April 12, 2010

neologism \nee-OLL-uh-jiz-um\, noun:

1. A new word or expression.
2. A new use of a word or expression.
3. The use or creation of new words or expressions.
4. (Psychiatry) An invented, meaningless word used by a person with a psychiatric disorder.
5. (Theology) A new view or interpretation of a scripture.

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

Illinois Superintendents Commiserate on Budget Woes  Chicago Public Radio – One estimate says the state could shed 20000 school jobs if cuts proposed by Governor Pat Quinn go through. That will mean larger class sizes in many …   

Schools to state: Don’t balance budget on our backs
Elgin Courier News – School administrators from across Illinois sent a message loud and clear to the state: Pay your bills and fix education funding.  Although no immediate solutions to fix the budget crisis were reached, about 25 school administrators from Springfield to Chicago met Thursday at Morgan Park High School in Chicago to discuss the repercussions of the state’s proposed spending cuts to education. 

Districts That Won $10 M In Technology Grants
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 –  Here are the 15 school districts that were awarded $10 million in federal technology grants:

Keep universities afloat for sake of state’s future
Chicago Sun Times – Editorial –  But in a meeting Thursday with the Sun-Times Editorial Board, interim University of Illinois President Stanley Ikenberry said there is no way the schools can keep doing that. “If we experience the same scenario or worse in the next fiscal year . . . somebody is going to be shutting down,” Ikenberry said. 

University of Illinois president lowers tuition hike forecast
Crains Chicago Business – lead to savings, Ikenberry said, noting that he was waiting on recommendations. Ikenberry said his earlier projection of a 20 percent tuition hike was also based on the possibility that Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget would cut the university’s state appropriation by up to $120 million. But as it stands now, the cuts should be around $45 million, he said. 

Chicago charter school teachers move to unionize  Teachers at four charter schools operated by Aspira, Inc., voted March 19 to unionize. By mid-June, following official recognition by the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board, they will be able to start negotiating a contract. They are the latest Chicago-area schools to move toward unionization after a change in Illinois law making it easier for charter school teachers to organize 

Students protest at CPS schools, HQ
Chicago WLS (ABC) 7 – Hundreds of CPS students from ten schools walked out of class Thursday in protest of planned cutbacks. The students say the cuts will affect their educations. The school board is facing a budget deficit that is approaching $1 billion. Teacher and staff layoffs and the elimination of some programs are being proposed to close the gap. 

Collin Hitt: City needs more school choices — now
Springfield State Journal Register – This year, in a city where fewer than 5 percent of black men will graduate both high school and college, Chicago’s Urban Prep Academy has accomplished what was for some unfathomable. Opened only four years ago, the all-boys public school recently announced

Political News

Illinois Comptroller Warns Of Growing Bill Backlog  WJBD Online –  Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes warned that the state’s backlog of unpaid bills will grow larger by June. In his quarterly report on the … 

Report Shows Illinois Owes $5.5 Billion  MyFox Illinois – A report from the state official that cuts state checks shows Illinois will owe about $5.5 billion …   

Former Gov. Edgar Pushes For Tax Hike  CBS2 Chicago – ?Pat Quinn’s push for a state income tax increase is getting a boost from a prominent Illinois Republican. Former Gov. Jim Edgar says the state can’t fix its …

Former Gov. Edgar doubts state can fix budget without tax hike  WQAD – ?Pat Quinn’s proposal to raise the state income tax. Edgar says the state can’t fix its budget mess without a tax increase. The state faces a $13 billion …   

Edgar says Brady wrong on tax hike
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar said Thursday his party’s candidate for governor is wrong on Illinois’ budget crisis and made the case for hiking taxes – the main plank of Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s platform.   

Quirky Quinn doing just what it takes — to lose election
Chicago Sun Times – Rich Miler- Gov. Pat Quinn is one odd duck. Forget about the 30-year-old briefcase he calls “Betsy.” Or the constant references to his Super 8 VIP card to stress his frugality, even though Super 8 discontinued the VIP card program years ago. Or his penchant for blue-and-purple-striped ties.  That’s just quirkiness. Some of it is even endearing. Quinn also has a very big heart, and I know for a fact that he’s a decent man in private. But he’s odd, man. Really, really odd.   

You Can’t Have Lisa Madigan. Or Can You?
NBC Chicago – We’re pining away for Lisa.  A year ago at this time, Lisa Madigan was the Democratic Party’s best hope for holding onto Barack Obama’s old Senate seat. Rahm Emanuel even invited her to the White House, where he attempted to browbeat her into running.

No saving Illinois’ lower bond rating
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader – Fitch Ratings mentioned the pension changes as a plus for Illinois. But changing pension benefits for future employees is only part of the picture, and this is where things get dicey for Gov. Pat Quinn and lawmakers. Among the options for dealing with a $13 billion budget hole, pension changes were a relatively easy option, opposition from public employee unions notwithstanding.   

Stevens retirement gives Obama second Supreme Court pick  Christian Science Monitor – John Paul Stevens, the longest serving Supreme Court justice, plans to leave the bench in June. The Stevens retirement allows President Obama to name a second high court justice, opening the way for a likely confirmation battle.

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens   Photo Essay – The longest serving member of the high court announces his retirement.

National News  

States push teacher pay based on performance – Education
WMAQ-TV (MSNBC ) Chicago – For parents and politicians hungry for better schools, the idea of paying teachers more if their students perform better can seem as basic as adding two and two or spelling “cat.”  Yet just a handful of schools and districts around the country use such strategies. In some states, the idea is effectively illegal.   

DA’s sex ed warning befuddles Wis. teachers, kids
Mattoon Journal Gazette – be taught and what people think should not be taught,” said Scott Lenz, a health teacher in the New Lisbon School District. He said he would teach contraceptive use if he got the approval of his school board. Southworth said he doesn’t want to drag teachers into court but feels he was ethically responsible for warning them of the new law’s potential consequences.   

Paying Kids for Good Grades: Does It Really Work?  Photo Essay – Two schools in Washington DC participate in a four-city experiment to see if cash can truly make a difference in the classroom  Article: Should Kids be Bribed to Do Well in School?

Teachers union memo jokes about NJ governor dying
Belleville News-Democrat  – “Dear Lord this year you have taken away my favorite actor, Patrick Swayze, my favorite actress, Farrah Fawcett, my favorite singer, Michael Jackson, and my favorite salesman, Billy Mays. I just wanted to let you know that Chris Christie is my favorite governor.”

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Tiger’s Return: Still the Master of His Golf Game

After all the scandal of the last five months, Tiger Woods returned to competitive golf with the best opening round of his glittering Masters career

Could the U.S. Lose Its Base in Kyrgyzstan?

Manas air base is a key to the American mission in Afghanistan, and officials believe that it won’t be lost amid the current unrest — although alternatives will be found

Health Care’s Ugly Aftermath: The Death Threats Mount

Passage of large pieces of legislation is never without controversy. But the violent threats against lawmakers over health care have taken it to a scary new level

The ‘House’ Effect: Are Real Patients Misled by TV Docs?

A study shows that TV doctors cross ethical lines far too often. Is that affecting real-world medicine?

FDIC’s Sheila Bair on Bank Failures and Too-Big-To-Fail

Sheila Bair oversees the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which protects depositors when banks fail. Bair says the banking crisis is now manageable but the nation could be put at risk once again if Congress fails to make needed reforms

Word of the Day for Friday, April 9, 2010

indefatigable \in-dih-FAT-ih-guh-bul\, adjective:

Incapable of being fatigued; not readily exhausted; untiring; unwearying; not yielding to fatigue.

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  

Future teachers worried budget cuts could affect them
Quincy WGEM (NBC) 10 – -The cuts vary by district, but most involve firing teachers, classroom aides, and support workers, and districts say they must cut staff to make ends meet. This is bad news for those ready to graduate and pursue a job as a teacher, but for a pair of education majors, the current economic condition won’t stop them from following their dreams. 

Teaching no longer a ’stable’ career
Chicago WLS (ABC) 7 – A new survey of state schools reveals districts are preparing to cut an even greater number of staff than previously thought.  The Illinois Association Of School Administrators says nearly 20,000 school workers – ranging from teachers to support staff – can expect to lose their jobs thanks to budget cuts. Teachers are on the front line of those losses. With all the uncertainty, teaching, which was once considered stable career, is anything but. 

State’s only school for blind and deaf students in jeopardy
Chicago Tribune – “It’s an enormous burden.” The Rock Center is one of many schools being stung by a recession that has diminished state revenue and property taxes, forcing numerous teacher layoffs. But while traditional school districts are able to fall back on property tax revenue for funding, the Rock Center relies entirely on the state. 

Grayslake teachers accept lower raises
Chicago Daily Herald  – Grayslake Elementary District 46 teachers have agreed to contract concessions in an effort to help bridge a $2.27 million budget gap projected for the 2010-11 school year. 

Board may recall 34 teachers at April meeting  Geneseo, Ill. – Thirty four of the 66 non-tenured teachers who were dismissed by the Geneseo School District are expected to be rehired at the school board’s April meeting. 

Mautino to schools: ‘We’re looking at cuts’
Ottawa Daily – “This is a good sign for us,” Mautino said. School officials questioned Mautino about recent pension reform and how that will impact the teachers’ Retirement System. Mautino acknowledged that some of the changes made to when a person can retire may need to be tweaked for educators. No one, he said, wants a 60-year-old forced 

Dist. 220 superintendent’s contract extended to 2014
Arlington Heights Daily Herald –  Tom has made a commitment to the district for another four years,” Battle said. But the head of a local tax watch group criticized the contract as excessive at a time when both teacher salaries and state funding issues are causing the district to trim personnel and student services. The contract extension gives Leonard a 3.6 percent raise for the current school year, 

Attorney general probes Rich Township SD 227 Board
Park Forest Star – The school board is expected to approve Leak’s contract, which has yet to be negotiated, at its April 20 meeting, board president Sonya Norwood said. Tuesday’s announcement that Leak was the board’s top choice followed an explosive board meeting that drew a crowd of about 200. Members of the teachers union, the student body and elected officials from Richton Park and Olympia Fields read statements, criticizing the board’s actions. 

Beloved Prospect Heights band instructor retiring after 40 years
Chicago Daily Herald – Not many people stay at the same job for 40 years – especially one involving adolescents – but Dave Thomas, the MacArthur Middle School band director, has stuck around to teach generations of children how to excel as musicians.  Thomas is retiring from the Prospect Heights school after almost four decades. 

Students line up as colleges add more ‘green’ programs
Chicago Daily Herald –  from the Pew Charitable Trusts shows. Jobs are being created for people of all skills and educational levels, the report says, including positions like engineers, plumbers, marketing consultants, teachers and administrative assistants. And interest is only expected to rise, with President Obama’s pledge to create millions of green-related jobs in the energy, transportation and manufacturing 

Stimulus cash helping District 116 technology needs
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Round Lake Area Unit District 116 has been awarded $850,000 in federal stimulus money to upgrade technology for students. Illinois State Board of education officials announced the District 116 award Wednesday. The Round Lake area’s school system was one of 15 across Illinois selected to share in $10 million in federal stimulus cash for school 

Bradley students ask administrators for new mascot
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader – Bradley University’s nickname is the Braves, but the school officially has no mascot — something students at the private university in Illinois say they would like changed.  The Peoria school’s students voted Monday and Tuesday in a nonbinding referendum to call on administrators to come up with what their ballots called an ‘appropriate’ mascot, school spokesman Shelley Epstein said Wednesday. 

Time has come to increase income tax
Chicago Daily Herald – Letter to the Editor – Thousands of Illinoisans are losing their jobs because of the state’s inability to pay its bills. Illinois schools are drastically cutting programs. Medicare and Medicaid bills are not being paid to health care providers 

Chicago schools adopt healthier menus
Chicago Tribune – many schools will earn certification next year remains unclear; the district wouldn’t offer a target number. Certification would also require the schools to offer daily recess, increase physical education to at least 90 minutes per week and offer nutrition education in half of all elementary grades and in at least two high school classes required for graduation. 

Restructuring of Board of Trustees on hold  Daily Illini –  The bill currently in the Senate, introduced by State Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-52, would require one of the nine trustees to be affiliated with agricultural pursuits. Reis said this bill could be amended to include further changes, but said it might not pass if it requires a specific agricultural group to be represented among the trustees.

Political News

 Poll Shows Brady Lead Narrowing  MyFox Chicago – The latest poll in the Illinois governor’s race shows Republican Bill Brady in the lead over incumbent Governor Pat Quinn. …

Problems traced to history and power  MyWebTimes.com –  It’s been three decades since Illinois government worked well. That was the last time the state had a governor with enough personal power and political muscle to bring together the legislative leaders, lock them in a room (at least figuratively) and keep them there until they hammered out a budget that was balanced and realistic

Springfield’s real political power, Since 1983, Michael Madigan the ‘real’ governor among the ‘Four Tops’  Streator Times-Press –  Madigan, who has been speaker for 25 of the last 27 years, is one of the four Illinois legislative leaders known collectively as the “Four Tops.” The others are Democrat John Cullerton, the Senate President who presides with a 15-vote majority, and Republicans Tom Cross, who is House Minority Leader, and Christine Radogno, Senate Minority Leader.

Atheist Rob Sherman files $2.3 Billion lawsuit against Gov. Quinn  Chicago Daily Observer – ?Most of the grants challenged by Sherman, Illinois’ leading atheist, go to religious organizations — houses of worship, parochial schools and religious ministries.  Clear, unambiguous language in Article X, Section 3, of the Illinois Constitution says that no grant of money shall ever be made by the State to any church for any purpose.  Article X, Section 3, also strictly prohibits public funds from ever being used to help support any parochial school.  In addition, Article I, Section 3, of the Illinois Constitution provides that no person shall be required to support any ministry against his consent. 

Senate Dems Propose Changes To Redistricting  MyFox Illinois – With the federal government conducting the decennial census, Democratic state senators have introduced a …

Remap debate to have far-reaching consequences
Springfield State Journal Register – Illinois lawmakers’ upcoming debate over how to redraw their legislative districts will have political consequences for the next decade. Democrats and Republicans are pushing rival constitutional amendments to overhaul the system used after each census to remap legislative voting districts. In recent decades, legislative deadlocks have resulted in a map being chosen by lottery.  

Feds: Make former Blagojevich lawyer testify
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – the attorney-client privilege” but that the governor has declined to expressly waive that privilege. Communications between a lawyer and client usually are exempt from being used in court. Gov. Pat Quinn, after replacing Blagojevich in February 2009, waived any notion of privilege on Quinlan’s behalf, and the motion cites case law that there’s no privilege between a government official  

Helen Thomas: ‘I want to die with my boots on’  JACKSONVILLE — Long-time White House correspondent Helen Thomas believes passage of President Barack Obama’s health care reform plan was critical to his presidency.

National News

 Nearly half of US households escape fed income tax
Quad Cities WHBF (CBS) 4 – Tax Day is a dreaded deadline for millions, but for nearly half of U.S. households it’s simply somebody else’s problem.  About 47 percent will pay no federal income taxes at all for 2009. Either their incomes were too low, or they qualified for enough credits, deductions and exemptions to eliminate their liability. That’s according to projections by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington research organization.   

Schools Could Soon Sell Ads on School Buses  News On 6 – One of Oklahoma’s lawmakers is trying to give school districts the ability to make money from mobile advertising. Faced with significant reductions in the budget, school districts across the state are looking for ways to save money and increase revenue.  Representative Seneca Scott, a Democrat from Tulsa, has filed an amendment to SB421 to allow businesses to advertise on the side of school buses.   

Iowa balances budget; but cuts still looming
Quincy KHQA (CBS) 7 – But the General Assembly has worked during the session to fill in some of the funding gaps in the state’s priority areas. That means the cuts won’t be as deep for education, corrections and public safety and economic growth. He says 60 percent of the state’s budget goes to education in some way, from school districts to state universities.   

Low achieving schools getting $18.7 million
Quincy KHQA (CBS) 7 –  The U.S. Department of education is sending $18.7 million to Iowa to help the state’s lowest achieving schools turn around.  The money is being made available through the department’s School Improvement Grants   

Missouri bill could give PE credit for sports, band
Quincy KHQA (CBS) – That’s the premise of legislation given first-round approval Wednesday by the state Senate. The bill would let school districts award one unit of physical education credit to students who participate in at least three years of interscholastic sports or marching band. The legislation also requires regional “professional development centers”   

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

‘Too Big To Fail’: Still a Problem Too Big to Solve?

Giving regulators the authority to liquidate the biggest banks doesn’t mean those banks won’t still rank as too big to fail and that, critics say, is the big problem with Senator Dodd’s financial reform bill

Kyrgyzstan: Did Moscow Subvert a U.S. Central Asian Ally?

Kyrgyzstan is important to Washington for its supply line to the U.S.’s Afghanistan war operations. Moscow has tried to disrupt the U.S.-Kyrgyzstan relationship before. Has it tried again?

Daimler, Renault and Nissan: a Green Auto Alliance

The three companies at the heart of the auto industry’s latest alliance are taking an environmental approach, developing a new generation of small cars and green engines in line with new E.U. regulations

U.S. Officials Downplay Rash of Baghdad Attacks

Despite the recent wave of bombings in Baghdad, the U.S. military insists that the enemies of Iraq, including al-Qaeda, are on their last legs

In India, Getting Mothers Talking Saves Babies’ Lives

Researchers say they’ve found a way to keep more newborns alive in the poorest corners of eastern India: Get their mothers talking

Word of the Day for Thursday, April 8, 2010

interlard \in-tuhr-LARD\, transitive verb:

To insert between; to mix or mingle; especially, to introduce something foreign or irrelevant into; as, “to interlard a conversation with oaths or allusions.”

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  

School officials take hassle out of writing legislators
Evanston Review – The Web site also urges constituents to “join the Illinois Education Association’s Back Home Lobby Days” and contact lawmakers before they return to … 

State fiscal woes forcing more school layoffs
Streator Times-Press – In recent years, school administrators have had to wait for state funding or grants for transportation, special education and childhood education. This year, those problems have worsened and been compounded by a potential $1.3 billion cut to state education funding, causing the layoff of teachers and other school employees.

Mautino: Illinois educators can expect state budget woes to continue  LaSalle News Tribune – The state gave governor Pat Quinn free reign to make whatever cuts and adjustments he thought necessary to the budget. “He was sent lump sums and given the …  

ISBE scrutinizing local schools financial profiles
Belleville News-Democrat – As if they needed another reminder of their precarious financial condition, in recent weeks some local school districts have been notified by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) that their financial profiles are under scrutiny.  Both O’Fallon Township High School District 203 and O’Fallon District 90 find themselves on the financial early warning list. And Central District 104 has been placed in financial review status, according to ISBE’s recently released annual financial profile of the state’s public schools. Shiloh District 85 has been given financial recognition. 

State’s IOU to U46 now $20M
Elgin Courier News – only to find out when he arrived the meeting had been cancelled. U46 board member Karen Carney said that “everything that we’ve used hasn’t worked” to get money from the state. That proves that “education funding in this state is broken,” board President Ken Kaczynski said. Which is why, Ally said, the district made about $30 million in “real cuts” from teachers to sports for next school year  

U-46 official: District now $50 million in the red
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Ron Ally says he feels like a “bit of a broken record these days.” For the past several months, Elgin Area School District U-46’s Chief Financial Officer has reported a similar story to the school board – millions in missing state funds and a growing deficit. Only the picture’s getting bleaker with each report.   

2 top officials, 6 principals leaving U46
Elgin Courier News –  Excellent Schools to open a charter school in the Chicago area. Currently, O’Connor oversees programs in U46 that address barriers to learning, including programs for students who are in special education, and for non-native English-speaking students. O’Connor joined U46 in July 2009 after spending several years as the founding principal of KIPP Ascend Charter School in Chicago   

Farnham faces layoff fallout at Elgin forum
Chicago Daily Herald – State Rep. Keith Farnham faced the music for the state’s budget disaster Tuesday night during a town-hall meeting, vowing to fight future attempts to cut pensions of current teachers and pushing for the state to contract its spending instead of relying on tax increases to make ends meet. “People don’t trust government right now. Somehow we’ve got to earn that trust back,   

Dist. 300 cuts 27 more positions; 51 may be called back
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – by which it must notify teachers they will be dismissed; they allow the district to work toward balancing its 2010-11 budget; and they ensure the district is not overstaffed next year. While the teacher layoffs – 180 in total to date – will pose challenges for the district’s class sizes and leave many young teachers without a job, there are a couple of bright spots. 

Second round of school cuts approved
Oswego Ledger Sentinel – forced to make because the State of Illinois is behind in making its General State Aid and Categorical Grant payments to the district. He said the recommended cuts will be needed if Governor Pat Quinn’s proposed 17 percent cut in school funding goes through. He could not say when the state might make a decision, but said the legislators can act quickly if they decide to. 

2011 Looking Rough for District 205
Rockford WIFR (CBS) – the district is not planning on any layoffs. They will instead borrow $41 million from the district’s savings account and will rehire most of the hundreds of non-tenured teachers who received a pink slip “We have not just randomly fired all of our staff, what we have done is given principals the chance to pick their staff 

Chop the salaries of ‘public servants’
Chicago Tribune – It’s bad enough to suggest that “public servants” forgo raises, even when pay increases in the private sector are as rare as, well, pay increases in the private sector. But imagine the din that will be aroused when someone, in all seriousness, exhorts public servants to take pay cuts.  It makes sense. Reductions in pension benefits for future state workers do nothing to pull Illinois out of its financial sinkhole 

Schools bracing for budget hit
Champaign News Gazette – Last week, in a pre-emptive act of financial self-defense, the Champaign school board took the ax to its employee roster, laying off 149 employees including 96 teachers. Board members’ action came after an earlier, much publicized decision to cut $2.3 million in spending from the budget for the school year beginning in fall 2010.  

Second round of school cuts approved
Oswego Ledger Sentinel –  He could not say when the state might make a decision, but said the legislators can act quickly if they decide to. The cuts include the release of 49 first-year teachers, but O’Donnell said, “We want to make it perfectly clear that we want to bring those teachers back. Their release is primarily for our purposes to allow us to staff and move people around  

Teachers, parents plead: Save music in D204 :: Beacon News :: Local News
Suburban Chicago News –  Greg Lyons comforts his girlfriend, Gretchen Pearson (center right), an orchestra teacher at Hill Middle School, after Pearson spoke during the Indian Prairie School District 204 special board meeting Monday night to discuss cuts to the district’s music program.  

ROWVA board cuts 23 jobs, closes school
Galesburg Register Mail – saying that going to the extreme you are is a leap right now. Being conscientious is one thing but this is another,” said Deb Tuttle, who made another budget presentation on behalf of the Illinois Education Association using many of the same figures as Little, but with a different conclusion. “That’s why you have rainy day fund.”  

District 303 prepares more than $4 million in new cuts
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – solved their budget problems in January by instituting $5.5 million worth of cuts, but a tumultuous state budget will force the district to plan for an additional $4 million in belt tightening. The school board’s Business Services Committee has its first look at the cuts tonight. The majority of the expense reductions come in the form of delaying the update of science textbooks for one year  

District 186 spokeswoman resigns over plagiarism flap
Springfield State Journal – said late Sunday they either were not aware of Watson’s resignation or could not comment because it is a personnel matter. Attempts to reach Watson today were unsuccessful. The school board is expected to take up the matter at its meeting tonight. According to WMAY radio, Watson said she was told she could either resign or be fired.

News-Gazette: Schools bracing for budget hit  The (Champaign) News-Gazette – It’s fair to say that education, both K-12 and higher education, is at the core of the state’s mission when it comes to funding public services. Despite that, education, particularly higher education, has seen its state support coming under increasing pressure in recent years – all this in a state where, until recently, revenue increases were a staple of the state’s budget picture. 

Public school district sued over transport fees
Chicago WBBM 780 Radio – Northeastside parochial students claims Indiana law requires public schools to transport nonpublic school students for free. It seeks an end to the transportation charge. The Lawrence Township school board decided in November to start charging $1 per mile per student to transport 122 students to St. Simon the Apostle School and St. Lawrence schools.  

Letters to the Editor: Leadership at state level is ludicrous
Springfield State Journal Register – Dear Illinois state leaders,
I would like to express my thanks to the General Assembly, the governor, courts, and the Illinois State Board of Education. All of you have been setting a fine example for the people of Illinois. As a result of your example, the students and people of Illinois could learn to never think about what something is going to cost before voting to mandate it.  

Our Opinion: School voucher pilot program deserves support  Springfield State Journal Register – On the first day of the 2008-09 school year, Meeks protested funding inequity at Illinois public schools by busing 1,000 students from Chicago public schools to the wealthier New Trier school district in suburban Northfield. The students were not successful in their attempt to enroll in New Trier schools, but Meeks’ effort brought ample attention to a state funding system that links a school district’s budget to the property values in its community.   

Letters to the Editor: Leaders lack backbone to fix pension problems
Springfield State Journal Register – State pensions are not being paid by taxpayers.  When a person is employed by the state, 4 percent of the employee’s salary is automatically deducted for his or her pension. The employee doesn’t have a choice.  The state is then supposed to match that with its 4 percent. However, the state hasn’t funded its share in years   

Students with Diabetes act endangers school nurse jobs, schoolchildren
Chicago Tribune – Letter to Editor – Encourage your State Senator to vote “NO” to HB 6065/SB 3822 – Care of the Student with Diabetes Act – which allows an unlicensed person, without liability in schools to care for diabetic students including administering insulin, in essence alters state statue to replace the need for a school nurse. HB 6065 SB 3822 language will define a new low for all Illinois school children by removing the requirement for a licensed nurse to administer medications in schools.   

U. of I. narrows presidential candidates to 10
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – University of Illinois trustees say a list of potential new presidents for the university has been narrowed to 10 people, five of them presidents at other schools. Trustee Pam Strobel said Monday after a closed-door meeting that the board is on schedule to name a new president by May. Trustees oversee the three university campuses run by the president. 

GSU awarded $7.1 million teacher training grant
Chicago Daily Southtown – Governors State University has been awarded a $7.1 million grant to place future teachers in an intense training program at some of the poorest schools in the south suburbs. The U.S. Department of Education awarded grants to Governors State and 11 other universities nationwide   

Knox College president to step down
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – The president of a western Illinois college says he’ll step down. Knox College President Roger Taylor tells WGIL Radio he wants to spend more time with his family. He adds that the Galesburg-based school will soon start planning for its next 10 years and so it’s a good time to start thinking about new leadership. It’s not clear when Taylor might actually leave.

Political News

Bill Brady Leads Pat Quinn By 10 Percent In Latest Poll Of Illinois Governor’s …  Huffington Post (blog) – In another disheartening poll for Illinois Democrats, incumbent governor Pat Quinn fell well behind his Republican challenger Bill Brady in a recent survey. …   

IL-Gov: Brady Posts a Big Lead Over Quinn  Swing State Project – ?The scariest number, though, is this one: Pat Quinn’s job approval rating is 25-53. Those are some true toilet bowl numbers. It’d be an amazing feat for an …   

Brady’s Bunch: Leads Quinn by 10pts in New Poll  NBC Chicago (blog) – ?In a new poll from Dem-leaning Public Policy Polling, Brady’s leading Quinn 43-33 and garnering 80% of the GOP vote. Quinn, meanwhile, has just 53% of the …   

Republican leads in Illinois governor’s race  The Hill (blog) – Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) trails his Republican opponent by 10-points in a poll released Wednesday. State Sen. …   

Poll Shows Brady Leading Quinn In Race For Gov.  CBS2 Chicago – ?Incumbent Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn (left) is running for his first elected term in 2010 after replacing ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Republican State Sen. … 

Quinn mum on radical letter  Chicago Daily Herald – Pat Quinn is keeping mum on whether he received one of dozens of foreboding letters sent to governors throughout the country threatening to remove them from … 

Gov mansion needs $12M in repairs  ABC7Chicago.com – ?Governor Pat Quinn’s budget proposal allows for just $75000 in repairs, which is far short of what’s needed to complete the job. 

Gov. Quinn Dismisses Blagojevich’s Radio Comments  MyFox Chicago – ?Pat Quinn is dismissing the comments Rod Blagojevich made while filling in on a Chicago radio show, calling the former governor “yesterday’s tomatoes.    

Blago and brother in conflict
Chicago WLS (ABC) 7 – Lawyers for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother have asked a federal judge to bar prosecutors from playing FBI wiretap tapes at their corruption trial. The request filed Tuesday on behalf of the impeached governor’s businessman brother, Robert Blagojevich, appears to set up a direct clash between the two Blagojevich’s at the trial scheduled to get under way   

The Watcher: Blagojevich done with TV after ‘Apprentice’? Don’t count on it  Chicago Tribune – Is Rod Blagojevich done with television? Don’t count on it. In a conference call with members of the media on Tuesday, Blagojevich, who was ejected Sunday from “The Celebrity Apprentice,” said he’s got another “potential” reality show in the works and he’s said he’s also participating in a documentary.  

National News

DA to teachers: New sex ed course could get you arrested  A district attorney in Juneau County, Wisconsin, warned teachers in a memo sent to schools that if they teach the new sexual education curriculum mandated under state law, they could be arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a child.  Because the law requires teachers to instruct children not only about contraceptives but about how to use them, Juneau County District Attorney Scott Southworth said, schools are forced to encourage students to “engage in sexual behavior, whether as a victim or an offender.”   

Study: Calif. pensions underfunded by $500 billion
Belleville News-Democrat – says California’s public pension funds are underfunded by as much as $500 billion.  The estimated shortfall applies to the retirement systems for California state and local government workers, teachers and University of California employees.  Analysts at those funds estimated their unfunded liabilities to be much lower. But a Schwarzenegger economist says they have been underreporting 

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories   

Can the Tea Party Movement Take the Next Step?

The challenge now is to move beyond rallies and e-mails to real political action. But that won’t be so easy

Obama’s Nuclear Strategy: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t

The Nuclear Posture Review, released this week by President Obama, marks a shift in U.S. nuclear policy. On some points, however, things remain very much the same

 U.S. Cashes In on Corporate Corruption Overseas

The U.S. Government has ramped up efforts to uncover corrupt practices of companies abroad. The moves have enriched government coffers and made executives more cautious

 Judging American Idol: The Final Nine

The nine remaining Idol finalists sang their way through the Lennon-McCartney songbook in this week’s competition. Did they take sad songs and make them better? What would you think if they sang out of tune?

 A New Website for Taking Shots at Your Boss

A new website is betting you’re willing to comment about your co-workers’ job performance just as you would a Netflix movie or an Amazon purchase

  Most Viewed Articles on washingtonpost.com

1) Wanted: A few good parents

At South Hadley High, kids went wild. But where were the parents?

2) Top aide to Steele resigns post amid RNC spending controversy

The Republican National Committee’s chief of staff resigned under pressure Monday, which Chairman Michael S. Steele described as an effort to reassure wavering donors in the wake of a controversy over its most recent expense accounting.

3) 25 dead in W.Va. mine blast, worst since 1984

Rescuers suspended efforts early Tuesday to find four missing coal miners in West Virginia after a mine explosion killed 25 others in the deadliest such disaster in the United States in decades.

4) Redskins are April’s fools

By trading for Donovan McNabb, the Redskins show that they remain addicted to the idea that the Lombardi Trophy is just one player away.

5) D.C. streetcar effort may go down to the wire

The District is putting down the first miles of track for a planned 37-mile streetcar network, a throwback of a kind popping up in many cities that advocates hope will bring back Washington’s still-languishing neighborhoods.

6) McNabb plans to stay for a while

As the Redskins embark on contract negotiations to lock quarterback Donovan McNabb into a long-term deal, they apparently haven’t ruled out the possibility of Jason Campbell returning for one more season.

7) Obama to discuss needs of black community

President Obama will sit down Tuesday with about 20 black religious leaders, including representatives of the major African American denominations, in the second White House meeting in three months to discuss the needs of the black community.

8.) The forgotten District

Where’s the help for the black underclass?

9) New nuclear policy takes middle course

A year after his groundbreaking pledge to move toward a “world without nuclear weapons,” President Obama on Tuesday will unveil a policy that constrains the weapons’ role but appears more cautious than what many supporters had hoped, with the president opting for a middle course in many key areas.

10) Obama’s first pitch: Wild, to the left

Yes, they booed President Obama at Nationals Park on Monday. And he deserved it.

Word of the Day for Wednesday, April 7, 2010

megrim \MEE-grim\, noun:

1. A migraine.
2. A fancy; a whim.
3. In the plural: lowness of spirits — often with ‘the’.

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.    

April Fools’ Day: Origin and History   In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar (the Gregorian Calendar) to replace the old Julian Calendar. The new calendar called for New Year’s Day to be celebrated Jan. 1. That year, France adopted the reformed calendar and shifted New Year’s day to Jan. 1. According to a popular explanation, many people either refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1. Other people began to make fun of these traditionalists, sending them on “fool’s errands” or trying to trick them into believing something false. Eventually, the practice spread throughout Europe.   

State News

 How school, road construction spurred pension reform
Chicago Daily Herald – Illinois General Assembly, in one day, crammed through a sweeping reform of public pension systems. The plan, which was introduced in less than 12 hours, will require future government employees and teachers at all levels to work longer for smaller pensions than today’s public-sector work force receive. The proposal now awaits approval by Gov. Pat Quinn, who said he’ll support the reforms.   

State officials insist school reform willl happen
Springfield State Journal Register – Whether Illinois wins federal money or not, state education officials have made one thing clear: school reforms are on their way.   The state lost its bid for more than $500 million in Race to the Top grants Monday, when the U.S. Department of Education announced that only two of 41 participating states — Delaware and Tennessee — had good enough plans to win.   

Area schools’ unfunded mandates a Springfield concern
Marion Daily Republican – But utopia costs a lot of money. And we don’t have any money right now.” Eddy’s proposal is now in the Illinois Senate, where he said he hopes he can finesse the legislation to Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk this summer. Carterville Unit 5 receives state funds for driver’s education, but superintendent Tim Bleyer said it wasn’t enough. “We get $13,000 for it from the state,   

Spending $3.9 million on artificial grass
Chicago Daily Southtown – Phil Kadner – There’s not much that’s fair about the way schools are funded in Illinois.   Some school districts in areas with less property tax wealth than District 230 are forced to cut extracurricular programs and teachers and increase class sizes. Some people might also claim those districts are not managed as well.   However, if people in Orland Park, Tinley Park and other towns within District 230 are wondering about the purchase of artificial turf, imagine how folks feel in districts that have eliminated sports programs or combined them with other high schools.   Life isn’t fair. And in Illinois, that’s by design.   

U46 may consider four-day school week
Elgin Courier News – It wouldn’t happen right away, but School District U46 officials say they may consider adopting a four-day school week in the future.  In an effort to help financially struggling school districts save cash, the Illinois House last month approved legislation that would allow local school boards to enact four-day weeks for students.   

Our Opinion: Give schools 4-day option
Springfield State Journal – WHEN THE Illinois House voted last week to allow Illinois school districts to adopt a four-day school week, our initial reaction was bemusement. We could not imagine any school district changing to such a schedule. Setting aside questions about the effect 

Highland, Triad on state’s ‘early warning’ list  Despite widespread cutbacks among regional school districts, the Illinois State Board of Education says more than two-thirds of districts are doing a good job weathering the recession.  That’s according to an annual financial list released March 24, by the ISBE. The report is garnering a lot of attention this year because of the state’s financial crisis.   

Homewood teachers union set stellar example
Chicago Daily Southtown –  This is a rare example of a teachers union choosing cooperation over confrontation, and the students are the real winners. A lack of aid payments from the state and a proposed cut to education funding in Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget for next year has Homewood School District 153 along with Chicago Heights School District 170, Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210   

More Cuts On The Table In Hillsboro
Hillsboro Journal News – The Hillsboro School Board discussed cuts in non-certified staff, the athletic budget, and those suggested by the Hillsboro Unit Education Association, but took no action on any of the proposals during a special board meeting Tuesday night at the unit office. The proposal presented to the board was to cut 13 teachers’ aides,   

More D300 teachers may be released
Elgin Courier News – District 300 attempts to balance its budget for the 2010-2011 school year. The state already owes the district about $12 million in categorical funding, and Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed cutting all education funding by an additional 25 percent in the coming year. But Hanetho said the cuts the school board has made aren’t shared equally across the school district.   

State budget handcuffs local school districts
Batavia Sun –  that haven’t been paid, and some of those date back as far as Sept. 1, spokesman Alan Henry said. “We’re paying the things that have to be paid every month,” Henry said. education funding has to compete with other state priorities, including debt payments, Medicaid reimbursements and a working state government.   

District 401 prepares for cuts proposed in Quinn’s budget
River Grove Messenger – “We hope to have material budget projections for the state within a reasonable timeframe.” Quinn’s proposed budget slashes more than $2 billion in spending, along with $1.3 billion in education funding from general state aid, special education, student transportation and grants at the K-12 grade levels. Mary Fergus, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Board of Education said,   

Sign of the times: District 34 posts signs to show state’s debt
Lake Villa Review – When they don’t come through, it leaves the community in a hard spot.” Thompson said District 34 has a little reserve money to help make ends meet, “but it’s a big blow.” He added that Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget would mean $835,000 less in funding for District 34 in the next fiscal year compared to this year, “and that’s on top of the $1 million they haven’t paid us.”   

2 Illinois universities receive federal grants
Chicago WBBM 780 Radio – Chicago area are to share in nearly $19 million in federal teaching grants. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin on Wednesday announced the grants for Governors State University and the University of Chicago. The teacher Quality Partnership grants come from Department of Education stimulus money. Durbin’s office says the funds are to be used to improve teacher instruction.   

Triton faculty decries program cuts
West Proviso Herald – “You don’t know how the decision was made. Perhaps if people knew, they’d be less upset with it,” he said. Bill O’Connell, a member of the Automotive Sciences department and an official with the teachers union, said the faculty association “has gone on record recognizing that this financial crisis is real.” Sikora said he and Faculty Association President Debra Baker  

Political News

 New Lt. Gov. hopeful Simon says education is a priority everywhere
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – “It’s easy to get some agreement that this should be a priority. It’s a little bit harder to get some agreement on exactly what we do to address that issue.” In Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget, elementary and high school funding would be cut by 17 percent without an income tax hike. But Simon said the state’s pension reform, additional cuts and a 1 percent tax   

Quinn Doesn’t Like Some Education Reforms
WGIL AM Radio 14 (Galesburg) – A measure giving vouchers to students in the 49 worst-performing elementary schools in Chicago, allowing the students to attend private and charter schools, has passed the Illinois Senate. The governor is opposed. “I’m not for vouchers. I don’t think we should go that route,” he said. “But I am for public charter schools. As a matter of fact this year, we doubled the number of eligible schools to be charter schools in [Chicago], the suburbs and Downstate. There are some very good results from the public schools that are charter schools.”   

Gov. Quinn’s proposal passing the buck  You would have to live a pretty sheltered life not to have heard about all the fuss Gov. Pat Quinn caused with his recent budget proposal. Among many other things, his proposed budget calls for a 1 percent increase in the state income tax, while at the same time reducing the amount of funding from that tax directed towards municipalities.   

Illinois’ bond rating drops
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader – in Springfield and on Wall Street. The problem itself is worrisome, but some of the proposed solutions to closing the gap for the next budget year also leave Illinois a risky investment. Gov. Pat Quinn proposed borrowing nearly $5 billion in his budget address. If that level of borrowing is approved, Illinois’ debt will increase to 6.3 percent of personal income from 4.4 percent.   

Bernard Schoenburg: Jackson Jr. ‘red-faced’ about running of red lights
Springfield State Journal Register – Ask a tough question, and sometimes you get a straight answer.  That proved to be the case with a situation involving U.S. Rep. JESSE JACKSON JR.  Jackson, a Chicagoan representing the 2nd Congressional District, is a new member of the Democratic State Central Committee.   

Bill Brady: A closer look
Windy City Times – After a tight and heated primary, state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-24th District, conceded the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination March 5 to fellow senator Bill Brady, R-44th District. Since then, LGBT Republicans in Illinois have been coming to terms with the choices that await them Nov. 2: Don’t vote, vote Democratic or vote for a candidate who might try to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage and civil unions.   

The day tea parties made sense  Kristen McQueary – I admit: The whole tea party movement has bewildered me. While I appreciate the rebellion, I’m confused about the root irritant. Is it big government? High taxes? Health care for immigrants? A black president? All of the above? Then Wednesday, tea party activist Jim Tobin, of National Taxpayers United of Illinois, handed me a sheet of paper he distributes at rallies. The paper lists Illinois’ top 100 government pension payouts of 2008 and 2009.  

National News

Rural ‘Dropout Factories’ Often Overshadowed  While most of the attention is on urban high schools with low graduation rates, rural schools also struggle to retain at-risk students.   

On schools, town has a message: Don’t mess with Texas   MADISONVILLE, TEX. — As vendors sold yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flags nearby, Texas State Board of Education member Don McLeroy assured a gathering of Tea Party activists one recent evening that President Obama was going to keep his hands off the schools in the Lone Star State.
(By Michael Birnbaum, The Washington Post) 

Colleges move to keep lid on tuition hikes
4% OR LESS IS NEW STANDARD
Many increases are lowest in years
(By Daniel de Vise, The Washington Post) 

Reform tackled another crippling cost — college
Tucked inside the health-care reform law is significant financial relief for the millions of students who borrow to obtain a higher education.  No longer will private lenders play the middleman in federal student-loan transactions. As of July, all new federal loans will come directly from the U.S. Department of Education.  

Internet disruptions raise tensions for Google in China
Several Internet disruptions in Asia this week portend what could be a long standoff between China and foreign search giants.
(By Cecilia Kang, The Washington Post) 

Teacher found not guilty at ‘dirty dancing’ trial
Belleville News-Democrat – A former high school chorus teacher was acquitted Wednesday of criminal charges in connection with a suggestive dance routine students performed in his classroom in 2008. Ending a two-day trial in Georgia’s DeKalb County State Court, jurors found Nathan Grigsby not guilty of five misdemeanor charges of contributing to the depravation of a minor.

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Apple’s iPad: The Mothership Prepares for Launch  A confessed Apple fanboy gets finger time with the iPad — and face time with Steve Jobs

 Afghanistan’s New Bumper Drug Crop: Cannabis  Afghanistan is already the world’s biggest producer of opium. Now, according to the U.N., the country can add cannabis to its growing list of major drug crops, too 

Obama’s Drilling Compromise Pleases Exactly No One  Environmentalists and conservatives are both unhappy, but his plan may ultimately provide the best way forward 

Harvesting Democracy in Afghanistan  With the Taliban uprooted from Marjah, will McChrystal’s “government in a box” bear fruit?

 Guantanamo Detainees Collect Food for Haiti  The U.S. military is using the Marine base as a staging area for humanitarian relief for Haiti. Though Guantanamo inmates can’t see the effort from their area, their lawyers are very familiar with it since it’s being done from next to where they stay

Word of the Day for Thursday, April 1, 2010

hugger-mugger \HUH-guhr-muh-guhr\, noun:

1. A disorderly jumble; muddle; confusion.
2. Secrecy; concealment.

adjective:
1. Confused; muddled; disorderly.
2. Secret.

adverb:
1. In a muddle or confusion.
2. Secretly.

transitive verb:
1. To keep secret.

intransitive verb:
1. To act in a secretive manner.

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  

Group pushes for state income tax hike
Crete Star – A group of politicians and pastors rallied Tuesday outside Lincoln School in Chicago Heights to urge state officials to pass a 33 percent income tax hike to help fund education.  Gov. Pat Quinn called on lawmakers earlier this month to approve an income tax hike to help the state manage through its looming budget woes. Quinn proposed slashing funding for Illinois’ public schools by $1.3 billion in the fiscal year that begins July 1. 

Permit 4-day weeks
Chicago Tribune Editorial – The Illinois House has sent to the Senate a bill that would allow local school boards to adopt a four-day week. Our first response: Bad idea. Shortening the school week is a move in the wrong direction. Illinois kids need more time in school, not less. They need a longer school day, and a longer school year. U.S. children spend far less time in school than their peers in Europe and Asia. 

Illinois doesn’t need to save $72M
Kadner: I wrote Friday that abolishing the Illinois Education Expense Credit could save the jobs of about 900 teachers or 464 state troopers. Readers, however, have been overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the credit. 

 $400M prize worth education teamwork
Chicago Sun Times – It’s time for the Illinois State Board of Education to move into sales mode.  The agency has come up with a strong plan for school reform in Illinois — good enough to rank fifth among 16 finalist states competing for a slice of $4 billion in federal education dollars. The plan includes many long-overdue reforms, including higher academic standards, tougher tests, a new system that factors student test results into teacher evaluations and more fixes for failing schools.

Ralph Martire: State needs to raise revenue to adequately fund core public services
Springfield State Journal Register – Say you’re a member of the Illinois General Assembly. Amid the legion of lobbyists tugging on your ear and the hundreds of bills being introduced covering everything from health care to horse tracks, there’s still no question about what your biggest challenge is this legislative session: finalizing a general fund budget for fiscal year 2011, which starts in just three, short months, 

Lack of state funds hits schools hard
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader – It seems like every day in the past month, schools have been in the news about financial issues and different cuts that have had to be made. I would like to talk about those financial issues in more detail to explain the breadth of the problem. 

Champaign School Board votes to layoff 150 teachers and staff
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – believes the district tried it’s best to stay away from students in making cutbacks, but says whenever you cut teachers it hits the kids, too. Foertsch says it’s not yet clear how these RIFs will affect class size. On top of all this, the state is $1.7 million behind in payments to Champaign schools. 

District 102 votes to lay off 18 teachers
La Grange Doings – The La Grange Elementary School District 102 Board agreed to lay off 13 full-time and five part-time teachers Monday in response to budget constraints. Superintendent Warren Shillingburg said he’s hopeful some of the teachers can be hired back before the start of the next school year, 

Princeville School Board approves layoffs
Peoria Journal Star – A fourth- and fifth-grade teacher were laid off along with two teacher assistants. There are 52 teachers in the district. A week ago, members of the Princeville Unit District Education Association voted to not open up its contract with the district and consider a wage freeze of their salaries, a move that would have stopped the teacher layoffs. 

Keokuk school cuts made final
Quincy KHQA (CBS) 7 – The Keokuk school board has made some tough decisions for the upcoming school year. The district will lose almost a million dollars next year because of state budget cuts and declining student enrollment. 

Stark County schools approve budget cuts
Peoria Journal Star –  will provide maximum savings without eliminating programs or causing reductions in service to core academic areas,” Klooster said. The cuts were deemed necessary even after the Stark County Education Association had agreed to a one-year base freeze on teacher salaries, Klooster said. While the specific impact of that varies with individual teachers’ seniority and circumstances, 

District 113 cuts won’t be ‘massive layoffs’
Highland Park News – with the North Shore Special Education District, contrary to some of the rumors going around. The district may end up letting go of one or two support staff due to enrollment in certain programs. Teacher staffing decisions will be based on enrollment and program registration, the same as past practices, according to officials, who have promised no “significant reductions” next year. 

Stark County schools approve budget cuts
Peoria Journal Star –  a budget-cutting plan for next year in anticipation of losses in state funding. At a special meeting, the School Board voted 6-0 to approve $443,000 in budget reductions that will include both teachers and noncertified personnel, as well as trimming expenses in some nonstaff areas. They were spelled out in a list of 28 specific categories. 

Decatur School Board continue to debate budget options
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – losses in tax revenue, and increased operating costs for the district. At one moment the discussion got heated after one parent suggested Superintendent Gloria Davis take a pay cut and questioned teacher salaries and pensions. The parent pointed out that Superintendent Davis’ $211,000 salary is higher than the Governor’s $150,000 salary. 

District 102 cuts 13 full-time, five part-time teachers
Stickney Life – Elementary School District 102 has announced a reduction in staff by 13 full-time teachers and five part-time teachers for the 2010-11 school year. The decision by the Board of Education March 29 comes within 45 days before the end of the school year to notify teachers of dismiss 

Pension reform should include current workers
Chicago Sun Times – Last week in Springfield, the hole swallowed up the doughnut.  Both houses of the Legislature enacted pension reform for Illinois workers, but they created exemptions so the reforms do not apply to any sitting legislator or any current Illinois worker. The left hand giveth and the right hand taketh away. It was first-rate sleight-of-hand, but it is terrible policy. 

Moffitt miffed over rushed pension reform bill
Galesburg Register Mail – Cost of Living Adjustment is reduced. Teachers unions also do not like how the final average salary is calculated or that the maximum pensionable salary is $106,800. In a prepared statement, the Illinois Education Association called the bill a “tsunami.” “Those of us who are advocated for public education were hit be a tsunami of seismic proportion,” 

School cuts discriminate, hold students ‘hostage’
Beacon News – I recently dropped in on Mike Chapin at West Aurora School District 129 to talk about the school funding crisis.   For those of you who don’t know, Mike is director of community relations for the district. These days, it takes moxie to direct anything associated with public education. 

Student expelled after showing knife in class
Journal&Gazette Times-Courier -displayed a knife in class and threatened to harm a classmate has been expelled from Neoga Community Unit School District No. 3 for two years, according to meeting minutes from the district.Neoga school board members on Friday evening discussed the incident in closed session before returning to open session to vote on the matter. 

If your student pays for school lunch, they’re in the minority
Quincy WGEM (NBC) 10 –  The Quincy Public school District will serve about 5,300 lunches in the average school day, and 53 percent of those will be free or reduced price. “If you are a paid kid you’re in the minority,” says Jean Kinder, 

Durbin Says More Money Should Be Available for Pell Grants
WGIL AM Radio 14 (Galesburg) – of the nation’s 45-year-old student loan program. Speaking to students at Roosevelt University in Chicago, U.S. Sen. Durbin (D-Ill.) said the provisions, which were included in the Health Care and education Reconciliation bill, force commercial banks out of the business of administering federally guaranteed student loans. Durbin says cutting out the middlemen will save money for students. 

Higher Education Seen as Job Security
Rockford WIFR (CBS) 23 – “In today’s workforce, if you don’t have higher education, a bachelor’s degree is just not enough anymore,” Rockford College Student Aria Ruotsi said. Ruotsi is getting a Bachelor’s in business administration 

Political News

Quinn optimistic after “Race to the Top”
Chicago WBBM 780 Radio –  Although Illinois lost out in the initial round of applications for federal “Race to the Top” education funding, Gov. Pat Quinn remains optimistic that it will receive money in the second round of applications. Illinois ranked fifth out of 16 finalists in the initial round of applications, 

Quinn Now Says Income Tax Hike Could Save State Police Layoffs
WGIL AM Radio 14 – Gov. Pat Quinn says the state trooper layoff plan might be averted, if state lawmakers approve his income tax plan. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Quinn said the same thing about teacher layoffs. 

Quinn Has Busy Day Of Campaigning, State Work
WBBM TV CBS 2 Chicago – Just days after officially getting a new running mate, Gov. Pat Quinn and lieutenant governor nominee Sheila Simon have busy schedules packed with campaign stops and official state duties. Quinn speaks Wednesday morning at a Chicago breakfast 

Sheila Simon: Learning About The Democrats’ New Lieutenant Governor Nominee  Huffington Post (blog) – Sheila Simon, the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, shredding it on the banjo with her band, Loose Gravel. As you probably know, Sheila Simon won …   

Sheila Simon still has to prove herself  Chicago Sun-Times – ? It annoys us slightly that the Democratic Party in Illinois has slated Sheila Simon for lieutenant governor in large part because her father was Paul Simon. …   

Turner not picked  Chicago Defender – Illinois Democratic leaders gave the nomination for lieutenant governor Saturday to Sheila Simon, daughter of an …   

Little downstate support and Rickey Hendon doomed Art Turner’s chances of …  Chicago Reporter – ?In that election, Turner won only one county, Cook County. It was a major feat considering that nearly 63 percent of the votes in the primary came from Cook …   

State Capitol Q&A: Halftime in the General Assembly
Springfield State Journal Register – It’s almost Easter. For state lawmakers, that means it’s halftime. Legislators wrapped up the first half of their session last week and are on a two-week spring break. As usual, they’ve shuffled a lot of measures around, but there’s still a long way to go. This week’s State Capitol Q&A takes a closer look at what legislation lawmakers have moved so far  

Tea Party Express III coming to state fairgrounds  The Tea Party Express III, a national bus tour of the tea party rallies, includes a stop at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Monday.

National News

Obama says students, community colleges to benefit from loan changes he signed into law
Chicago Tribune – Community colleges, which enroll more than 6 million students and are growing fast, will receive $2 billion over the next four years for a competitive grant program to provide training and education programs. The grant program was created in the economic stimulus bill enacted last year, but never funded. Q: What about funding for institutions that serve mostly   

Teacher Who Inspired ‘Stand And Deliver’ Dies
Chicago WBBH (CBS) – Edward James Olmos played Escalante in the film based on his story. Olmos says Escalante proved that inner city students can perform at the highest levels, and left an important legacy for American education.   

Obama takes care in sizing up ‘tea party’ movement
Boston Globe – President Barack Obama stepped carefully when talking for the first time about the conservative tea party movement, acknowledging it has legitimate concerns about federal reach and spending, but he contended the core of the loose anti-government network is “on the fringe.” The latest political phenomenon, barely a year old, has leaders on both sides of the political spectrum puzz   

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Eric Holder’s Trials and Tribulations  The Attorney General wanted to prosecute a top terrorist in New York City. Plan B, anyone?

Travel Snafu: The Stumbling Search for a TSA Chief  The President’s two attempts at getting an appointment in have come crashing down dramatically. That’s only O.K. until something horrific happens 

Not So Pretty in Pink: Are Girls’ Toys Too Girly?  Tired of seeing only pink toys and clothes being marketed to little girls, two British sisters have launched a drive to try to break the shopping stereotypes   

Judging American Idol: The Final Ten   It was “soul and R&B night” on Idol last night, which brought Usher on to mentor — and to spend several minutes selling his new album with Ryan Seacrest. Did he work some of that Justin Bieber magic with the final ten?   

Chávez’s New Tactic Against Dissent: Anti-Defamation Law  Has the Venezuelan President miscalculated by using a less than savory law against an otherwise unadmirable opponent?

Most Viewed Articles on washingtonpost.com

1) At U.S. dinner tables, food may be a fraud

The expensive “sheep’s milk” cheese in a Manhattan market was really made from cow’s milk. And a jar of “Sturgeon caviar” was, in fact, Mississippi paddlefish.

2) With health bill complete, Obama allows himself a moment of celebration

Is the spring back in President Obama’s step? On Tuesday, with audience members shouting “fired up!” and not a protester in sight, Obama signed a sweeping higher education funding overhaul into law along with the last portion of his health-care bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Jill…

3) Vatican defends Pope Benedict amid Catholic Church sex abuse scandal

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Tuesday dismissed any notion that Pope Benedict XVI should take personal responsibility for the child sex abuse scandal rocking the church, defending his management of such cases and vowing the crisis would not interrupt what historians view as his conservative agen…

4) Where the rhetoric of rage can lead

There is a good reason to worry about right-wing anti-government extremism.

5) School staffs face tough questions on bullying

BOSTON — A gay teenager in New York wins $50,000 from a school district that failed to stop taunts about his sexual orientation. The Justice Department investigates complaints that administrators ignored racial bullying in a Philadelphia school.

6) High court restricts whistleblower lawsuits

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday placed limits on existing whistleblower lawsuits alleging local governments misused federal money, in a decision that produced newcomer Sonia Sotomayor’s first dissenting opinion.

7) Girlfriend charged in death of man known in D.C. goth scene

The girlfriend of Dirk Smiler, the gourmand Goth and D.C. club scene fixture, was arrested Tuesday and charged in Fairfax County with his murder.

8.) This Final Four has it all

There may not be such thing as a perfect Final Four, but the one that will begin on Saturday in Indianapolis comes pretty close.

9) Celebritology: ‘Twilight’ stories keep coming

Here’s the reason why we refer to “Twilight” as a saga. Because it’s never going to end.

10) Is it ethical to Google a patient? Or to read his Facebook page?

As his patient lay unconscious in an emergency room from an overdose of sedatives, psychiatrist Damir Huremovic was faced with a moral dilemma: A friend of the patient had forwarded to Huremovic a suicidal e-mail from the patient that included a link to a Web site and blog he wrote. 

Word of the Day for Wednesday, March 31, 2010

bedizen \bih-DY-zuhn\, transitive verb:

To dress or adorn in gaudy manner.

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. …

News Of The Day »

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 …

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

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Where Manny Pacquiao Is the Underdog: Philippine Politics

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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?

The president of the states’ largest education employees organization today expressed both disappointment and optimism upon learning that Illinois won’t receive first round funding from the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) program.

According to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Ken Swanson, while a first round RTTT grant would have been great for Illinois, he’s hopeful that some of that much-neededfunding could find its way to the Land of Lincoln in later rounds.

“The winners announced today, Delaware and Tennessee, submitted applications reflecting collaboration between education employee unions, their state boards of education and other education stakeholders,” Swanson said.  “IEA has similar relationships with the Illinois education stakeholders and that’s one of the keys to getting RTTT funding.”

“To qualify, everyone at the negotiating table must be willing to co-develop a good plan that will yield long-lasting, sustainable results.  That’s what we did with the State Board and the other stakeholders” he added.

The federal Race to the Top program allows states to compete for more than $4 billion in federal education money for the purposes of improving education through innovation and data-driven decisions.

There were 16 finalists for the 1st rounds and Illinois placed fifth. Three of the top five states, the two winners and Illinois, had support from their National Education Association (NEA)-affiliated unions. Florida and Georgia rounded out the top five.

NEA also commented on the RTTT announcement, saying that the U.S. Department of Education, “…is signaling that states must have collaborative partnerships and comprehensive plans that demonstrate high standards if their applications will be considered viable in future phases of the Race to the Top program.”

The next step in the process is for applicants who did not receive RTTT funds to analyze the comments from the federal evaluators and determine whether any changes in the application are needed or wanted.

Applications for second round funding are due June 1, with recipients to be named in September.

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 

School Budget Crisis: Illinois Loses Much-Needed ‘Race To The Top’ Funds  Huffington Post – The already grim Illinois public education budget got even bleaker Monday, with the announcement that a desperately-needed infusion of federal cash is not …

Source: Illinois denied in first round of federal education grants  The U.S. Department of Education has picked Delaware and Tennessee for the first round of its “Race to the Top” competition, giving part of an unprecedented $4.35 billion to the states, a source said on Monday.

‘Devastating’ layoffs loom in school districts statewide
Chicago Sun-Times – It’s going to significantly diminish the quality of education throughout the state,” said Charlie McBarron, spokesman for the Illinois Education Association …    

20000 teachers to be laid off in state, group says
Chicago Daily Herald – Bill Brady, criticized Quinn at an Illinois Education Association banquet March 20 for threatening the education cuts, saying Quinn’s proposed budget … 

The worst may be yet to come for Illinois educators and students
KFVS – Jim Tammen with the Illinois Education Association said the future does not look bright. “It’s finally hitting the school districts who have already …  

20,000 teachers to be laid off in state, group says
Chicago Daily –  ”State government leaders have a choice: Either pass new revenue or face a 17 percent cut in state funding for K-12 schools next year,” said Ken Swanson, president of the Illinois Education Association, another one of the groups in the coalition. Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget would cut elementary and high school funding by 17 percent without an income tax hike.  

School groups: Education layoffs may top 20,000
Chicago Daily Southtown –  Education advocates want state officials to raise taxes. The groups include the Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Illinois Education Association and more.   

Larger class sizes ahead as teachers collect pink slips
Chicago Tribune – “Right now it is a terrifying time for teachers and education support professionals, and for parents who have kids in school,” said Charles McBarron, spokesman for the Illinois Education Association, based in Springfield. “The things that make school special are all at risk.” Officials also must adhere to federal laws regarding special education programs,   

Lawsuit aimed at school funding
Champaign News Gazette – It has long been clear that funding pubic education in Illinois is a political issue left – and best left – to the governor and Legislature. It’s so clear, in fact, that advocates of increased funding put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot in the mid-1990s that would have mandated a specific funding formula beyond legislative control. The amendment was defeated. But creative lawyers keep drafting new theories to justify judicial intervention on legislative turf.    

What will next year look like in D300?
Elgin Courier News- and it’s not likely to make its payment due April 1 either, CFO Cheryl Crates said. That will bring the amount owed the school district to about $12 million. And Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed cutting state education funding, should the district receive what it is owed, by as much as 25 percent in the coming year. More cuts coming.   

Shelbyville school board votes for $592,000 in cuts
Journal&Gazette Times –  agreed to make other cuts including some assistant coaches, reducing transportation costs and eliminating new technology purchases. The teachers’ union, the Shelbyville Education Association, approved a contract that saw salary freezes and Shelbyville’s principals, athletic director and special education coordinator all also volunteered to take a pay freeze.   

Layoff notices going to 29 Evanston teachers
PioneerLocal.com  – Jean Luft, president of the District Educators’ Council, also urged District 65 School Board members to join with the Illinois Education Association on their lobbying day, April 21. “Up to 17,000 Illinois teachers may receive pink slips because of our state’s lack of funding for education,” said Luft,  

East St. Louis school district announces it will lay off 250 workers
Belleville News-Democrat –  On Friday, East St. Louis school leaders announced 250 employees are being laid off at the end of the school year. The cuts include 134 teachers and 10 administrators, as well as social workers, psychologists and counselors.  Superintendent Dr. Theresa Saunders said the district had no other choice.    

Our View: Of school cuts, four-day week doesn’t make grade
Peoria Journal Star –  150 School Board pink-slipped about a quarter of its teaching staff and could be looking to excise some 350 jobs in all. They had us beat in Elgin, where nearly 1,040 employees – some 730 of them teachers – just got the bad news that they might not have jobs in local classrooms next year. In Chicago, the state’s largest school district is wrestling with a deficit that could top $1 billion   

Editorial: Bottom line is learning  HB4866, hastily approved as a cost-cutting measure for embattled school districts on a 81-21 vote Monday, is raising plenty of questions among area educators. We wish House lawmakers had been as curious. 

‘F’ for 4-day school week
Crystal Lake Northwest Herald – Grand Canyon won’t happen during a tough year. But pulling an entire district of school children out of class one day a week to save gas money is shortsighted. We suspect that members of any school board here that decided to switch to a four-day week had better pack suitcases before the vote. And bring plenty of gas money to get out of town.  

Here’s $72 million state could save
Chicago Daily Southtown – Phil Kadner – There’s a way to save the jobs of more than 900 school teachers, or 464 state troopers in Illinois. Eliminate the Education Expense Credit on Illinois income tax forms. The credit, available to people with children in private or public schools   

Preschool benefits make potential cuts difficult
Streator Times-Press – Under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s Preschool For All program, districts write a grant for their preschool program and submit it to the state. The grant request provides a list of costs that include teacher salaries, benefits, materials and other expenditures. The state can tweak that list, but once the application is approved, the state will make monthly payments to support that program.   

Pleasant Hill school district could cut sports, teachers
Peoria Journal Star – “We’ll just have to get creative about how we provide the services,” Bute said. The state is almost $200,000 behind in payments to the district, and Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget and its 10 percent reduction in general state aid calculates to a reduction of $160,000 to Pleasant Hill in the next school year.  

Elementary schools named to honor roll
Galesburg Register Mail –  All six elementary schools in Galesburg Community Unit school District 205 have been named to the 2009 Illinois Honor Roll released recently by the Illinois State Board of Education. 

Political News  

Unions not happy with pension overhaul
Suburban Chicago News – Local lawmakers feel the pension reforms passed by the Illinois legislature Wednesday are a step in the right direction.  But public employee unions disagree. For example, teacher unions fear the plan’s later retirement age will addle local school districts with an unreasonable financial burden. 

Still teaching at 67? School, union leaders question pension reform
Chicago Daily Herald – mess has left schools hurting more than just about any government entity. Suburban school leaders have spent recent weeks slashing millions from their budgets, collectively firing thousands of teachers, and hacking away at the special education, music and sports programs that draw so many families to the suburbs. While superintendents and union leaders alike are crying out for a funding fix 

Pension reform a great gamble  Southtown Star – Rich Miller – ? In about 10 1 / 2 hours last week, the House and Senate introduced, debated and passed sweeping pension reform legislation by overwhelming   

Pension reform: relief or burden?  Chicago Flame Online (subscription) – The state legislature passed pension reform last week, causing much anguish amongst professors who worry that the state and the university are not   

Speaker Madigan cracks the whip with new pensions law
Champaign News Gazette – The legislative process in Illinois is like no other, as the passage of a bill changing pension rules for new state employees demonstrates. Leaders of public employee unions all across Illinois are trying to get the license number on the truck that ran over them last week. They could use some help since they’re still woozy from the pasting they took. So here it is: M-A-D-I-G-A-N.   

Talking Politics: Campaigning on Jobs as Teachers Lose Theirs  This week in “Talking Politics,” Dr. John Jackson of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute points out that if Illinois lawmakers had done their job in recent years, and passed responsible budgets, layoffs at schools would not be necessary.   

So far, Legislatures budget savings have been minuscule
Champaign News Gazette –  by universities would be more efficient. Meanwhile, there doesn’t seem to be any movement on an even bigger issue: the various tax increase proposals around the Capitol. While the Illinois Education Association said last week that passage of the pension reform bill (which it opposed) removed an excuse for legislators to oppose a tax increase, lawmakers don’t agree.   

Editorial: At last, lawmakers step up to the pension plate
Westchester Herald – once upon a time, when government workers lagged well behind the private sector in pay, they have largely caught up (though it’s fair to point out the significant disparities in pay, particularly for teachers, and hence in pensions, across the state). Meanwhile, Illinois’ inability to keep pace with its pension obligations has become so extreme that current state workers are paying   

Our Opinion: State pension vote not ideal, but is a start
Springfield State Journal Register – reform bill and rushed through both legislative chambers in less than half a day — is unfortunate because there are legitimate, unanswered questions about what was done: * Is it wise to have teachers and highway workers working from the day they graduate until age 67, the bill’s retirement age for most public-sector workers?   

Our Opinion: State must do its part to make pension fix work
Springfield State Journal Register – 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   

Editorial: Good job, now build on it
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader –  Besides, the fact is that under this plan, benefits for new government employees are still a heck of a lot better than what the general public gets, even if some workers, such as teachers, do not get Social Security. Truth be told, many young people would rather opt out of a Social Security system that for the first time is paying out more than it is taking in.   

Mike Lawrence: Business leaders know state needs strong medicine
Springfield State Journal Register –  need to pierce the platitudes and demand they focus on the chaos, chaos, chaos. Agencies reluctantly curtail services for those with mental illness. School districts move to drop more than 15,000 teachers. Small businesses that sell goods and services to the state struggle to meet payrolls while they wait months for checks. All because governors and lawmakers have overpromised and underpaid,  

Quinn, Simon launch state campaign tour  WGNtv.com – ? Governor Pat Quinn and his hand-picked running mate will take off on their first joint campaign trip this morning.   

Simon Looks Ahead to Lt. Gov. Race  Chicago Public Radio – Illinois Democrats finally have a Lieutenant Governor nominee, nearly two months after the primary election. Sheila Simon, 

Sheila Simon vows to campaign for lieutenant governor on her own merits  Chicago Tribune –  Shortly before Sheila Simon lost her bid for Carbondale mayor nearly three years ago, … 

Why Simon for lt. gov?  Chicago Sun-Times –  So why did Gov. Quinn opt for Sheila Simon as his running mate and not state Sen. Susan Garrett? …

Daley Not Pleased But Will Support Dem Ticket  WBBM780 – – Mayor Daley said Saturday he will support the Democratic ticket of Gov. Pat Quinn and Sheila Simon. But he said he is not happy with the …   

Outsiders can apply, but the job’s filled  Chicago Sun-Times – Well, that was strange. After soliciting hundreds of Illinois residents, from all walks of life — cops, plumbers, baggage handlers, teachers — to fill out forms, answer questions and write statements about why they want to be lieutenant governor, Gov. Quinn turns around and taps Sheila Simon to be his running mate   

Candidate ’soured’ by selection process :: Beacon News :: Local News
Suburban Chicago News – disappointed and angry with was that they picked their friends.” He added, “If you’re not a member of their cigar club, you’re not in.” More than 200 men and women applied to run alongside Gov. Pat Quinn in the upcoming gubernatorial election. The opportunity to be Quinn’s sidekick arose after the campaign of Scott Lee Cohen was derailed   

Chicago vs. Downstate Illinois: An Old Rivalry
Chicago WBBH (CBS) 2 –  Chicago is a fast-paced cosmopolitan city of nearly 3 million people, while the rest of the state is largely rural and agricultural. In Chicago, anything south of Interstate 80 can seem a world apart – out of sight and out of mind – except for Springfield, or maybe university towns such as Champaign or Carbondale.   

Blago still on ‘Apprentice’ despite not being able to use a laptop
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – His portrait might never hang on the governors’ wall in our Capital, but Rod Blagojevich will be allowed to hang around on “The Celebrity Apprentice” for at least another week. The Illinois House voted this week to stop taxpayer money from being used to commission a portrait of the impeached Blagojevich that would hang in Springfield next to felon and former Governor George Ryan.   

National News

TIME.com Top Stories

Sarah Palin Goes to War: Go for It? Hell, Yes!

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The Mysterious Reappearance of a Chinese Dissident

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What China’s Volvo Deal Actually Means

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Still Black or White: Why the Census Misreads Hispanics

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The U.S. Census: Why Our Numbers Matter

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Neoconservatives, Loyalty and Logic

The historic Palestinian refusal to accept Israeli peace gestures has been disastrously stupid; the historic Palestinian inability to govern their own territory honorably and effectively has caused Israel to be rightly wary.

Word of the Day for Monday, March 29, 2010

neophyte \NEE-uh-fyt\, noun:

1. A new convert or proselyte.
2. A novice; a beginner in anything.