Included in your membership in the Illinois Coalition of Non-Public Schools is the Electronic Report that is sent every month during the school year. In each issue of the Report, you will find synopses of developments with the Illinois Coalition of Non-Public Schools, legislative updates, and information of interest to our school administrators. Through your membership dues, ICNS continues to be the voice for nonpublic schools.
A shift in voucher support?
Most Democrats have historically rejected taxpayer-supported private-school
vouchers, saying they drain resources from public schools, but a number of
black lawmakers, mayors, and school officials have split with party
orthodoxy on the issue, according to USA TODAY. The group includes
Sacramento, Calif. Mayor Kevin Johnson; Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker; and
former Washington, D.C., mayor Anthony Williams. Jeanne Allen of the Center
on Education Reform, a Washington think tank, says the issue can no longer
be dismissed by liberals as Catholic or right-wing. "I actually think it has
to do with more-principled people who understand and have seen how badly the
existing system has hurt minority kids," she said. First proposed in 1955 by
University of Chicago economist Milton Friedman -- a conservative --
private-school vouchers have never fully taken root in U.S. public schools.
The federal government often underwrites college tuition to attend private
colleges and universities, but K-12 vouchers are presently limited to
programs in a few cities that include Cleveland, Milwaukee, and New Orleans.
Special-education students in some states also attend private schools with
public money, but voters in nearly a dozen states have rejected voucher
proposals over the past few decades.
Read more:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-05-12-school-vouchers_N.htm
With the retirement of baby boomers, 'collapse' of the teaching profession
Articles in The New York Times and USA TODAY are calling attention to the
April 2008 report from the National Commission on Teaching and America's
Future that projects a third of the nation's public school teaching force
will retire within the next four years. This widespread departure of
experienced teachers will be compounded by attrition from new teachers, one
out of three of whom will leave teaching within five years. The consequences
of these trends will weigh heavily on taxpayer-financed retirement systems
and overall teacher quality. In the words of the report, "The traditional
teaching career is collapsing at both ends." One solution proposed is a
restructuring of schools around "learning teams," a model already underway
in Boston, in which experienced teachers mentor new teachers and help them
through their often challenging first few years. Economist Michael Podgursky
from the University of Missouri, who studies teacher retirement, is
skeptical of any imminent "collapse," but agrees that demographics indicate
some sort of phased retirement plan should be undertaken so as not to lose
many of the baby boomers now contemplating retirement.
Read more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/education/07teacher.html
Related:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-04-06-teachers-retiring_N.htm
The May 2009 issue of CAPE Outlook, a monthly newsletter from the Council for American Private Education, is available for download at: http://www.capenet.org/pdf/Outlook345.pdf
In Outlook this month:
Due to the state's difficult fiscal position, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Governor have recommended that funding for the Parent/Guardian Transportation Reimbursement Program be reduced to zero. This program was enacted into law by the General Assembly in 1986 and is designed to provide financial assistance to the families of public and nonpublic school children, grades K-12, to whom free busing is not provided. The program is particularly important to nonpublic school families as many school districts only offer busing to nonpublic school students along their routes.
Whatever the reasons, this proposed move is grossly unfair. Nonpublic school
parents pay their entire allotment of property and other taxes to support
public schools, yet now they are being told not even a meager reimbursement
for transportation expenses can be provided. At current funding levels, the
program's funding provides roughly a $100 transportation reimbursement per
student, far short of the actual costs of families driving their own
children to school. Still, it is at least some relief from the costs our
families incur and thereby save the state.
ICNS is asking our schools to contact your state representative and senator and ask them to help restore this funding. For this purpose, a sample letter may be found at the legislation page of the ICNS web site. Use this sample letter in a letter-writing campaign, email effort and/or as script for a personal phone call.
ILLINOIS LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Senate Bill 95 (Care of Student with Diabetes) – As in past years, the General Assembly continues to try and craft legislation to address the care of student’s wit diabetes in school. This bill was introduced to facilitate the effort, but as of yet, no agreement has been reached and the bill contains no substantive language. The bill has been moved along in the process as a placeholder.
Senate Bill 611 (School Technology Revolving Loan Program) – Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) introduced this legislation to provide state recognized nonpublic schools access to ISBE’s long-standing Technology Revolving Loan Program, which offers loans to schools on a 2 year rotating basis between grades K-8 and 9-12. At least 90 percent of the loan must be used for technology hardware investments (computer hardware, technology networks, wiring, etc.) and the other 10 percent on computer furniture. The interest rates on the loans are controlled by statute at a low two percent. The bill was amended in the Senate to grant priority to public school districts, charter schools, area vocational centers and laboratory schools that apply prior to October 1 of each year. With this amendment, the bill passed the Senate and was placed on first reading in the House.
Senate Bill 1828 (Longitudinal Data System) – ISBE has introduced this legislation to create, track and maintain a longitudinal data system to link early learning, elementary, and secondary school student unit records with institution of higher learning student unit records. The legislation requires ISBE to establish a data warehouse that integrates data from multiple student unit record systems and supports all of the uses and functions of the longitudinal data system. Nonpublic school may participate in the system by voluntarily submitting data, but their participation will not be required. The bill passed the Senate and awaits consideration in the House.
House Bill 272 (Random Testing of Athletes) requires the IHSA to prohibit athletes from using performance-enhancing drugs and implement random testing of athletes. Further the bill requires the IHSA to ensure that each athletic coach completes an educational program on the prevention of abuse of performance-enhancing substances. The bill was approved by the legislature and will be sent to the governor for consideration.
(Information provided by Zach Wichmann Associate Director for Education, Catholic Conference of Illinois and the Alliance Legislative Report)
STUDENT HANDBOOKS
Updating your student handbook is one of those important tasks to complete
as preparations will soon begin for the new school year. Dr. Brad Colwell
from Southern Illinois University has put together a document that lists
items to be included in student handbooks. Dr. Colwell cautions that his
list may not be exhaustive, but serves as a guide when planning next year’s
handbook.
http://www.dupage.k12.il.us/pdf/ITEMS%20THAT%20EVERY%20STUDENT%20HANDBOOK%20SHOULD%20INCLUDE.pdf
NEW GRANT &
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
EPA/ Generations United/Rachel Carson Council:
Sense of Wonder Contest
To honor the late preservationist and ecologist Rachel Carson, the EPA,
Generations United, and the Rachel Carson Council, Inc., announce a photo,
essay, and poetry contest "that best expresses the Sense of Wonder that you
feel for the sea, the night sky, forests, birds, wildlife, and all that is
beautiful to your eyes." In her book The Sense of Wonder (written in the
1950s and published in a magazine in 1956), Carson used lyrical passages
about the beauty of nature and the joy of helping children develop a sense
of wonder and love of nature. Maximum award: publication on the websites of
EPA Aging Initiative, Generations United, and Rachel Carson Council, Inc.
Eligibility: entries must be joint projects involving a person under age 18
and a person age 50 or older. Deadline: June 10, 2009.
http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm
Dollar General: Back-to-School Grants
Dollar General Back-to-School Grants help schools to meet some of the
financial challenges they face in implementing new programs or purchasing
new equipment, materials, or software for their school library or literacy
program. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: public and private schools
within Dollar General's 35-state market area; public school libraries
recovering from major disasters. Deadline: May 22, 2009.
http://www.dollargeneral.com/servingothers/Pages/GrantPrograms.aspx
ING/ National Association for Sport and Physical Education: Run For
Something Better Awards
The ING Run For Something Better School Awards Program gives grants to
schools for establishing a school-based running program or expanding an
existing one to help fight childhood obesity and introduce kids to the
benefits of physical fitness and healthy lifestyle choices. Maximum award:
$2,000. Eligibility: K-12 schools. Deadline: June 1, 2009.
http://www.orangelaces.com/site/news/ing_announces_awards_program_for_schools_nationwide
Calypso School First Foundation: The Be Heard | School Grant
The Calypso School First Foundation will provide a school-wide sound-field
reinforcement system to three schools in the 2009-2010 school year.
Classroom audio reinforcement is a tool that helps special needs children
participate, while leading to improved performance among all students.
Maximum award: $37,150 value. Eligibility: K-12 institutions, including
public, non-profit, charter, and private schools. Deadline: June 5, 2009.
http://www.calypsosystems.com/be_heard/
Samsung Techwin: Focus on Learning Grant Program
Samsung is offering Samsung 850DX document cameras, based on need, to help
teachers upgrade the quality of technology tools in American schools.
Maximum award: document camera ($899 value). Eligibility: teachers in U.S.
schools who intend to use the camera in the classroom. Deadline: June 15,
2009.
http://www.samsunggrants.com/
NAESP/MetLife Foundation: Sharing the Dream Grants
National Association of Elementary School Principals/MetLife Foundation
Sharing the Dream Grants let principals test ideas about involving and
engaging their communities to build greater ownership for the work of their
school by sharing leadership and decision-making, by keeping all
stakeholders informed about all school news -- good and bad -- and by
creating a school climate that fosters open communication, safety and
security, and respect for every individual. Maximum award: $3,000.
Eligibility: elementary school principals from around the country. Deadline:
July 8, 2009.
http://www.naesp.org/resources/1/Pdfs/09SharingtheDreamApp.pdf