As a member of the Illinois Coalition of Non-Public Schools (ICNS) you receive our monthly issue of Electronic Report. Included is information of interest to our nonpublic school administrators along with a legislative update that is written to keep you aware of what is happening is Springfield. Throughout the Report, you will find hyperlinks imbedded in the articles that will link you to the original source so you can access the full document. At the end of this legislative session, you will receive the final issue for the 2006-07 school year. If you missed an issue or need information related to the work being done on behalf of nonpublic schools, please check out the ICNS web site.

CLASS SIZE

What does the research say about the impact of class size on student achievement? What works best? And what educational factors are more important than class size?

Education Week has an excellent article that addresses these questions. http://www.edweek.org/chat/transcript_02_21_2007.html

ILLINOIS LEGISLATIVE NEWS

With only a couple of weeks until the scheduled adjournment of the spring legislative session, both the Senate and House of Representatives last week had high-level discussions about the State’s budget and tax system. Specifically, Governor Rod Blagojevich’s gross receipts tax (GRT) proposal was the subject of votes in both chambers.

House Speaker Michael J. Madigan held an all-day "committee of the whole" last Wednesday to discuss the GRT plan. All 118 members of the House met on the floor of the House chamber to hear from – and question – witnesses, including the Governor. Though a bill was not the subject of a vote, Thursday the House took action on a non-binding resolution to gauge support of the GRT among its members. No one voted in favor of the resolution while 107 members voted "No" and 7 voted "present". In his comments before the House on Wednesday, Governor Blagojevich reiterated that he would veto any bill that increased the State’s income or sales taxes and stated that without approving the GRT, this year’s budget would see drastic cuts for education and social services.

LEGISLATION THAT HAS A POTENTIAL IMPACT ON NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Letter Writing Campaign -- The Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI) and Illinois Coalition of Nonpublic Schools (ICNS) has recently met with the Governor, the House Speaker, the Governor's budget chief, key members of the State Senate, and the State Superintendent. Our purpose was and remains to seek help for nonpublic schools in the fiscal year 2008 budget, through means such as expanding the tax credit, reimbursement for state mandates, and more money for Textbook and Transportation programs. After these meetings, WE THINK THIS CAN BE DONE! Nonpublic school administrators are encouraged to write a letter to your representative supporting action to increase funding support for our schools. Ideas for assistance are included in the fact sheet and sample letter found on our web site www.icns.net under Electronic Reports, April 2007 Special Edition.

House Bill 146 -- Passed House committee; amendment filed. Information has been shared in past issues of the Electronic Report about the proposed legislation concerning a school’s responsibilities in caring for students with diabetes. An amendment has been filed, and will go to committee this week that seems to take care of many of the issues that were of concern to ICNS.

House Bill 895 -- Passed full House and Senate committee; awaiting vote of full Senate. Once again, ICNS's position on this bill has been altered by amendments. Also known as the Green Cleaning Act, this legislation would require public, private and parochial schools with enrollments over 50 to purchase and use “green-cleaning” supplies in lieu of their current cleaning supplies. However, a recent amendment allows that if a school finds green cleaning supplies to be more expensive than standard cleaning supplies they may opt out. The school would have to provide annual written notification to the Illinois Green Government Coordinating Council (IGGCC) that the development and implementation of a green cleaning policy is not economically feasible until such time that it is economically feasible.

House Bill 1058 -- Passed full House; awaiting Senate committee vote. This legislation opens the Department of Public Health’s matching grant Heartsaver AED Fund to nonpublic as well as public schools. This money can be used to purchase and maintain Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). ICNS supports this legislation.

House Bill 1279 - Passed full House and Senate committee; awaiting vote of full Senate. This bill will require schools to have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at all outdoor athletic fields. If enacted, schools would be required to have an AED that is housed in a building within 300 feet of the outdoor athletic facility where "an event or activity" is being conducted. If there is no such building, the person responsible for supervising the activity shall ensure that an AED is available during the time of the event or activity. Generally, all coaches that conduct practices or have games outside (at every baseball field, softball field, running track, football field, soccer field, etc.) will have to be a trained AED user and will have to have an AED on hand at every practice and game.

Senate Bill 138 - Passed the Senate; awaiting committee assignment in House. This legislation allows a 50% tax credit, up to $500, for non-reimbursed classroom expenses made by a teacher in a school, including nonpublic school teachers. ICNS supports this legislation.

Senate Bill 143 - Passed the Senate; awaiting committee assignment in House. This legislation, which is the result of over a year’s work, requires fingerprint criminal records checks for state recognized nonpublic school employees, hired after July 1, 2007, that have regular, daily contact with children. It also requires these employees to be checked against the Illinois Sex Offender Management Database. Nonpublic school leaders continue to work with schools and child protection staff to ensure nonpublic schools are prepared to implement the background checks.

(Legislative information received from Zach Wichmann, Associate Director for Education, Catholic Conference of Illinois and Illinois Statewide Management School Alliance).

NATIONAL FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND CHECK

Senate Bill 143 has now passed the Senate and is in the House. All Illinois nonpublic recognized schools will have to do national fingerprint background checks on new employees hired after July 1 as the bill now stands. To receive background check information the school must obtain an Organization Identification Number (ORI Number). In order to do this, an agreement provided by the Illinois State Police, Bureau of Identification must be signed prior to submitting any requests. This agreement contains specific rules and regulations governing the use of state and federal criminal history record information. Once the agreement is executed, an organization identification number will be issued at no charge. For information on receiving and signing this required agreement call the Illinois State Police at 815-740-5175 and ask for Karen McKenna. All nonpublic schools are encouraged to take this step now, prior to the legislation being enacted..

BENEFITS OF NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Are you looking for written information about the benefits of nonpublic schools? The Council of Private Education (CAPE) has an excellent brochure available for your use. The brochure can be found on the CAPE web site at: http://www.capenet.org/benefits4.html

CERTIFICATE RENEWAL

Many of our nonpublic school teachers and administrators will need to renew certificates this summer. The new Educator’s Certification System (ECS) combines OTIS and CeRTS for completing simplified certification and renewal processes. The web address is www.isbe.net/ECS. Educators who had OTIS log-ins and passwords are able to use the same log-in and password to access the system. New log-ins and passwords can be created. ECS features both professional development tracking and certificate information and online application and renewal processes. The renewal cycle is now open. Your teachers are encouraged to complete the renewal process now.

EDUCATION IN THE NEWS

Will School Vouchers Lead To A Suburban Backlash?

A new paper from the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education by Chad d’Entremont and Luis A. Huerta discusses the limited use of education vouchers in an era of unprecedented growth in school choice. It is divided into two parts: first, the authors describe policy, political, and legal barriers that limit the expansion of voucher programs. Discussion then shifts to the efforts of voucher advocates to build support among historically marginalized populations frustrated with the performance of public schools and open to limited forms of private school choice. The authors consider the consequences of these strategies and suggest that the very voucher programs that appeal to disadvantaged families may prove most offensive to middle class and suburban voters who vigorously object to policies that undermine local authority and redistribute local resources. Specifically, vouchers have the potential to erase municipal boundaries, dissolve neighborhood ties, lower housing prices, and upset student enrollments. http://www.ncspe.org/list-papers.php

Teacher Magazine On The House

If you are interested in receiving a free subscription to Teacher magazine, just go to www.teachermagazine.org/go/free and take a quick 6-question survey.

Student Handbooks

As the end of the 2006-07 school year approaches, we realize that 2007-08 will soon be upon us. Updating your student handbook is one of those important tasks to complete as preparations for the new school year get underway. 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

Achievement Gap Narrow in Religious Schools

Dr. William H. Jeynes, a professor at California State University at Long Beach and a scholar with the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, has released a study showing that the achievement gap between majority students and minority students, as well as between students of high- and low-socioeconomic status, is significantly narrower in religious schools than in public schools. The study also found that “when African American and Latino children who are religious and come from intact families are compared with white students, the achievement gap disappears. http://www.capenet.org/new.html

Teachers Now Have Their Very Own Version Of Youtube

TeacherTube, launched in March 2007, is video-sharing site designed exclusively for educators. Created by a 14-year veteran educator, the site aims to “fill a need for a more educationally focused, safe venue for teachers, schools, and home learners.” TeacherTube provides many of the same tools featured on the popular YouTube site, which is blocked by many schools. Teachers can use the TeacherTube to upload and share instructional videos, comment on and rank videos, and create video groups to bring together users with similar interests. Videos can also be easily embedded on Web pages. In keeping with its educational focus, the site’s producers aim to feature mainly instructional and professional development videos. Users are encouraged to “flag” videos that might be inappropriate. Videos currently on the site include specific lessons, class projects, demonstrations of unique instructional approaches, and expressions of educational philosophy. www.teachertube.com

ENSURING EQUITABLE SERVICES TO PRIVATE SCHOOL CHILDREN

The promised CD from the US Department of Education, “Ensuring Equitable Services to Private School Children: a Title 1 resource tool kit,” is NOW AVAILABLE.

Print and interactive CD copies are available as follows:

Paper copies (limit of 3)
Only available to private school officials
EDPubs# ED002680P

CD copies (limit of 25)
Available to anyone
EDPubs# ED002962C

EDPubs ordering information:
FAX request: 301-470-1244
E-mail request: edpubs@inet.ed.gov
Toll free number: 1-877-433-7827

CONTACT US

If you have any questions, comments or need information related to our efforts in supporting nonpublic schools, feel free to communicate with us by sending an e-mail to ICNS