Being a member of the Illinois Coalition of Nonpublic Schools entitles you to receive this issue of the Electronic Report.  The purpose of this Report is to provide brief synopses of developments with the Illinois Coalition of Non-Public Schools, legislative updates, and information of interest to our nonpublic school administrators.  Additional information may be obtained by following the hyperlinks that are imbedded throughout the Report. 

 

ADVOCATING FOR NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

If you look at the masthead of the ICNS web site, you will notice that we are identified as the “voice of non-public education in Illinois.”  In order to make our “voice” as loud as we can when addressing the needs of nonpublic schools, we need your help. The annual membership drive for ICNS is underway. School contacts should have received an application for the 2007-2008 school year. Again this year, the membership dues are just  $50.  If you have already renewed your membership, we thank you for your school’s support. If not, access the memberships form on the ICNS web site, and send it in today.  With your membership in ICNS, our “voice” can be heard.

 

 

FEDERAL NEWS

 

CONGRESS INCLUDES PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS IN NEW LOAN-FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
Congress on Friday approved broad legislation to cut college costs by overhauling various student aid and loan programs. One provision in the bill (H.R. 2669) would forgive college loans, after 10 years of employment, for educators, employees of 501(c)(3) organizations, and other persons involved in public service.

A version of the bill that the Senate passed in July would have excluded teachers in religious and independent schools from the public service loan-cancellation program. CAPE, its member organizations, and state affiliates urged that the final bill incorporate House language that included private school teachers. In fact, the House/Senate compromise bill (called a conference report) that Congress just passed goes even further by extending the benefit to all full-time employees in religious, charitable, and other not-for-profit organizations.

TEACH GRANTS

Another provision in the bill that will affect some teachers is called TEACH Grants, a program providing upfront annual tuition assistance to eligible undergraduate and graduate students who pursue a career as teachers in certain public or private schools. Benefits include (1) annual grants of $4,000 (for a four-year total of $16,000) to eligible undergraduate students who are studying to become teachers, and (2) up to $8,000 for students studying to attain a graduate degree in teaching.

This information is from CAPE. Visit CAPE's web site at  www.capenet.org

STATE NEWS RELATED TO NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

The operating budget sent to the Governor on August 13th included $38 million in new money for nonpublic schools with additional revenue allocated in School Safety, Transportation Reimbursement and Textbook Loan.  However, as part of the on-going political feud between the Governor and the legislature, he has used his line item veto authority to cut $500 million out of the budget.  His vetoes included the $10.1 million allocated to the Educational Improvement and School Safety Block Grant and the $14 million to the Transportation Reimbursement Program.  The additional $14.1 million to the Textbook Loan Program was not vetoed and became law. 

 

On October 2nd, the House voted to override the Governor's vetoes. The Senate did not override the vetoes, but they can still do so by the 25th. Even if there is not a successful override, other options remains such as the budget implementation bill and a possible supplemental appropriations exist.

 

SCHOOL SAFETY BILL
The Office of the State Fire Marshall did NOT send the annual report due October 1 to individual schools.  ICNS was told that the local Fire Department was to be working with all schools on this and forms are available online through the ISBE website.  To find the form:
1)       Go to www.isbe.net
2)       Scroll the right hand side and click on “Miscellaneous”
3)       Click on “School Emergency and Crisis Response Plan Template” in the drop down box
4)       Roman Numeral III A is where you find the one page form and Roman Numerals B, C & D are support forms to help complete A.
 
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL REGISTRATION, ENROLLMENT AND STAFF REPORT
Nonpublic Registration, Enrollment and Staff Report Now Available Through IWAS

 

The 2007-08 Nonpublic Registration, Enrollment and Staff Report (87-01) is available via IWAS at https://sec1.isbe.net/iwas and must be received by ISBE by December 31, 2007.   Nonpublic schools that have registered with ISBE at least once in the past must submit the data online using the ISBE web portal IWAS.  Nonpublic schools that have never registered with ISBE must submit their data by using the paper form 87-01 that is available at the following address: http://www.isbe.net/research/pdfs/87-01_np_report.pdf.

 

You will notice a difference in the on-line form this year.  Working with ISBE staff, ICNS has had the reporting of special education students broke down into a per grade report.  This ensures that ISBE receives the data it needs for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and that our schools will also receive the proper amount in proportionate share under IDEA, as well as NCLB programs and the Textbook Loan program.  Please remember that you should report as special education students, all children deemed eligible for special education services, not just those who have received such services.

 

EYE EXAMINATIONS

SB 641 requires certain students to have an eye examination before entering school. The bill provides that a vision examination must be included as a part of the health examination required within one year prior to entering kindergarten or the first grade, whichever grade the child first enters, of any public, private, or parochial elementary school. The House voted to override the governor's veto on a 112-0 vote. The bill becomes law on Jan. 1, 2008 in its form as originally approved by the legislature.

 

EDUCATION IN THE NEWS