Higher Education Legislative Coalition Lobby Day
About 50 IEA members joined a group of 350 higher education students, staff and faculty on Wed., April 9, to lobby for more funding for our higher education institutions. “A strong higher education system is an absolute necessity if our state is to remain economically healthy,” said Jeff Beaulieu, chair of the IEA Higher Education Council.
IEA members urged legislators to pass
SB 2288, which would infuse $300 million into the higher education arena. IEA members also lobbied legislators on
SJR 83 (unemployment insurance for part-time faculty and staff),
SB 2736 (subcontracting requirements for higher education non-instructional positions) and
SJRCA 86 (constitutional amendment for a graduated income tax rate.)
School Funding
On Wednesday, representatives from the AFL-CIO, IEA, IFT and SEIU sat down with Gov. Rod Blagojevich to discuss the legislative landscape. The meeting, which lasted nearly an hour, was an open dialogue about new revenue sources, gaming, the lottery, constitutional amendments and the possibility of a state constitutional convention.
The governor focused his comments on the need for a capital bill and asked for the support of the labor community. He also expressed his support of a progressive income tax and his opposition to the Con-Con.
Last week we reported on
HJRCA 42, a proposal to amend the Illinois Constitution with respect to limitations on income taxation. The resolution is a funding bill that mandates taxation by three categories: individuals earning under $250,000, individuals earning more than $250,000, and corporations. The constitutional amendment sets the tax rate for individuals earning $250,000 or more at 6 percent, or twice the rate imposed upon individuals earning less than $250,000. The legislation preserves the tax ratio of 8 to 5 between individuals and corporations. Rep. Mike Smith, a Democrat from Canton, is the sponsor of this resolution.
Our concerns revolve around several elements. First, HJRCA 42 has very explicit language as it relates to an income tax, the spending of revenue generated from the increased tax and a tax credit. Much of the work the IEA has been doing around school funding over the past several years has been an effort to encourage the general assembly to address those issues. We believe that the parameters outlined in HJRCA 42 are decisions that should be made by the general assembly. Secondly, the amount of revenue generated for education under the constitutional proposal falls short of the amount necessary to be able to close the achievement gap that currently exists.
This resolution was heard in committee this week and passed on a partisan roll call of 7-6. Several tax and business groups testified in opposition to the resolution with concerns about including tax rates and brackets in the Illinois Constitution.
Although the IEA legislative platform supports a progressive tax structure, the IEA is neutral on the resolution. The House failed to pass this measure with a vote of 52 “yes” and 60 “no”.
This week
SJRCA 92 (Raoul, D-Chicago) will be heard in the Senate Education Committee. The constitutional amendment simply eliminates the current mandate on a flat tax. We believe that if this proposal were to pass it would enable the general assembly to address the disparities that currently exist with our tax structure. SJRCA 92 provides a measured approach without putting legislative language in the state constitution.
House Human Services Committee
HB 5960, House Amendment #1 (Cross, R-Oswego), as amended, passed out of House Human Services Committee this week. The bill allows school principals to appoint a teacher or ESP in the school building to assist with medication and treatment of children with diabetes. This “health care aide” would be trained to administer insulin and take other steps to assist a diabetic student. In addition, the health care aide would accompany diabetic students on off-campus trips such as field trips.
The IEA opposed this bill, along with the Certified School Nurses Association, the Chicago Teachers Union, LEND, SCOPE, the Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and the Illinois State Board of Education. The bill places an enormous burden on school districts to carry out this mandate. In addition, the IEA is opposed to forcing a non-medical professional into the position of administering medication to a student.
Senate Education Committee
An amendment to
SB 2402, sponsored by Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), allows for an additional 40 charter schools in Illinois, bringing the total to 100. The amendment also removes the boundaries of how many charters are allowed to operate in certain parts of the state. Current law allows for 60 operating charter schools; 30 for the city of Chicago, 15 for the suburban area, and 15 for downstate. SB 2402, as amended, opposed by the IFT and the CTU, passed out of committee with a vote of 6-2. The opposition came from two downstate legislators that were concerned with the removal of the boundary issue.
IEA did not take a position on this amendment.
An amendment to
SB 2170, sponsored by Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), was adopted and passed out of committee with a 9-1 vote. SB 2170 allows teachers, in addition to school authorities, to inspect and search places and areas owned or controlled by the school, as well as personal effects left in those places and areas by students, without notice to or the consent of the student and without a search warrant. These school authorities and teachers must be acting on a reasonable suspicion based on professional experience and judgment in performing inspections and searches. The amendment added that school authorities and teachers must also consider the current parameters of local school policies before acting on a search.
IEA supports the original bill and the added amendment.
SB 2685 (E. Jones, D-Chicago), as amended, would require instruction of prevalent student chronic health conditions during a teachers’ institute workshop. IEA originally opposed this bill because it required a set time that this instruction should occur each year. The amendment's sponsor, Sen. William Delgado (D-Chicago), accommodated our concern by removing the time frame and just called for instruction. The
IEA is neutral on the bill in its current form.
Senate Appropriations III Committee
The Senate Appropriations III committee heard testimony this week regarding the Illinois State Board of Education budget. Jim Reed gave this testimony:
On behalf of the 130,000 members of the Illinois Education Association, I am honored to be here to express our concerns for the FY 09 education budget for elementary and secondary education.
We want to applaud the state board for their efforts in crafting a budget during a difficult year that meets some needs of this state. I want to recognize three areas of this budget that we think are positive:
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The increase in the foundation level
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The crucial needs of the mandated categorical reimbursements at 100%
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The special education reimbursement is so far behind the appropriate level that this additional increase is another step in the right direction.
In 2001, the state, through the Education Funding Advisory Board (EFAB), sought to determine the actual cost of providing education by looking at fiscally efficient, high performing school districts throughout the state. The results of their efforts found that school districts where at least two-thirds of the students perform at grade level spend a minimum of $5,565. In 2005, the recommended foundation level was at $6,405. The increase of $125 would increase the foundation to $5,859. Although the current level has not been determined by EFAB, estimates are that it should be at $6,675. Likewise, the special education reimbursement needs an additional $10,000 in funds to bring it to an adequate level. The generally recognized figure for special education reimbursement is $19,000.
However, these are just small steps.
Currently, a revenue source for the ISBE budget has not been specifically delineated. However, our understanding is that the revenue that would be generated to support this budget would be generated from a source that is not a reliable or sustainable source. There is a need for an additional stable revenue source to meet the needs of public schools. We know that to truly meet our state’s educational needs, new revenue must be generated.
Thank you.
School Waiver Report
IEA opposed the following waivers that were considered in the House and Senate Education Committees this week:
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The renewal of four waivers that would allow districts to forgo the daily physical education requirement
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Several requests for driver education fees exceeding $250
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Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 and Midlothian School District 143 seeking to employ substitute teachers for more than 90 days
IEA supported several waiver requests to allow students to use computer simulators for behind-the-wheel instruction in a car with dual operating controls.
House Floor Action
HB 5240 (Pihos, R-Glen Ellyn), provides adoptive parents with the same minimum maternity/sick leave time of 30 days as birth parents. This bill passed out of the House unanimously and will go to the Senate for further consideration and final action. The
IEA supports this legislation.
HB 5142 (Flider, D-Mt. Zion) is an
IEA-initiated bill that allows Illinois teachers who taught out of state to purchase retirement service credit for out-of-state leaves of absences due to pregnancy. The legislation keeps the number of years that can be purchased to three so that it remains on par with the benefits offered to teachers under the Teachers’ Retirement System who have always taught in Illinois. The teacher must provide evidence satisfactory to the TRS board showing the leave of absence was due to pregnancy and that the teacher returned to work following the pregnancy. Those that qualify to purchase this service credit must pay the employee and employer contributions, plus interest. This bill passed the House unanimously and now will be considered by the Senate.
Senate Floor Action
SB 2013 (Garrett, D-Lake Forest) would increase the reimbursement for special education services. This
IEA-supported legislation proposes increases through the year 2012. An additional $1,000 over last years’ increase is proposed, bringing the special education reimbursement for teachers to $10,000 for the 2007-2008 school year. Increases of $1,000 are requested for each of the following years for a total of $14,000 for the 2011-2012 school year. This bill passed the Senate unanimously and now heads to the House for consideration.
SB 2296 (Clayborne, D-Belleville) appropriates $13 million on a continuing annual basis from the general revenue fund to the state comptroller for deposit into the Teacher Health Insurance Security (THIS) Fund in fiscal years 2009 through 2011. This bill passed the Senate unanimously and now heads to the House for consideration.
IEA supported this bill.
What's Next
Both chambers will reconvene on Tues., April 15, to consider final action on bills in their house of origin.