Leadership Matters - April 2013

Message from the Executive Director: Public education facing ‘perfect storm’ of challenges

Marion and added three experienced field services directors to serve you.  Joined with our Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance partners in developing a two -pronged strategy to try and rein in the unfunded mandates situation, including a review of several mandates by the P-20 Council and an attempt to get the General Assembly to give school districts and locally elected school boards determine which unfunded mandates to implement.  Worked with State Superintendent Dr. Chris Koch to try and get relief on two major mandates, one involving Special Education class size limits and

I guess I could summarize the “State of the Association” by saying that despite facing unprecedented challenges to public education on all fronts, as an association we remain strong, united and determined to protect public schools, administrators, teachers and, the reason we go to work every day, the students in our state. We are confronted by what some might term a “perfect storm” of drastic budget cuts by a state that already ranks dead last in the nation for support of public education, more than 100 unfunded mandates, the most sweeping package of education reform measures in history, and a demand by the public and media for improved student performance despite the

ratios, and the mandate related to Certified School Nurses. The 45- day comment period for the Special Education mandate is open through April 22 and, if you have not already done so, please take the time to write or email ISBE on that subject. It is critical that we respond in force to support these amendments regarding one of the biggest unfunded mandates facing schools.  We still are hoping to get more school districts to fill out the budget survey that we had in

fact that poverty – perhaps the single biggest negative influence on a child’s education – has grown to affect almost half of our students. Borrowing from our dynamic Leadership Week

“ During these trying times, we must sharpen our focus and speak with one voice. The more difficult the challenges, the more disciplined we as leaders need to be. For our

generation of educational leaders, this is the ultimate battle. I know we are up to the task . ” IASA Executive Director, Dr. Brent Clark

keynote speaker, Dr. John Draper, most of us didn’t know all of that would be on the menu when we chose

the March edition of Leadership Matters . This information will be used during our budget negotiations with the General Assembly. If you have not done so, I would encourage you to fill out the survey, which can be accessed here . During these trying times, we must sharpen our focus and speak with one voice. The more difficult the challenges, the more disciplined we as leaders need to be. For our generation of educational leaders, this is the ultimate battle. I know we are up to the task. Ready to defend pensions As members already know, more than a year ago we put on retainer an attorney widely considered to be one of the top experts regarding the Illinois pension issue. In fact, retired judge Gino L. DiVito also was retained by the judges’ association to represent them. His opinion has been that most everything we have seen proposed so far is unconstitutional, including unilaterally reducing COLAs, increasing retirement age and capping pensionable salaries. We will continue to work with DiVito as this process plays out, but rest assured that we are ready to contest pension provisions that are unconstitutional.

education as our profession. And we can’t change our order; we must meet these challenges head-on. But, as I stated in my “State of the Association” address at the IASA Annual Meeting, leadership will get us through these difficult times. I laid out to members in attendance the framework for our “Vision 20/20” initiative to develop a long-range blueprint for public education in Illinois. Not only do we want to share our vision and alternative plans with the political and educational leaders in our state, but this project also will provide IASA with a blueprint going forward. Each IASA Region is in the process of nominating a representative to the “Vision 20/20” project, and I will follow up with a second appointment from each Region. If this is something that interests you, and if you have the availability during the next 15 months, please let your Region President know. In an attempt to provide even more and better service to our members during these trying times, we have:  Opened field services offices in Schaumburg and

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