Page 8 - Leadership Matters March 2013 issue.pub

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cuts in our budget that
will impact our regular
education students and
other needed programs
to meet state-issued
constraints. Special
education students and
programs have
protections under the
‘maintenance of effort’
requirement. While no educator wants to increase the
size of special education classes, it has to happen in
these tough financial times.”
The membership must strongly support Dr. Koch
in his efforts to minimize the damage that has
occurred in these two areas. His efforts will more than
likely be opposed by advocates and unions. Districts
must be actively engaged to secure the removal of
these unnecessary unfunded mandates. We must
have people in leadership that can factually say
“enough is enough.”
Another major area of concern is the 62 percent
prorated reimbursement for mandated transportation.
Because of mandates and the proration of state
reimbursements, the lack of funds may potentially
impact student health and safety. Our leaders have to
come together to solve this dilemma as current
finances demand adjustments to the current
mandates.
A new mandate has occurred in the last 10 years
that has escalated to a huge workplace issue:
paperwork. Have you thought about this in totality?
Some of new unfunded mandates include:
student growth component in evaluations,
implementation of the Common Core Standards,
PARCC Assessment planning and preparation,
principal/teacher evaluation reform, superintendent/
principal certification changes, Student Information
System (SIS), Rising Star, school improvement plans,
supplementary educational services, Illinois 5
Essentials Survey, Employment Information System
(EIS), certification to licensure, increased
requirements for NCLB grants, Civil Rights data
collection (federal mandate), RtI, SB7, and PERA.
No one is questioning the intent or potential
benefits of these mandates. Unfortunately, resources
are limited. If funded adequately, with both human
resources and money, these mandates would not be
an issue. During this financial crisis in Illinois,
compliance with the mandates comes with an
unintended consequence — schools are now diverting
much needed resources away from their current
educational and instructional initiatives to meet the
demands of all the new mandates.
Although all of these programs look good on
paper, together they are leading to a financial and
educational disaster to go along with a public relations
nightmare for districts. It is time to review all of the
financial and paperwork mandates to determine if
there is any research to support their continued
existence. Let us renew our focus on today’s students
so that they can achieve academic success with a
variety of curricular opportunities.
(Continued from page 7)
Unfunded Mandates story —————————————————————————
Dr. Jim Rosborg currently is serving in his eighth year as Director of Master's in Education at
McKendree University and instructor of graduate classes in curriculum, school law, principalship, and school/
community relations.
Rosborg has been active in the development of the new Illinois statewide Principal Preparation Program
and IASA's School for Advanced Leadership (ISAL). For his efforts, IASA awarded Rosborg and fellow
committee members their “Exemplary to Service to Education Award” in 2012, making him a two-time
recipient. Currently, Rosborg is active with the Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development (Illinois ASCD) and the Illinois Council of Professors of Educational Administration (ICPEA)
while also serving in an advisory capacity on the IASA Board of Directors representing ICPEA. In June of
2005, Rosborg retired after 11 years as superintendent of Belleville Public School District 118 and 33 years
in PK-12 education having served as a teacher, school counselor, principal, assistant superintendent for
curriculum, and superintendent.