Leadership Matters November 2013

Amendment moves ROE deadline,   gives ISBE authority to draw new map

Because some county boards did not vote to approve plans to consolidate the Regional Offices of Education (ROE) down to 35 regions, the task will fall to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) after a legislative committee recently approved an amendment to Senate Bill 1689. The amendment also moved the deadline for locally approved consolidations to November 1 and with that date now having passed, moved the deadline up to November 23 for ISBE to direct the consolidation from the current 44 to the 35 stipulated in the legislation. The new regions need to be determined by that deadline because of the upcoming elections and the need for regional superintendents to get nominating petitions signed in time for the March 2014 primary election. Under SB 1689, each ROE region must contain at least 61,000 people. The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS) had submitted a map that would have pared the number of regions to 35, but the consolidations involved required the approval of the county boards in the affected counties. Based on those local decisions, the number still stands at 38. “Redrawing any district line is tough, and it’s even more difficult when you are also reducing numbers,” said Matt Donkin, Regional Superintendent of

“Redrawing any district line is tough, and it’s even more difficult when you are also reducing numbers. Our association worked for several months to produce a plan to suggest to counties, and that plan had 35 regions that would meet the 61,000 population mark. We had a membership vote and a majority voted to approve the plan.”

—Matt Donkin, Regional Superintendent of Schools for Franklin-Williamson ROE 21

Schools for Franklin-Williamson ROE 21, who chaired the IARSS committee that did preliminary work on a map plan. “Our association worked for several months to produce a plan to suggest to counties, and that plan had 35 regions that would meet the 61,000 population mark. We had a membership vote and a majority voted to approve the plan. “However, those local decisions were out of our control and in the hands of county boards. Not all followed the suggested map of 35, so we’re still at 38. Now, ISBE has the authority and responsibility to come up with a plan to get us to 35 regions. We look forward to completing this process.”

Moon Scholarships available from IASA  Are you a superintendent or an aspiring superintendent? Are you pursuing

graduate study to become the best superintendent you can be? Do you know there are scholarships available through IASA to help offset the costs of your coursework? Established in 1993 in memory of Dr. James V. Moon, a former superintendent at Morton High School District, the James V. and Dorothy B. Moon Scholarship program is committed to improving the education and qualifications of school administrators. Since its inception, 67 scholarships totaling nearly $143,000 have been awarded to current or aspiring superintendents.

Practicing school administrators in Illinois qualify if they are college graduates pursuing an advanced degree in educational administration at an accredited college or university. Several scholarships ($2,500 minimum each) are awarded each year and are paid directly to the college or university to cover tuition, fees and/or textbook expenses. A copy of the applicant qualifications, process and 2014 Application are available by clicking here . Applications are due no later than January 10, 2014. To get more information on the application and awards process, contact Cherry Middleton at 217/753- 2213 or cmiddleton@iasaedu.org . A list of previous recipients is available by clicking here .

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