Leadership Matters April 2015

Superintendents continue to battle ‘perfect storm’ in public education

fundamental need, and Vision 20/20 proposes a teacher student loan forgiveness program to try and ensure a more diverse teaching population, which, in turn, would create a more diverse pool of candidates for school administrator positions. The plan calls for the state to appropriate funds to expand teacher student loan forgiveness for minority teachers, those in underserved content areas and for those willing to teach in underserved parts of the state. Time to reach out to legislators Some parts of Vision 20/20 are beginning to move through the legislative process in Springfield, including bills regarding the evidence-based funding model, relief from some unfunded mandates, adding current educators to the State Board, licensure reciprocity, a differentiated accountability model and a joint purchasing pool. You can access the bill numbers and more information by clicking here . Legislators began a two-week spring break March 30 and will be back in their home districts until the General Assembly reconvenes on April 14. This is a great time to reach out to your legislators, get some undivided attention and discuss the Vision 20/20 bills as well as the school funding issue. We have never been so close to changing the public education policy in our state as we are now with Vision 20/20. The last 18 months have been spent with front-line educators from all over the state carefully crafting the blueprint for the future of public education in Illinois. The movement now shifts to the grassroots campaign. Taking back the conversation regarding public education comes down to convincing one legislator at a time and you, as the educational leader in your community, are the lynchpin. Thank you for all you continue to do, against all odds, to “Fulfill the Promise of Public Education” for the children of Illinois!

Later this month, on April 21, there will be a luncheon at the Executive Mansion in Springfield to honor “Superintendents of Distinction” from the IASA regions. Twenty school superintendents, selected by their peers, will be recognized. But that number just as easily could have been 200, 400 or 800.

Message from the Executive Director Dr. Brent Clark

In my nine-year tenure at IASA, I have never seen such a stressful, adverse environment for schools and their leaders. Unprecedented budget cuts, more unfunded mandates and constantly moving educational targets are just a few of the things that have caused a “perfect storm” for public education. Yet, the public in most communities is hardly aware of the looming storm clouds. Why? Because school superintendents, their staff and teachers continue to plow ahead to provide the best possible educational opportunities for their students. It’s called leadership, and it’s the most valuable commodity in times like this. Lee Iacocca, who was let go as president of Ford Motor Company and then revived the Chrysler Corporation before retiring, once said “In times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.” That’s exactly what superintendents have been doing, and we look forward to joining ISBE and the Illinois Principals Association (IPA) to honor a representative handful of educational leaders on April 21. Speaking of educational leaders, a package of stories in this issue of Leadership Matters discusses the need for more minority administrators in our state and highlights the great work that Hazel Crest Superintendent Dr. Sheila Harrison-Williams and Round Lake Superintendent Dr. Connie Collins have been doing to further that cause. Increasing the number of minority teachers is a

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