CAT Tracks for April 14, 2004 POSHARD ON ISBE

The Illinois Senate Education Committee held a meeting in the Carbondale High School gym on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 to seek public input on the Governor's plan to revamp education in the State of Illinois. Following is The Southern Illinoisan's report on that meeting...

OFFICIALS DISCUSS FUTURE OF LOCAL EDUCATION

BY ANDREA KAMPWERTH
THE SOUTHERN
[Tue Apr 13 2004]

CARBONDALE -- Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees chairman Glenn Poshard Tuesday told an education panel he supported a plan to overhaul the state board of education.

Poshard's testimony was part of the third of three Illinois Senate education committee meetings. It was held in the Carbondale high school gym.

Poshard, a former educator and congressman, along with Carbondale Elementary School District Superintendent Elizabeth Lewin, said they supported Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plan to create a state Department of Education.

Taking issue with the governor's proposals were Steven Sabens, superintendent of Carbondale high school, and several other Southern and south-central Illinois school superintendents. Also represented were several construction contractors from the region.

Sen. Miquel del Valle, D-Chicago, opened the hearing saying there was "no more important (issue in Illinois) than public education." He said the governor was proposing "drastic changes" to the way education is managed. The hearings, he said, were to gather opinions from those who will be affected by any changes.

The two main changes are Senate Bills 3000 and 3001. SB3000, also known as the Department of Education Act, would create a Department of Education headed by a Secretary of Education who would answer directly to the governor. The current Illinois State Board of Education would be relegated to an advisory panel. SB3001 would place the responsibility for school construction on the Capital Development Board.

Joining del Valle were two other members of the Senate Education Committee, Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, and Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, joined the senators on the panel.

In his testimony, Poshard said, "Changing the system is the only way people will have a direct voice, through their votes, to hold someone accountable for education progress in this state. The governor has asked us to hold him accountable through this change. ... I say, let's do it."

Poshard said teachers need to understand that their lesson plans and attempts to meet state requirements and the changing requirements of the presidential "No Child Left Behind" mandate "mean something."

"I think the system is broken and does need fixing," he said, referring to earlier testimony to the contrary from a superintendent from the Metro East. "There is a basic disconnect in this state between the Illinois State Board of Education and the local teachers."

Lewin, who is a member of the governor-appointed task force to help with the proposed re-structuring, said, "What we really need is clarity, some direction, a person to be held accountable. Let's give this is a chance. We need to put the power back with the voters."

Sabens said he worried about the possibility of loss of local control especially in relation to school construction, and the adverse economic effect that could have on Southern Illinois. He said the new high school building hosting the hearing had been constructed under the school construction grant program, and that he "had reservations" that the good experience of building the new high school would have been the same under the governor's proposal.

"Will this create a new political bureaucracy?" he asked the committee. "Are we certain our children will be improved by this change? Let's move with caution and consider the consequences and the future of our children."

Superintendent Jim Burgett of the Highland Community School District said the governor is "simply not accurate" in "telling the public the ISBE is not doing its job."

"We feel that in short order the governor will be replacing quality with patronage jobs," he said. "The ISBE needs leaders, not buddies. ... Fix the ISBE -- don't eliminate it."

Before the hearing, del Valle said he was pleased the governor had made education such a priority, but hoped there would be the usual negotiation process with the introduction of the two bills. He said the governor had not responded to amendments proposed by the senate so far.

"We extended deadlines on both bills in order for there to be more time for these kinds of public hearings as we had today," del Valle said.

Sabens said he was honored to host the senate hearing. He said the new high school was an appropriate venue because it is a new facility and was built with the help of a school construction grant under the current system.

"People tend to take a very strong position (with education)," he said before the hearing started. "Hopefully everyone has the same end goal in mind -- furthering education in Illinois."

andrea.kampwerth@thesouthern.com 618-529-5454 x15076