Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for December 23, 2006 IEA URGES ACTION

From the IEA website...

Urgent Message from IEA President Swanson

Colleagues,

I wanted to update you on new developments in the fight by IEA to stop the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) from adopting new rules governing special education that would hurt students and education employees.

This is an uphill battle and it is crucial that thousands of IEA members get involved NOW. The decision on this issue is just a few weeks away. Please read the following details and refer to the talking points at the end of this message.

What's Happened So Far

During the summer, ISBE introduced a wide-ranging proposal to change special education rules. Since that time, IEA officers, the Department of Government Relations and IEA staff liaison to the state board, Daryl Morrison, have strenuously lobbied ISBE to remove language that would have a negative impact on students and teachers. We have seen some positive results.

Several weeks ago, thanks in large part to IEA pressure, ISBE amended its position on the "definition of general education classroom." The State Board opted to recommend retaining the 30 percent cap of students with individualized education programs (IEP) in a general education classroom, instead of expanding the limit to 40 percent. We applaud this decision, which will benefit special education and general education students, teachers and paraprofessionals.

However, ISBE has consistently resisted IEA efforts to eliminate new language on scientific research-based interventions. ISBE also continues to seek changes in the special education class size/case load guidelines by disability category.

ISBE Votes, IEA Reacts

At last Thursday's ISBE meeting, a former officer of the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) who sits on the board, in an apparent attempt to improve a bad proposal, offered an amended version of the ISBE language. This version was adopted by ISBE. However, the IEA Executive Committee, after reviewing the modified language, adopted a strong position of opposition to the revised proposal.

Why We're Opposed

The students impacted by changes in the system of category identification have diverse and sometimes very specific needs. Eliminating categories means students who need specific, specialized assistance will be placed in classrooms where that assistance will not be available.

It hurts everyone, student, teacher, paraprofessional, to deliberately create a situation in which the collective diversity of needs in a classroom exceeds the teacher's ability to effectively meet those needs. This is a recipe for failure for students who deserve an opportunity to succeed.

Though the modified ISBE proposal reduced the per classroom impact, we remain convinced that isolated concerns about the current system should be addressed on a case by case basis as opposed to implementing a system fraught with potential for unintended negative results for students.

Research-Based Intervention

With regard to research-based intervention in Illinois, we believe the goal should be for the state to remain aligned with federal guidelines calling for employment of Response to Intervention (RTI) procedures.

Our position is that teachers should continue to work with RTI as the federal government has suggested and track outcomes of RTI utilization. In our view, there is no reason to experiment with our students unless we know the current system isn't working. Important decisions should be based on data.

Your Help Is Desperately Needed!

It is interesting to note that the Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education (IAASE) is in support of these changes. In addition, an IAASE official recently claimed there is little evidence that teachers oppose the changes.

Colleagues, we must send a message that the members of IEA, not only its leaders, oppose these changes.

The modified proposal approved by ISBE has one more hurdle before it becomes the law in Illinois; it must be approved by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR), a bipartisan legislative oversight committee.

IEA is implementing a two-tier strategy aimed at convincing the members of JCAR to support the IEA position.

• IEA lobbyists and grassroots political activists will directly lobby JCAR members.

• Rank and file members need to contact their own legislators IMMEDIATELY to make sure all lawmakers are aware of the IEA position. Please urge your local lawmakers to contact the JCAR members and tell them to reject the proposed rules changes.

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