It’s just a bill
Thursday, Apr 11, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The House passed its own version this week. We’ll see if this is a classic “criss-cross” play (when both chambers pass their own bills, but don’t act on the other chamber’s similar/identical bills) soon enough…
* This also passed…
A set of measures designed to address Illinois’ teacher shortage crisis passed the state Senate Wednesday night, championed by State Senator Andy Manar, the plan’s sponsor.
manar andySenate Bill 1952 received bipartisan support and will go to the House for consideration.
The measure contains the following provisions:
• It reinstates the 6 percent cap for teacher salary increases to be covered by the state. Last year, lawmakers lowered the cap to 3 percent.
• It removes the requirement that teachers must pass a basic skills test to be licensed.
• It permits K-12 student teachers and early childhood student teachers to be paid.
• It creates a refund program for teachers in underfunded, hard-to-staff school districts to recoup the cost of the teacher performance assessment.
• It allows early childhood student teachers to be paid and receive credit
* These sorts of resolutions can sometimes be useful to help us get a sense of the chamber. And McSweeney is smart to start signing on Democrats to send a message to the governor…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to phase out the state’s private school tuition program has new opposition in the General Assembly after a number of Democrats joined a Republican’s bill to try to keep the program through its five-year pilot program.
House Resolution 289 isn’t binding, but it is a significant statement. It highlights a number of students who benefited from the Invest in Kids private school scholarship program and urges House and Senate leaders to allow the program to live out its five-year lifespan. […]
State Rep. David McSweeney filed the bill. He’s gathered a coalition of Democrats to support of the resolution that could present a roadblock to Pritzker’s plan to phase out the program.
State Rep. Michael Zalewski, D-Riverside; Kelly Burke, D-Oak Lawn; Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights; Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan; Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero; Robert Rita, D-Blue Island; and Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook had all signed on in support of McSweeney’s resolution as of Wednesday.
There could eventually be some horse-trading about this topic on the graduated income tax roll call.
…Adding… Press release…
The Illinois Senate has unanimously passed legislation championed by State Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) that would protect Illinois residents, like those Willowbrook residents impacted by Sterigenics, from the hidden dangers of ethylene oxide. Curran has led the fight against Sterigenics since it was first discovered they were emitting dangerous levels of ethylene oxide into the community. The measures he introduced, and which passed in the Senate, fulfill the pledge he made to residents that the legislature would take action to protect the public’s health, which remains his number one priority.
“This legislation will allow us to create real standards for ethylene oxide levels and it will empower the Illinois EPA to enforce them,” said Curran.
Senate Bill 1854 prohibits any facilities from having any fugitive emissions of ethylene oxide 6 months after it takes effect. In addition, it requires the IEPA to study ethylene oxide levels throughout the state to set a baseline for the levels.
In addition, it would subject facilities to stack testing, which tests emissions at all release points at least once per year. The facilities would also be subject to ambient air testing, at random, four times per year. Any facility that emits Ethylene oxide at a level higher than standards set in the federal Clean Air Act or by the IEPA would be required to immediately cease operations until sufficient changes are made to reduce the emissions below both federal and state standards.
* Related…
* Monroe County citizens group wants ordinance to put more restrictions on wind farms
* New proposal would offer greater power to county board chairs across the state
- Ed Equity - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 1:16 pm:
Well, the Governor sends his kids to private schools; he’s going to ask low income parents to not have the same options for their own kids?
- NeverPoliticallyCorrect - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 1:21 pm:
Paid student teaching? The are students in a learning situation, unable by law to independently carry out the duties of a teacher but now districts will have to pay for this? Will the state reimburse districts for this cost and will the state provide liability insurance for these students? No district has to offer student teaching, if this passes look for fewer districts to offer student teaching.
- City Zen - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 1:23 pm:
“A set of measures designed to address Illinois’ teacher shortage crisis…”
None of these will address the teacher “crisis”.
No one is switching to an education major and taking the first bus to Alton because their starting salary will up from $36,000 to $40,000 in 4 years.
That 6% cap was a soft cap. There is nothing preventing a school district from paying however large a raise they want.
- cover - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 2:08 pm:
= We’ll see if this is a classic “criss-cross” play =
Apparently WSIL-TV doesn’t understand that the two chambers passed their own identical bills, there’s a link in the sidebar to their story “Minimum teacher salary bill goes to the governor’s desk”.
- Anon - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 2:19 pm:
===It removes the requirement that teachers must pass a basic skills test to be licensed===
Where we’re going, the kids won’t need teachers that can do 10th grade math.
- Anon - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 2:22 pm:
The 3 to 6% cap increase will cost the state a ton of money down the line, which is part of the reason it was cut back in the first place.
The voracious appetite to spend is just insatiable it seems.
You’d think we’re living in an era of budget surpluses and fully paid up pensions at the rate at which we see new spending proposals these days.
- jim - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 2:41 pm:
Rich — re possible criss-cross, you’re such a cynic. our esteemed legislators would never play games on such an important issue.
- Proud Papa Bear - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 3:47 pm:
The bill “permits” student teachers to be paid, not “requires.”
There are several reasons for this: 1) Many excellent potential teachers who currently serve as paraprofessionals cannot afford to take off to student teach, therefore they do not even consider getting certified. 2) Many school districts do not want to lose their valuable student teachers when they student teach. 3. Approximately 40% of teachers accept their first position with the school district where they student taught. If a hard-to-staff school elects to offer a student teacher compensation, that would allow the student teacher to form relationships and consider accepting a job with the district.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 3:53 pm:
=Well, the Governor sends his kids to private schools; he’s going to ask low income parents to not have the same options for their own kids?=
Private schools are not a right.
=The 3 to 6% cap increase will cost the state a ton of money down the line, which is part of the reason it was cut back in the first place.=
Show your math. Eric Madair’s research says you are wrong.
To the post-
So is the state going to suddenly come up with some money for these new mandates if they are passed?
I see that as unlikely, the politicians get to say “looky what we did for you, but those darned miserly schools won’t pay up”.
Same old same old with these guys.
- City Zen - Thursday, Apr 11, 19 @ 4:25 pm:
==The 3 to 6% cap increase will cost the state a ton of money down the line==
I’d rather see the state cap at 3% for teachers with 25-30 service years then 0% after 30. That’s when all pension enhancements that impact state costs down the road typically occur anyway.
That 6% limit was supposed to shift the cost of pension spiking, not penalize a district whose teacher earned a Masters Degree or became the new track and field coach.