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[Posted by Barton Lorimor]
* The school voucher bill sponsored by Rep. Kevin Joyce, SB2494, has been placed on postponed consideration. A roll call vote showed the measure was 12 votes shy of the constitutional majority.
More to come.
…Adding…
Video of the roll call board during the vote….
Here’s the final breakdown:
Republicans: 25-23-0
Democrats: 23-43-2
6:30 p.m. House sponsor Kevin Joyce talked with CapFax intern Dan Weber after the vote. Here’s what he had to say…
6:33 p.m. Rep. Suzanne Bassi became emotional during her statement. Take a look…
Leader Lang addressed the teachers unions during his statements….
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 5:28 pm
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it appears several members did not vote
Comment by One to the Dome Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 6:10 pm
The voucher movement is and always has been a scam: give me taxpayer funds so my kid can go to a private school. All the rest is just bloviating.
Comment by DuPage Dave Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 6:14 pm
Those “taxpayer funds” are provided by citizens whose children aren’t getting an adequate education by the CPS. Consider it a redirection of their own money.
Comment by Original Rambler Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 6:21 pm
[…] Capitol Fax Blog reports the partisan breakdown: […]
Pingback by McHenry County Blog | Franks Joins Majority in Defeating Voucher Bill for Poor Chicago Kid Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 6:39 pm
Every GOP “no” voter should resign. What an embarrassment.
School choice is a top GOP platform plank. If you can’t support school choice, why even be in the Republican Party?
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 6:42 pm
Jusy sayin’
Is that you adam andrzejewski?
Comment by heet101 Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 6:49 pm
A lot of public schools aren’t doing the job. Go look at the state’s watch list and the numbers of students achieving grade level performance. Lots of kids coming into college have to take remedial English and math before they are even allowed to take college level courses. If Illinois can’t fund elementary & secondary education at a level sufficient to ensure, at minimum, grade level achievement on standardized tests, then there is a clear problem. You can debate what the problem is, money, teachers, union rules, too much bureaucracy, but there is a problem. And the people who know where the problems reside are the parents who are involved in their kid’s education.
The way I see it, there are one of two solutions.
1) Have the money follow the student (school vouchers) and and let the parents choose the school, at least you get some level of accountability and parent involvement (which is key to any success). And before you say it just funds the private schools, I’ve got news for you … you are already funding part of the private schools through textbook grants, transportation vouchers, school lunches, and various other programs … even the religious based schools are getting some of that pot.
2) If you think maintaining the current situation without school competition and throwing money at it is the solution, then quit any direct college level funding and redirect that money to the elementary schools. Until the kids coming into the colleges can perform at grade level, it’s just good money poured after bad. College tuition has gone up every time federal and state support has gone up; maybe it’s time to try cutting it and see if the colleges can live on real world salaries like the rest of us working stiffs have to.
Two clear choices … neither is suitable to anyone.
Comment by Retired Non-Union Guy Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 6:58 pm
This is really, really sad for these kids. Hey Turner, you’re the problem. You know nothing will change in Chicago public schools. Stop bellowing and get out of the way.
Private schools have one big big advantage. They can throw kids out. Students either adjust their behavior or get booted. In the meantime, there’s a safe, disciplined learning environment for the kids who don’t want to act out.
So Turner, you’re going to screw those kids, eh? Union money worth that much to you?
Comment by Park Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 7:18 pm
I can see why an unknown pawnbroker could beat this guy.
Comment by Park Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 7:36 pm
So Park, are you advocating selective enrollment at publics? What happens to the kids not selected or “booted?”
Comment by Central Illinois Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 9:38 pm
The utility deal is off I read?
Comment by Vote Quimby! Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 9:56 pm
That does seem like a lot of GOPers voting no. I thought vouchers was big issue with the GOP nationwide.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 10:08 pm
I agree that the GOP needs to get on bored with this but this is not real school choice this is limited to a small amoun t of specific CPS schools. This needs to expanded to every child.
Comment by fed up Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 10:27 pm
What DO the House Republicans stand for? I mean besides making the teacher’s unions happy.
Comment by curious Wednesday, May 5, 10 @ 10:55 pm
==Private schools have one big big advantage. They can throw kids out. Students either adjust their behavior or get booted. In the meantime, there’s a safe, disciplined learning environment for the kids who don’t want to act out.==
Exactly. Public schools MUST take anyone who arrives at their door. The privates can also boot low performers and students whose parent’s don’t participate. The privates can limit class size; raise their cost to spend more per pupil (so admission will be require the voucher plus additional money; and, there is no requirement that the voucher recipient to show better performance for the voucher students.
It seems rather foolish to tell a public school: “You’re not doing very well, so while you work to fix that, let’s take away some of your funding.”
If you do not understand why someone would vote “No” and request more money for public schools, you should visit some of these “failing schools.” They are typically in disrepair, have overcrowded classrooms, and lack basic technology. By underfunding the public schools we send a message to the students that walk through the doors that education is not important.
Imagine trying to teach a class of 30+ 6-year-olds how to read. Imagine doing it with 20 textbooks. Imagine doing it in a room that lacks adequate heat or lighting. I can’t.
Before we start handing students off to private schools, we need to make a concerted effort to fix the most basic of problems. 1) The school should be one of the nicest buildings in the neighborhood. That sends a message to students and parents alike. 2) We should hire enough teachers to achieve the optimum class size per grade as indicted by research (and for first grade, it is less than 20). 3) We should ensure the classrooms have appropriate tools to teach.
Until we take care of those 3 things, I fail to see how vouchers will solve anything.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:00 am
I notice State Rep. Linda Chapa-LaVia from Aurora voted against the bill, which is quite interesting since the East Aurora School District is one of the worst in the suburbs and she sends her kids to private schools. She doesn’t have the guts to go against the unions.
Comment by Jack Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 3:33 am
PCK,
Brilliant argument. Public Schools are overcrowded, so lets force students to stay in them instead of transferring out to private school.
You just qualified to be a State Rep with that line of thinking.
JBP
Comment by John Powers Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 6:34 am
sorry this is on Thursday and not Wednesday, but Pot is right. John Powers, you are wrong.
“Contrary to popular belief, we can find no evidence that private schools actually increase student performance,” said Jack Jennings, the center’s president and a former staffer in the Democratic-controlled House, in a press release. “Instead, it appears that private schools simply have higher percentages of students who would perform well in any environment based on their previous performance and background.”
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1670063,00.html#ixzz0n9R8P67M
Fix the public schools. Start with how they are funded and the resources available in each classroom. Connect that to teachers and tenure.
Then connect funding and teacher issues to standards and testing.
Comment by Mongo Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 7:21 am
I went to private elementary school. I don’t remember anybody getting kicked out. I do remember very strong disciplinarÝ action when one misbehaved…the kind of discipline one cannot receive at a public school. This argument that the privates kick out low performers is BUNK! If you want to argue against the vouchers, please stick to the facts. Otherwise, this blog becomes FOX News.
Comment by anon Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 7:21 am
Sure, lets throw more money at the public schools- maybe in 5 years they’ll be better. As for the kids that will get lost in the system over those next 5 years- tough break, better luck next time. The House GOP is a total joke.
Comment by Bakersfield Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 7:49 am
Excellent video. It just keeps getting better.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 9:59 am
[…] The actual roll call is nowhere to be found on the IL General Assembly web site because of a procedural move called “postponed consideration” — essentially a “do over” where the vote is thrown out, and the bill can be brought up again later (presumably after changes are made, arms are twisted). But fortunately, Capitol Fax had the good sense to videotape the voting board before the results disappeared into the ether. […]
Pingback by dupageprogressive.com » Blog Archive » Some DuPage Republicans helped kill school vouchers Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 10:24 am
Might want to double check that final count.
I think it was 26 Republicans yes, and 22 no.
In any case, the House Republicans are still a joke.
Comment by just sayin' Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:00 pm