Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: We’re number one!
Next Post: Question of the day
Posted in:
* 9:59 am - Considering that their lawsuit was so quickly knocked down in the lower court, and considering that the veto session is just around the corner, this is probably a wise move. From a press release…
The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, representing regional offices of education and intermediate service centers in Illinois, today issued the following statement on an appeal of a lawsuit challenging Gov. Pat Quinn’s cut of their funding in the current state budget:
“Regional superintendents of schools have decided not to pursue an appeal of the Aug. 26 Sangamon County court decision that denied us immediate restoration of our pay. As we said at the time of the ruling, we are disappointed in the outcome and are not dissuaded in our belief that this is an unfair situation and should not continue. However, we respect the court’s decision and believe it’s time now to focus on the next step.
“Our members are working right now to educate legislators about all the services we provide and good work we do for our school system and taxpayers. We are building the support necessary for a responsible solution that restores our state funding. Even as the personal hardships grow without receiving a paycheck, regional superintendents are resolved to both follow through on the duties we were elected to perform and show our value to legislators, who will be asked to stand with us in the upcoming fall veto session.”
They’ll probably get their override.
Also, in case you’re wondering why the state can shaft the superintendents while five Cook County commissioners are probably right when they say their furloughs are illegal, well, they fall under a different set of laws. The same goes for judges, who forced the state to pay their cost of living adjustments a few years ago. Their compensation is guaranteed in the state’s Constitution.
*** UPDATE *** And the override movement begins. From a press release…
Illinois State Senators Gary Forby (D-Benton) and John Sullivan (D-Rushville) are calling on legislators to take action and override the governor’s veto to education transportation funding and the regional offices of education when they return for fall veto session beginning October 25. As members of the Senate Democratic Downstate Caucus, Forby and Sullivan issued a letter to their Senate colleagues highlighting the unfair burden and impact these vetoes will have on rural Illinois school districts.
After months of negotiations, the General Assembly reached and passed a budget compromise for Fiscal Year 2012 that reduced state spending by over $1 billion. This budget was then sent to the governor’s desk where he cut school transportation funding by an additional $89 million, or 30 percent, and eliminated another $11 million from the Regional Offices of Education (ROEs), which includes funding for 44 superintendents and about 40 assistants. Forby and Sullivan are quick to point out that schools’ transportation budgets are already strained because this same line item was already cut last year by a third, which cover school districts’ costs for transporting students to-and-from school and pay for fuel and maintenance costs.
“Transportation funding is vital here in Southern Illinois,” Senator Forby said. “Our school districts downstate will be crushed with the loss of these funds. Money that could have been put back into the classroom will have to go towards transportation costs and that’s not something that a lot of schools in my district can afford to take on. I hope legislators will realize the importance of this issue and override the governor’s veto when we go back in session.”
Forby and Sullivan, members of the Senate Democratic Downstate Caucus, argue that the governor’s veto will put an unfair burden on the downstate and rural districts, where students need to travel many miles to get to school.
“Some bus routes in rural school districts in western Illinois cover hundreds of miles, and when you slash their budget, it’s not like they can just stop picking up students,” Senator Sullivan said. “I supported a budget that made fair and equitable cuts across the board, and with many downstate school districts still coping with the massive cuts delivered just last year, I cannot support this additional cut that so disproportionately disadvantages downstate Illinois. I encourage my colleagues to stand with Senator Forby and I in restoring funding to school transportation budgets.”
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 22, 11 @ 10:00 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: We’re number one!
Next Post: Question of the day
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
The Commissioners are only half right. A forced furlough would be illegal. A voluntary furlough is not. The budget apparently assumed that all of them would take it voluntarily. Some have chosen not to volunteer. They can’t be forced to, but they can be criticized for not volunteering, when they have made some employees do it.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 22, 11 @ 10:08 am
“Some have chosen not to volunteer.”
This should be rephrased to be more accurate like this: “Some lied to their constituents when they publicly agreed to do so voluntarily and then reneged on that commitment.”
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 22, 11 @ 11:31 am
I hope the Regional Superintendents get paid retroactively and with interest.
Comment by LincolnLounger Thursday, Sep 22, 11 @ 1:40 pm
In my district, a parent group is calling for a student boycott tomorrow because all bus service for students living more than 1.5 miles from school has been cut.
Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Sep 22, 11 @ 3:59 pm
Wensicia:
Are you sure that isn’t bus service provided to students LESS than 1.5 miles from school? I’m guessing it is that b/c state law doesn’t require bus service for kids living less than that distance away.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Sep 22, 11 @ 5:23 pm
Demoralized,
Check it out:
http://newssun.suntimes.com/7794844-417/waukegan-schools-chief-bus-boycott-100-percent-wrong.html
Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Sep 22, 11 @ 5:30 pm
When looking for fat to trim from education in Illinois, I can’t believe transportation was the target. My kids go to school in a K-12 district that is housed in one building. We have a district superintendent AND principal who combined are earning close to $250k in salaries, pensions and benefits each year, for administering a school district of less than 300 students.
What does a district superintendent do for a school district this size that a principal can’t do, or the regional superintendent can’t do? And almost all district superintendents in our ROE earn more than the regional superintendent, even in districts as small as ours.
Comment by Transplant Thursday, Sep 22, 11 @ 7:47 pm