Rauner pushing mandate relief
Tuesday, Sep 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The governor’s press office has recently been sending out “In Case You Missed It” e-mails about the topic of unfunded education mandates. Here’s today’s…
The following is a transcript of a story that ran on WQAD News. Watch the story here:
HOST: Educators across the state of Illinois are praising Governor Rauner after his call to end some unfunded mandates that school districts say would save them money. But as News 8’s Shane Simmons reports some educators don’t see change coming anytime soon.
REPORTER: For the last several years — Illinois schools have followed more than 100 unfunded mandates from the state. Basically, the state tells schools what they have to do. For example, schools are required to provide daily PE classes for students, which educators say is an additional cost that takes away from the classroom.
SUPERINTENDENT 1: You almost get used to it. To where you know what you have to fund, how much it’s going to cost, and you build that into your budget.
REPORTER: For years educators have pushed to eliminate some of these mandates, but say the idea just sat there and really didn’t go anywhere.
SUPERINTENDENT 1: If we don’t have to have those mandates, that’s saving us money to put into education for our children.
REPORTER: Governor Rauner says he wants to push lawmakers to let schools operate how they choose — specifically — letting districts decide whether or not they want to offer daily PE classes, drivers education and lifting restriction on third-party contracting, like for busing services. Rauner says it would save schools statewide $200 million a year. That would offset his other proposal – a property tax freeze. However some teachers unions oppose the move fearing lay-offs or outsourcing of jobs to a third party.
SUPERINTENDENT 2: Anytime you give local school districts that opportunity to focus on putting more resources — that’s ultimately better for our kids.
REPORTER: Dr. Jay Morrow from United Township High School says while some relief from the unfunded mandates would be nice — he doesn’t count on it happening anytime soon — pointing to a game of politics.
SUPERINTENDENT 2: We haven’t spent a great deal of time getting the numbers on this because they have talked about mandate relief for quite some time, and I think this is all part of a grand scheme, a grand bargain you will, that it will be a give and take. And if this is a gave or take on who’s side, it all depends.
REPORTER: Shane Simmons, WQAD News 8.
HOST: Governor Rauner can’t take any action on the mandates alone. Previous bills on this topic have failed in the general assembly in previous years.
* So, why is this so difficult? Well, the AP had a pretty good story on this the other day…
“It’s like nailing Jell-O to the wall,” said state Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat who tried to negotiate mandate relief last year. […]
Manar, of Bunker Hill, said he couldn’t get district officials to agree on a “top 10″ of mandates they’d like to get rid of. What one legislator or organization sees as unnecessary another sees as critically important, he said.
Teachers’ unions also have opposed eliminating the requirements, which in some cases could lead to layoffs or outsourcing jobs to non-unionized companies.
Jim Reed, government relations director for the Illinois Education Association, said the state’s largest education union opposes new mandates that aren’t funded and believes the solution is for the Legislature to fully fund the mandates it’s approved.
He said outsourcing driver’s ed or school bus drivers could create safety problems, and physical education requirements shouldn’t be relaxed when childhood obesity is a serious problem.
What we could really use here is some strong gubernatorial leadership on a compromise.
- Bluegrass Boy - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:17 am:
“What we could really use here is some strong gubernatorial leadership on a compromise.”
And that, sadly for the state, is in short supply.
- slow down - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:18 am:
Good luck with that Rich.
- Mason born - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:20 am:
What we could really use here is some strong gubernatorial leadership on a compromise.
Could put that at the end of almost every story
- From the 'Dale to HP - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:21 am:
Point is to win the media cycle, not to lead. Win the cycle, win the cycle, win the cycle…
How is that working out for Rahm, 4+ years later?
- Ghost - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:23 am:
The gov is willing to compromise wages and benefits for the middle class…. Once thats been compromised he will go forward….
- archimedes - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:27 am:
Eliminating a mandate doesn’t mean a local school district won’t continue to provide for it - it just becomes their choice. With a law requiring daily PE or driver education - schools have no choice and there is no negotiation or local political process.
Like anything else, there is certainly value in driver education and PE every day - but also like anything else priorities have to be set. Schools can’t do everything just because it is good to do.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:29 am:
The first three comments beat me to my first point.
I love the Manar quote. I saw the same thing when we challenged our regulated entities to suggest rules changes to address costly requirements.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:33 am:
The governor is talking out both sides of his mouth. He claims that he wants to reduce the unfunded school mandatestudents yet signs a bill requiring schools install carbon monoxide detectors.
So which is it? Unfunded mandates or no unfunded mandates. Please make up your mind.
- Daniel Plainview - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:36 am:
I’ve seen nothing out of the superstars thus far that leads me to believe they have the focus, work ethic, or attention to detail required to sort this out.
I expect polls and vague statements to abound, actual work not so much.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:38 am:
“Hi Rich-
The governor will not show a form of leadership needed until the Turnaround Agenda is passed.
Thanks!
ck”
- frustrated GOP - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:42 am:
The PE issue always is interesting. We have a mandate and our state has an obesity problem. States without the mandate have the same problem, or in some cases have less of a obesity issue. Perhaps, the requirement has nothing to do with whether students are obese or not.
Maybe it has more to do with culture,home, diet, and other factors uncontrollable by schools and the mandate limits access to additional education access to students that need such. I always love the union claim about safety when they are making $20 an hour more then the private sector. It’s nothing to do with safety, its got more to do with job protection.
- Retiree - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:42 am:
I heard a local superintendent say his school could not afford the classes which four year universities required for admission. Kids could just go to a junior college. Years ago I saw a deaf child wander the streets uneducated. Not all, but most mandates exist because kids were not receiving the education which they should have. Do we really want to end the mandates for providing kindergarten, or US history,or educating deaf kids? If there are no mandates, some local schools will “save money” by eliminating these types of programs.
Yes, I am a retired educator.
- Anonin' - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:42 am:
“strong gubernatorial leadership on a compromise.”
Perhaps Team Bungle could make a quick U turn to WI and get Scott Walker to pitch in now that he has some free time.
Usually school mandates help with special ed programs Anyone get document listin’ the savin’s or just using the BS #?
Guessin’ Team Bungles Mandate Toss will include CBA, prevailin’ wage., less readin’ & writin’ etc.
- nixit71 - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:42 am:
Has the IEA ever had a proactive thought that goes beyond maintaining the current status quo? This entire exercise is about rethinking how things are done and offering iterative solutions for local districts. Shouldn’t these be explored and not summarily dismissed with blanket statements made by union employees?
Perhaps we can add another mandate: IEA leaders must take required training course in Change Aversion. Fully funded, of course…by member dues.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:45 am:
= Schools can’t do everything just because it is good to do.= Very true.
Mandate relief is not what it seems to be. I did some math and it wouldn’t even get us close to flush based on the under funding we receive. Transportation alone has been reduced more than 50%, for a rural district that is as big a hit as reduced GSA.
Fund the mandates that exist and pass no further mandates (like additional civics instruction, that is already being delivered by schools. That is the key.
It may be different for larger districts, but in smaller districts like ours dropping drivers ed would meet with an incredible backlash. Our community members would have to drive 30 minutes or more to get access to much more expensive private instruction. say what you want about that, but our community ultimately runs the school. If mandate relief, so called, would pass it would be another way for politicians to pass off their responsibilities on to the local governments and let them take the heat for it. These mandates have been in place for many years and people have come to expect the services. Some superintendents are just not intelligent enough to figure this out.
Provide the funding in a reliable way, and schools won’t be faced with the need to max out tax rates. PTELL is another issue, no sane district under PTELL lowers taxes because you lose access to the rate if you ever needed the funding.
I like local control, but the state only supports it when they feel like it. It should be all or nothing, that includes taxation.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:48 am:
In order to compromise, you have to care.
Rauner doesn’t.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:48 am:
=If there are no mandates, some local schools will “save money” by eliminating these types of programs.=
Unfortunately this is true. Either give schools total authority and allow the above to happen (People will probably leave those districts if they can), or fund the mandates you believe in.
- A Jack - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:52 am:
With Scott Walker out, perhaps the Governor will now get the hint that anti-labor legislation isn’t a national priority.
If he were to drop his turn around agenda, and tackle education and the budget, he might get something done this year and have a better chance with some business reforms in another year. And I don’t mean those anti- labor business reforms, but meaningful regulation reform.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:54 am:
It’s fine that the governor wants to initiate the perennial, relatively small-bore chin-wag over PE classes and driver’s ed.
But in case he missed it, the state is on pace for record deficits and destroying the social service infrastructure over some pipe dreams about gutting collective bargaining and prevailing wage.
Seriously, have they even done a sober count on how many GOP votes they have on that nonsense? They would require a “yes” vote. “Present” won’t cut it.
Bong-hitting dorm-room philosophers have the luxury of purity and choosing their issues; governors don’t.
- qualified somebody nobody sent - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:55 am:
Maybe if the State of Illinois was responsible for paying for more of the cost of education statewide, these mandates wouldn’t be an issue. Local property taxes is the absolute wrong way to fund education. The State Constitution’s vague language is part of the problem. We’re the worst state for funding education through State dollars as a percentage of the whole cost of educating the children of Illinois. When we stop taxing residents through an archaic system that doesn’t fit a 21st century economy. How about some common ground on modernizing the State revenue stream? How about the State pays for the education of its taxpayers children? Regressive methods of taxation have reached the chokepoint for the citizens of Illinois. People who have money have benefitted for years by these policies of taxing those who can’t afford it. It’s time for these residents to pay up now,
- From the 'Dale to HP - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:58 am:
Will be interesting to see if Walker dropping out, have such a spectacular national fall, will impact Rauner at all. It should, but then again, you’d think going three months without a budget would get him to move a little bit too.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:02 am:
Two points.
First - while I understand what Senator Manar is trying to relay, his overall point is a bit silly given his SB 16/SB 1 goals. If everyone had a say in mandate eliminations, then nothing would ever get done. At some point, you just have to go with your gut and negotiate the heck out of the proposal. Some districts may not like it and some may think it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Second - and NixIt beat me to it - Mr. Reed’s comments are a mix between an oxymoron and short-sighted thinking. If we can solve the proration problem and rid school districts of unnecessary and unfunded mandates, then more funds will be available for actual education requirements and priorities. His statement read like a preschooler saying, “I don’t like naps, and mommy better buy more juice boxes.”
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:07 am:
It needs to be said, apparently, that schools don’t decide much of anything. They are the mechanisms of orders by our legislature (mandates) and the community they serve. Schools don’t decide whether to have Driver Education…….the state told them to implement. If there is a relaxation of that mandate, then the community would decide whether to continue because they feel it is a priority. Slays me how people think administrators and teachers sit around and decide what happens in a school. They are the soldiers, implementing political directives. They deserve no blame for any program some might not think is important. I’m sure many sure do wish they had SOME say in things, but they are the assembly line workers, implementing management directives. Sometimes I wonder if anyone understands how the Educational system works at all. I guess they wouldn’t know if all they did was sit at a desk and receive their Education. But they must be able to understand theres a bit more to this operation you’d think.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:09 am:
While Sen. Mahar’s ideas at least put into play the discussion beyond theory, it has yet to be proven that a significant rallying piece of legislation can be placed in the legislative office of the governor that would have this side of an impact, and be passed.
This is a heavy lift for a governor with any type of relationship with the General Assembly and the leadership, let alone a governor in Rauner that despises the legislature, the leaders, the members, and the process.
At some point, it’s not always about trying to go around, or bully through as the only 2 “workable” options seen by a governor. Sorry.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:12 am:
How about we make things funded mandates? I think we should have daily PE, and drivers ed. I’ve got a freshman girl who could use both. Call me a democratic socialist but I think we should invest more money into our children and their education and I (my words) am absolutely okay with paying more in taxes for it.
- nixit71 - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:12 am:
==Local property taxes is the absolute wrong way to fund education.==
That might be true, but since the state does not tax retirement income, how else do we ensure that older generations contribute their fair share towards education?
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:14 am:
Willy - good points, but in my mind this should be low-hanging fruit for Governor Rauner. After all, how many school administrators love unfunded mandates? It may take a while, but maybe this is a good 2016 goal.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:16 am:
=Bong-hitting dorm-room philosophers have the luxury of purity and choosing their issues; governors don’t.=
Word, that is really funny, good stuff. Priceless.
The gov promised to fully fund schools and increase spending. Like many, I found that dubious considering he wanted to slash taxes. Now he wants to slightly trim school costs by letting schools choose some very minor, but certainly unpopular cost cuts and freeze or even reduce school revenue in a way that will not be balanced by theoretical cost reductions. Like many of his campaign promises, this latest pandering is not supported with any hard data.
We have big problems. And he is jacking around with pandering that will not help this year.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:19 am:
== That might be true, but since the state does not tax retirement income, how else do we ensure that older generations contribute their fair share towards education? ==
A more valid question might be should older generations contribute to funding schools in their old age? Remember, those retirees did help pay for the schools when they were working.
Some states exempt the elderly from paying the school portion of their property taxes. Georgia, on a county by county basis, is one example. Here in Illinois, we make the retirees pay for the schools via the property tax but exempt them from the income tax. From a school funding perspective, it isn’t much different.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:26 am:
=Some states exempt the elderly from paying the school portion of their property taxes.=
Additional or increased homestead and/or senior exemptions over the years have reduced the property tax burden on seniors. Reduced, not eliminated.
Some disabled vets are fully exempted as well, while others receive reduced bills due to partial disability beginning in 2016.
Right or wrong, that simply displaces the burden and shifts it to others.
An earlier poster said it, the state needs to revise it’s revenue stream to something that is supported by our 21st century economy and takes the burden away from property taxes.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:27 am:
- Team Sleep -
Completely concur, this should be a Spring 2016 cornerstone to a legislative agenda going into November, low hanging fruit as well, if put together air-tight legislatively and in the nose-counting.
Heavy lift for Rauner, especially if IllinoisGO is very active in Democratic primaries.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:28 am:
=how many school administrators love unfunded mandates?=
None. Reversing decades of this will not be easy though. The laws are on the books because somebody wanted them there, and the school code only gets thicker by the year.
- qualified somebody nobody sent - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:28 am:
nixit 71 Read my comment. The State isn’t fulfilling its responsibility to educate the States children by using vague Constitutional language. Get more revenue from those who’ve benefitted the most from regressive taxation practices and pay for education from State money.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:28 am:
If only there were some kind of streamlined process through which schools could escape or perhaps get a waiver from these mandates, especially PE and driver’s education.
Oh wait, there is …
http://www.isbe.net/isbewaivers/
That system was created in 1995 so schools could make the case for why they should get waivers from certain mandates. Thousands of the waivers have been granted. It’s become nearly automatic in many cases.
But before someone says, mandates are dumb, let’s get rid of all of them, go back to 1995 and the first batch of mandate waiver requests.
Two schools asked for waivers from the prohibition on corporal punishment of school children (that’s paddling, slapping, etc). Even the mighty Trib edit board stood up for some of the unfunded mandates.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-10-19/news/9510190125_1_waiver-corporal-punishment-school-districts
https://www.questia.com/newspaper/1P2-32961786/schools-request-to-spank-students-is-likely-to-flunk
- Nickname#2 - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:33 am:
My prediction is that this will result in poor areas having schools that cannot provide programs that have been shown to improve school performance, while wealthy areas have schools that provide far better programs and services. Poor kids sitting in a classroom all day vs. kids in higher income areas having PE, band, etc.
The problem with “unfunded mandate” seems to be “unfunded” not “mandate.”
- Mama - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:34 am:
Rauner does not understand how large rural school districts are (some districts are 100 square miles). No kid can walk that far to school. Lots of parents don’t have time to take their kids to school because they have to go to work. Other parents do not have a vehicle so..
- Flynn's Mom - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:36 am:
“strong gubernatorial leadership”…who is going to provide that??? Our governor is weak and I’m not sure he even realizes that he is the governor. He believes himself to be the king of Illinois not 1/3 of the three branches.
- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:38 am:
Bruce,
Your Wealthy Welfare of $56,000.00 each month is an examples of an Unfunded Mandate.
In case you don’t understand I’m referring to your foolish idea to let the 5% tax rate expire! You pocket an extra 56K a month. More than most people make in a year.
- Mama - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:39 am:
I believe exercise (such as PE) promotes learning & reduces stress. Some PE classes also teach Health. It would be a big mistake to drop PE. For some kids, PE class is the only time they get any exercise.
- nixit71 - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:49 am:
==Get more revenue from those who’ve benefited the most from regressive taxation practices==
That would also include retirees not being taxed on their retirement income regardless of their income level.
==I have no problem with taxing retirement income but it should have an amount that is tax free first.==
Social Security un-taxed (like the 37 or so other states), all other retirement income taxed (like most of USA).
- burbanite - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:55 am:
Retiree, not sure how long ago you retired but “educating deaf kids” is not an unfunded state mandate. It is federal law.
- carbaby - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:58 am:
“Bong-hitting dorm-room philosophers have the luxury of purity and choosing their issues; governors don’t.”
This is the highlight phrase of my day. Thanks Word! I may have to reuse this as a retort to many issues
- walker - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 11:15 am:
==What we could really use here is some strong gubernatorial leadership on a compromise.==
Now that made me laugh!
It applies to a lot of our current problems.
This issue’s been around for years. The subject of some great rants every year, and encyclopedic lists. Few know just what they’re actually asking to be removed, since the mandates themselves were originally offered and supported by both sides of the aisle. Each year there is a resolution to have no more unfunded mandates for local school districts, and each year more are then offered up by Reps. Many are in fact ignored by local school districts, unless followed up on by the State and Regional Boards.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 11:18 am:
@Michelle Flaherty- you are right, there is a waiver process, but with most there are limitations and within those limitations some cannot be renewed. So it is not a permanent solution.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 11:24 am:
The mandate issue should include more than just schools. There are a bazillion mandates out there, including stuff that the government mandates that it do itself. You have no idea how many goofy things I do just to fulfill some mandate. And most of it is doing reports that nobody ever looks at.
- Rod - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 11:27 am:
I was very surprised to see that there was no discussion in the WQAD of mandates relating to special education that go beyond federal regulations. I am opposed to revoking the administrative rules that exist in Illinois that exceed federal regulations. Federal regulations are a base line and Illinois has appropriately gone above that base line with things like class size ratios for students with disabilities.
Roger Eddy while still a member of the Assembly chaired a committee on unfunded education mandates and at the top of the list for school boards and educational administrators were those relating to special education. ISBE attempted through JCAR action to eliminate a number of those mandates and parents of students with disabilities from around the state opposed those changes. The attempt failed. If the special education rules are reduced by amendment to any bill I believe the members proposing those amendments will have many upset parents contacting them who are both Democrats and Republicans.
- Bluefish - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 11:41 am:
“A more valid question might be should older generations contribute to funding schools in their old age? Remember, those retirees did help pay for the schools when they were working.”
That would actual works against seniors. The value of one’s house is correlated to the attractiveness of the local school district. One of the first things a family looks at when buying a house is the local schools. That same senior who doesn’t want to pay property taxes for schools after their kids have graduated is the same one who wants top dollar for their family home when they downsize.
- Ahoy! - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 11:55 am:
–What we could really use here is some strong gubernatorial leadership on a compromise.–
It will also take the legislature compromising as well. If both sides don’t compromise, the other side just caves.
- Dee Lay - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 11:55 am:
“A more valid question might be should older generations contribute to funding schools in their old age? Remember, those retirees did help pay for the schools when they were working.”
How about the folks in their 20s/30s who will never see social security? Should they stop paying that? Or folks who don’t drive a car - should they be on the hook for taxes related to infrastructure? If I promise to never use the library or any of the parks, can I get out of paying taxes to fund the Library or Park District?
We are all citizens who share in the same burden of taxes. Consumerization of the tax burden is bad for the Republic.
- walker - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 11:58 am:
As Wordslinger pointed out, and as confirmed by this thread, Rauner’s statement is a distraction from more serious and critical challenges.
- Dudeman - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 12:01 pm:
Basic lesson in government. The legislature passes a bill and the Governor signs it. Its a law. It could also be an unfunded mandate. Blame all these legislatures over the years piling on their pet projects into education. The curriculum is crowded, the state doesn’t care.
Demoralized got it right:
–And most of it is doing reports that nobody ever looks at.–
Because our state government is too dysfunctional to ever help a school district.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:16 pm:
So to be clear, a guy with 9 properties (mostly not un il) has a key agenda of freezing property tax rates….
- Tournaround Agenda - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 2:12 pm:
I think the governor cares less about freezing property taxes than eliminating collective bargaining. See how his press office calls every property tax freeze bill in the GA a “sham” when the bill is virtually identical to his own, minus those provisions…
- Just a guy - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 2:27 pm:
If Rauner tries to use Common Core math, he just get this thang to work.
- Thomas Stell - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 2:36 pm:
Ken griffen , rauners other buddy just used his tax break to buy a 200million dollar apartment in new york. Glad raunets rich friend can enjoy life at our expense.
- burbanite - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 2:48 pm:
LOL Just a guy!
- nixit71 - Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:21 pm:
==So to be clear, a guy with 9 properties (mostly not un il) has a key agenda of freezing property tax rates==
3 of Rauner’s 9 properties are in IL. Coincidentally, Karen Lewis has the same ratio of IL properties (1 of 3). I only have one. Apparently, I’m in the wrong business.