* SJ-R…
Illinoisans give public schools a poor grade, according to the Illinois Education Association’s second annual State of Education report released Tuesday.
A poll of 1,000 Illinoisans gave public schools a grade “C-,” though more than half of respondents would give their local public schools an “A” or “B” grade.
That’s almost always the case. Schools or whatever are much better where you live than other places.
* Back to the SJ-R…
More than half of those polled indicated that teachers are paid too little despite changes made to make the teaching profession more attractive, including enacting the $40,000 minimum salary law. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation in August upping the pay for teachers, reaching the $40,000 mark by the 2023-24 school year.
Many respondents would not advise family members to become teachers. Illinois’ education job bank Tuesday showed some 2,563 openings.
Despite the propaganda, people generally like and respect teachers.
* Press release excerpt…
Seventy-one percent of Illinois residents believe funding for our schools should increase. More than 80 percent of the public believes our education support staff, like paraprofessionals and classroom aides, are paid too little. […]
The poll, conducted by Normington-Petts and We Ask America, surveyed 1,000 Illinoisans between Nov. 13 and 21. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent with 95 percent confidence.
“This poll is the only bi-partisan look at the state of public schools in Illinois. We sampled people from all across the state and from many different communities. It’s clear that what unites Illinoisans is the importance of having quality public schools for all Illinois children,” Normington-Petts’ Jill Normington said.
“We worked collaboratively to make sure this poll was done without bias, so we could truly get an honest look at the state of education in Illinois,” We Ask America’s Andrew Weissert said.
Please keep that Weissert quote in mind as you read this post. I would’ve written this post a lot differently if it had not been for the way the poll was constructed.
* To the poll…
Would you say things in Illinois today are generally headed in the RIGHT DIRECTION or would you say things are off on the WRONG TRACK?
RIGHT DIRECTION 29%
WRONG TRACK 57%
(DON’T KNOW) 14%
The Simon Poll had the wrong track number at 84 percent in 2018 and 67 percent almost a year ago.
* Respondents were then asked to rate how important each one of these priorities was to them on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most important. Here are the percentages of those who rated them a 10, followed by the percentages of those who rated them an 8, 9 or 10…
Having high quality public schools 59% … 81%
Cleaning up corruption in state government 69% … 85%
Lowering taxes 52% … 68%
Reforming the state pension systems 35% … 53%
Balancing the state budget 51% … 77%
Reducing crime 58% … 77%
The corruption message is really hitting home big-time, and I gotta bet it’s even higher now because the poll was taken last November. A whole lot of stuff has happened since then. Also, any issue polling in the 80s can really move numbers in a campaign, so legislators need to beware. Pension reform? Not so much. It finished last in the priorities list.
* And speaking of pensions…
As you may know, teachers in Illinois do not pay into and therefore do not collect Social Security when they retire. Do you think that Illinois teachers should receive their full pension, see their pensions cut some or see their pensions eliminated?
FULL PENSION 75%
CUT SOME 11%
ELIMINATED 6%
(DON’T KNOW) 9%
Right now, teachers hired after the year 2011 in Illinois must work in a classroom until age 67 in order to be eligible to receive their pensions, no matter how many years they have been teaching. Do you strongly oppose, somewhat oppose, somewhat support or strongly support recently hired teachers being able to receive their pensions at age 60 instead of waiting until 67?
I guess not everybody agrees with the Tribune.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 3:13 pm:
Good numbers for teachers and their pensions, given some of the other numbers. It’s almost laughable to argue that pensions need to be cut more in light of retirements raised to age 67 under Tier 2. We’ve gone there, and now we need to get revenue from the wealthiest, which would give so many tax cuts, small as they may be. The Fair Tax would set us going in the right direction.
- Responsa - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 3:14 pm:
The right track -wrong track question is useless and anyone professionally trained in conducting polls and who actually wants get useful information knows it. Even a historic trend milked from this vague question means little.
The priorities questions, however, followed by individual policy deep dives such as corruption and teachers are where you get useful information and the focus on corruption should be a clarion call for those in government. But will it be?
- 19th Ward Guy - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 3:18 pm:
The teacher pension question is so poorly worded this poll is meaningless.
- Annonin - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 3:37 pm:
Wonder what they would have said to cleaning up federal government or canceling student loans or….
- Common Sense - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 3:43 pm:
The last paragraph in the poll is not true. A teacher does not need to work in a classroom until 67. 67 is when you receive the funds. But you don’t need to be working in a classroom at 67 if you’re already vested.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 3:58 pm:
The poll implies Tier 2 teachers cannot collect pension until age 67 and must be still be teaching up to that age. That is incorrect and very misleading. I would respond “support” to such a question if I didn’t know how the pension system worked.
What they’re trying to ask is should a Tier 2 teacher able to collect their full pension at age 60. I think a more intriguing question would be:
Teachers used to be able to collect their full pensions at age 55. That age has been raised to 67, the same as as Social Security. What age do you think is appropriate for teachers to begin collecting their full pension? 55-57; 58-60; 61-63; 64-66; 67
- @misterjayem - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 4:02 pm:
The teacher pension question is so poorly worded these grapes are sour.
– MrJM
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 4:03 pm:
Not a very useful poll.
“Eliminating Waste, fraud and abuse” always polls well.
We should reform weaknesses in ethics and lobbying laws, but based on common sense and not the polling.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 4:28 pm:
Next week there’s someone starting with the State of Illinois that’s a recent college grad. A bright eyed 23 year old full of optimism about their career ahead.
Then they’re going to get their first SERS statement and realize that the people of Illinois expect them to work for 44 years. “FORTY FOUR YEARS” they’ll think to themselves. “Forty four years! There won’t even be a Florida in 44 years,” and then they’ll see their projected benefits for their tier 2 pension and suddenly realize that perhaps state service is a jumping off point for the rest of their career.
There’s going to be a lot of folks leaving right after their pension vests. Right after their public service loan forgiveness is approved.
Thus defeating the principle purpose of the public pension — retaining employees and rewarding them for being consistent and fair in how they carry out and apply the law.
- bringing in the light - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 4:37 pm:
Probably bodes well for the folks Lightfoot endorsed
- Pelonski - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 4:40 pm:
Candy,
I’m not sure you are going to find many new jobs where you get to retire before 67 based on a pension. If that 23 year old participates in the deferred compensation plan, they will likely be as well or better off than their peers over the long haul.
- Generic Drone - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 4:44 pm:
When the bill comes due, teacher bashing will continue just like it did when Rauner was governor. I don’t believe this poll.
- West Side the Best Side - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 4:45 pm:
No matter how poorly worded the question might have been, it’s nice to see the public’s idea of pension reform is not stealing them.
- Oldtimer - Tuesday, Feb 11, 20 @ 4:55 pm:
The first pension question is true if you teach only for your entire working career. My spouse has taught for 20 years but also has ten years of non-teaching employment. She will receive a limited Social Security benefit. The second pension question is simply wrong, along with being poorly constructed. Check out The TRS site for Tier 2 employees.