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* Chris Kennedy was interviewed by Bernie Schoenburg at the SJ-R…
During an interview with The State Journal-Register, he mentioned the city’s three public high schools.
He said at Lanphier and Southeast, “less than 10 percent of the kids who graduate … are ready to go on to a university, enter a trade school, go to community college, or enter the workforce without remedial education. Ninety percent of those kids, therefore, are going to be doomed to a life of economic oppression.” […]
He said students at Springfield High are “three times more likely” to be college ready, but he said that number was still just 25 percent.
“The state needs to step in,” Kennedy said. “What is the economic impact of having all of those people unable to take care of themselves? Where is the moral outrage in the community?”
* But…
I checked with Springfield’s District 186, and got a fact sheet from Superintendent JENNIFER GILL noting that based on 2016 ACT tests, college readiness was listed as 23 percent each at Lanphier and Southeast, and 54 percent at Springfield High. An ACT score of 21 or more was considered college ready, and all students, including those with a range of special needs, were included in the testing.
The explanation from the campaign was that Kennedy was referring to PARCC scores.
* Sen. Andy Manar, who represents part of Springfield and is considering a Democratic gubernatorial bid of his own, lashed out at Kennedy…
There is no lack of outrage; there is a lack of equitable funding . . and @schooldist186 schools are not a failure. https://t.co/Dg15m9jJdq
— Andy Manar (@AndyManar) February 12, 2017
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 9:43 am
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Rich sounds like this guy CK is stepping in it everywhere he goes downstate. Needs better staff and press person.
Comment by scott aster Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 9:50 am
Keep fighting Dems. Rauner is loving it.
Comment by LOL Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 9:52 am
In other words, Andy is feeling unloved and desires some attention. Again.
Comment by Deft Wing Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 9:55 am
CK needs a better crew…But Manar needs to be more than a candidate that wants to re-distribute the wealth. His plans are non starters for the collar counties.
Comment by Echo The Bunnyman Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 10:13 am
Actually, the finances for 186 Springfield district are not that bad - overall they are close to the state average. Yet the academic success data is much below state averages.
Instructional Spending per Pupil
2013 2014 2015
District $7,108 $6,948 $6,898
State $7,094 $7,419 $7,712
Operational Spending per Pupil
2013 2014 2015
District $12,870 $12,704 $12,287
State $12,045 $12,521 $12,821
Source: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?source=environment&Schoolid=510841860250001
Comment by T Sowell Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 10:22 am
Community colleges specialize in remedial classes to bring people up to speed enough to take college level classes. They have a pretty good success rate. One reason for that is that generally, the people going to the community colleges want to be there. Some of the kids in high school don’t want to be there and are just counting the days until they can get out of there.
Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 10:25 am
I learned all I needed to know about Andy Manar’s willingness to further “education reform” when he told Jason Barickman to (figuratively) jump off a cliff. It’s his way or the highway. For a man who fancies himself as a statesman that’s no way to get your legislation passed and muscled through to the Governor’s office - especially when it could take Republican votes to override a (likely) veto by Governor Rauner.
54% for Springfield High is still pretty low considering that their geographic area draws from wealthier parts of town. Lanphier & Southeast are just abysmal. Anyone on the northend who has any sort of means sends their kids to private schools or finds a way to move to Sherman/Williamsville. And with respect to Mr. Manar there’s a reason why D186 taxpayers reject every attempt to enhance revenue.
Comment by Curl of the Burl Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 10:32 am
And one test score does not constitute failure. That’s something that needs fixed in education and there’s no need to change a formula. Every student doesn’t need a bachelor’s degree. Since we are under-funding our universities, there will be no ( what a university calls ) remedial classes. Good Luck … How many of you were ready for Calculus I when you graduated high school because if you weren’t, you were in a remedial math class.
Comment by Exit 59 Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 10:34 am
Isn’t it great when folks like Chris Kennedy, who received all of his education at expensive private schools, tells the rest of us how our public schools are performing?
Comment by Rum Runner Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 10:52 am
I chalk this up as a learning exercise, I suspect prior to the interview someone from his staff handed him some talking points the staffer googled.
Hopefully the campaign learns how to create a message that doesn’t get lost because further explanation or clarification is required. Or better still, stay away from local specifics when you can.
Also, maybe try avoiding the whole costal liberal idea that everyone is a victim, parents and the kids themselves should be sharing some blame for low test scores.
Comment by Swift Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 11:07 am
T Sowell facts get in the way of the soundbite…Money alone is not the solution to all the woes in Illinois education. Springfield is a perfect example. Like many other districts, it’s how the money is spent. Funding needs to change but without TRS and pensions getting solved, it’s a tough road. The Speaker is correct about a cost shift. If New Trier wants to pay $300,000 for a Superintendent, they need to pay a much larger portion of that retirement pension. Not equal to residents of Macomb. That is the game that needs to change. A school board agrees to a huge salary, they need more skin in the game.
Comment by Echo The Bunnyman Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 11:26 am
-Curl of the Burl—-
Furthering education reform would actually happen if Sen. Barickman was actually for something. Sen. Manar has been more than patient waiting on Barickman to reveal what he is for. Everyone knows what he is against which is anything that Manar proposes. Sen. Barickman should just show the state his cards and file an actual bill.
Comment by Madison Co Dem Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 11:32 am
Insulting to “the community”. Pretty dumb to walk into Sen. Manar’s district armed with bad information on school funding.
Comment by D 186 Retiree Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 11:46 am
Senator Manar needs to lighten up when a fellow Democrat expresses moral outrage at the current education results. Defending the status quo, or going after a fellow Democrat for having the guts to challenge the status quo … may not be qualities that will fly for governor. Kennedy’s concern for downstate schools and school funding proves he’s on the team with Manar and downstate funding/school reform advocates - accept that.
Comment by downstate dem Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 11:50 am
MCD - but when Senator Barickman has expressed interest in working with Senator Manar the response has been underwhelming at best.
Comment by Curl of the Burl Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 11:53 am
No Alex Paterakis needs some love…
Comment by Ricky Ricardo Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 11:55 am
Is there a published correlation between the salaries of school district superintendents and the performance of their students?
Comment by Keyser Soze Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 12:17 pm
If Manar is the only (real) downstate candidate, he might surprise everyone like Brady did in 2010. The way it’s looking now, the primary might end up a battle between Chicago candidates. Bustos is the deciding factor, as I imagine her record aligns more with northern, central, and southern Illinois.
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 12:24 pm
Keyser - your barking up the wrong tree - parents are the key to academic success..
The most accurate predictors of student achievement in school are not family income or social status, but the extent to which the family creates a home environment that encourages learning
Building Successful Partnerships: A Guide for Developing Parent and Family Involvement Programs. Bloomington, Indiana: National Education Service, 11–12.
Comment by T Sowell Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 12:38 pm
meant “You’re”
Comment by Texas Red Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 12:43 pm
Jeez, with all that money, can’t Kennedy afford a toothbrush and paste?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 12:45 pm
And a smile while he’s at it?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 12:47 pm
As we’ve seen with recent White House news, the uber-wealthy should really consider building up more policy and political experience BEFORE representing themselves as qualified for running our government. Crazy idea, I know.
Comment by Veil of Ignorance Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 12:58 pm
T Sowell is right: parents are the key to academic success.
But beyond that, what can schools do?
Under the right circumstances, schools can make up for the home situation, but they cannot become parents.
Barickman IS for something: HB 2808 (also the bill he introduced last year in the Senate). But HB 2808 pretends to be Evidence Based, supported by the Rauner/Purvis Commission.
Actually HB 2808 was drafted by the school administrators saying it would be nice to do 27 different things, but HB 2808 does NOT require them to do the 27 things.
HB 2808 gives local school superintendents almost complete LOCAL control of funds (of course in the name of reform).
Comment by winners and losers Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 1:27 pm
T. Sowell:
I know that. I was only making fun of the New Trier Superintendent’s reported annual salary of $300,000, as if it makes any difference in the lake shore area. But, your point raises a conundrum. How does one go about educating the children of uneducated parents? A middle school teacher friend of mine, a very good teacher at that, tells me that some pupils are virtually unteachable due to lack of guidance and support on the home front.
Comment by Keyser Soze Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 3:21 pm
It’s an overstatement to say that anyone who graduates from high school unready for a four-year college is “doomed to a life of economic oppression.” And it’s certainly not a winning message downstate; in Sangamon County, 72 percent of residents do NOT have a college degree.
Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 4:00 pm
It’s a darn embarrassment that the best 186 can do is 54 percent when the largest private high school in town turns out 96 percent.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Feb 14, 17 @ 7:25 pm