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* Dr. Howard Fuller, a Distinguished Professor of Education at Marquette University, writing for Real Clear Education about the opportunities presented by the current special session…
This special session is such an important moment in Illinois. It provides an opportunity to chart a different course for how the state tackles the challenge of providing all students with access to high-quality education. And it begins with using this debate over education funding to enact a tax credit scholarship program that allows individuals and corporations to allocate a portion of their owed state taxes to private, nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations that issue scholarships to low-income students.
By signing a bill with this language into law, the governor would propel Illinois to the forefront of the crucial battle to truly change education in America. Illinois could join the growing list of states that realize there is no one-size fits all system that works for our children, particularly our most vulnerable children.
To take advantage of this special moment in time a conversation is not enough; concrete action is needed. Given the stakes, the policymakers must right now do what’s best for kids.
* On the very same day, the National Review ran this op-ed from Jeanne Allen, the founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform…
Fortunately, a bipartisan school-funding-reform commission has been working to come up with a replacement for the byzantine system that has controlled funding for state schools for years. While Democrats and Republicans agree on much of the bill, in its current form it amounts to a taxpayer bailout of the Chicago Public Schools system, which has skipped most payments into its teacher pension funds for more than a decade and failed to deliver even an adequate education to most of its students for decades.
However, Governor Rauner has an opportunity to craft a compromise solution that provides the key to better education for all kids and ensures that schools open on time. The grand bargain would be simple: He agrees to Democrats’ demands if they include a tax-credit scholarship program in the education-funding-formula legislation.
* Rep. Jeanne Ives isn’t amused…
I am arguably one of the most conservative state reps in Illinois- my ACU rating for the past two years is 100%, lifetime 98%. Every year I have filed every year a school choice bill of some type, in some years more than one. In full disclosure my children attend both Catholic school AND public school - so I have an educated and unhypocritcal opinion on the matter. I believe in parental choice as do a number of public school teachers who also send their children to private school even as their unions rally against parental choice. Stick with me here on this lengthy discussion…
This year I not only filed a school choice bill, I also got a hearing on it in committee - primarily because the Democrats wanted to embarrass me even though the Democrat Chairperson, sends his kids to private school. Well, my bill failed in committee- it was a re-write of former Democratic State Senator (African-American) bill - didn’t matter, killed anyway and Republicans voted against it too - they like the teacher union money as much as Democrats.
Back to the article and my point, even I, as someone who favors school choice, would not make a deal to pass SB1 and bailout Chicago for a tax credit for scholarships.
SB1, and its Republican version that does not include the obvious Chicago bailout, would still be a terrible bill for education and taxpayers in Illinois.
The author here has no idea what the deal would mean for the children, families, and taxpayers I represent. Visit jeanneives.org to learn more. Oh, and I sit on the pension committee- the author has no idea how badly underfunded they really are.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 10:54 am
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Well I will give her the courage of her convictions
Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:03 am
Is Jeanne Ives ever amused? If someone gave her a suitcase of cash, she would complain that it was too heavy.
Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:07 am
Oh Jeanne, you never cease to annoy and amuse, all at the same time. Spare us your ideological purity. What’s needed now is some good old fashioned pragmatism, like the kind the governor used to claim to cherish.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:11 am
Seems like all the grifters are arguing over how to most harm IL k-12. None of them have every taught a class or spent any time in the ed trenches.
Comment by Blue Bayou Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:11 am
We already provide tens of millions in scholarships to thousands upon thousands of low-income children to attend non-profit schools.
They are called charter schools, Governor Rauner.
And in case you haven’t heard, one of them even have your name on it.
If Governor Rauner or Rep. Ives would like to explain how charter schools have failed, I’d love to hear an answer.
BTW, Gov: if you would like to make another donation, I am sure they have a process.
Comment by Juvenal Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:12 am
==(African-American)==
What does that have to do with anything?
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:16 am
Jeez that African-American line is strange…
Comment by Franklin Delano Bluth Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:20 am
I remind Ms. Ives that most of the “taxpayers of Illinois” live in northeastern Illinois and depend on the success of the city of Chicago to drive the region’s economy. In fact, you could say that the State of Illinois relies on the success of northeastern Illinois.
Comment by NoGifts Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:21 am
I say bravo Jeanne ! Ives does a great job of articulating the views of her district, as well as being the loyal opposition to the union controlled Dems.
Comment by Texas Red Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:33 am
==depend on the success of the city of Chicago to drive the region’s economy.==
Success of Chicago or CPS?
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:35 am
City Zen - Do you really think that CPS isn’t part of Chicago? Would your own community be a success if your school system failed?
Comment by NoGifts Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:38 am
What’s the purpose of the “(African-American)” language? It seems like a code phrase or is at best wholly gratuitous. Ms. Ives doesn’t give racial or physical descriptions of anyone else she mentions.
Comment by northsider (the original) Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:40 am
Shorter Ives: “I can’t be a racist because I have a black friend (a bill, actually, but that counts).”
Hard to believe from a right-winger in Wheaton, but…..
Comment by Blue Bayou Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:44 am
Why doesn’t the Democratic state senator get a name to go with his or her race, Republican Rep. (white)?
Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:49 am
“What’s the purpose of the “(African-American)” language?”
She’s saying that because she drafted her bill so that it was similar to one drafted by a Black state senator, she expected the Democrats to pass it. Because they automatically pass bills drafted by people of color. /s
Comment by Politix Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:49 am
Well, gee….having a child in Catholic and a public school certainly makes one an expert on the whole educational scene, doesn’t it?
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:49 am
I think she is referring to State Senator James Meeks. It is her way of saying “See, a black person said this too.”
She should have just said his name. Its classic Jeanne Ives who is literally one of the biggest racist legislators in the General Assembly and does not try to hide it. And before anyone screams that I shouldn’t use that charged language scroll thru some classic Ives quotes she actually said on the House floor. There are more. When her colleagues shake their collective heads, she’s incredulous because its her truth and she can’t be convinced otherwise.
1. We shouldn’t be giving child care assistance to people who don’t even know who the baby daddies are.
2. In the budget vote: “This doesn’t do anything but help your demographics and not the hard working people I represent.
There are a boatload of them. She believes that the majority of people who use state assistance are minorities and that if they are poor its their own fault.
She is quite practiced in dog whistle politics. So using language from a former African American state senator gives her cover to save black children from the horrible public school system, therefore she is not racist.
Comment by Sideline Watcher Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:52 am
“Every year I have filed every year a school choice bill of some type, in some years more than one.”
Proofreading matters. Also, learn how commas are used (not this sentence, but throughout your rant)
“the teacher union money”
Always with the scapegoats. Where does your campaign $ come from, Rep. Ives?
Comment by Nick Name Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 11:56 am
It doesn’t sound like Rep Ives comprehends that the far-right conservative agenda isn’t very popular. Unfortunately, I have to live with her as my representative that I share 0 common beliefs with.
Comment by forwhatitsworth Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 12:01 pm
Anonymous @ 11:49
My first thought as well.
Comment by Robert J Hironimus-Wendt Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 12:05 pm
NoGifts - Chicago, like New York and LA, has thrived for decades despite the performance of their school systems.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 12:09 pm
Oh no, i have a huge unfunded mortgage. I dont have all the money to cover 30years of oayments in one day. Inhave plenty of money to make the required monthly payments. plus i pay 5 times the amount due each month to get shead on paying it off. each year i increase the extra i pay; but the cost is too burdensome. i need to file for bankruptcy because indont habe 30years of payments on hand, and i cant keep ratcheting up my voluntary overpayment. clearly a fiscal crisis.
Dropping to say double payments would just be crazy better to manufacture the crisis with overpayments and look only at the amount due in 30years… thats just sound fearmongering er i mean financial planning
Comment by Ghost Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 12:11 pm
Good for her.
Her defense of the nuclear family is always twisted into a racist position.
While Chicago denies the plantations on the South and West sides, Dems continue to protect their way of business.
Comment by cdog Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 12:23 pm
She is not committed to equal education to all Illinois children regarding their constitutional rights to an education. She is not committed to addressing the educational needs of Illinois children. She supports a one-size-fits-all approach for children attending public schools, in that she doesn’t support extra needs of thousands of children living in poverty, abused by ignorant parents disinterested in parenting, living in crime, having emotional problems, having physical needs, communication needs, transportation needs or any other special needs sadly common.
It doesn’t matter a child’s preparedness, abilities or physical problems - they are equally permitted to gain a public education in Illinois. Education creates our future.
Ives believes in Darwinism as a “fair” approach. She is Ebeneezer Scrooge without his math skills.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 12:33 pm
–former Democratic State Sen. (African American)–
I think former Democratic state Rep. (White Irish Catholic) was a co-sponsor.
GOP state Rep. (Reactionary Goof) always brings the funny.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 12:51 pm
==is always twisted into a racist position==
Hard to twist it when she said it herself
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 1:03 pm
Rep Ives We have the best University in Illinois We don’t need Dr. Howard Fuller, a Distinguished Professor of Education at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 1:09 pm
VanillaMan. I admire your zeal for giving children a chance, but government programs can seldom make up for indifferent parents, let alone abusive ones. I support many of the programs in place, but have doubts about their effectiveness.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 1:10 pm
==my children attend both Catholic school AND public school - so I have an educated and unhypocritcal opinion on the matter==
I own an iPod, but you don’t see me telling Tim Cook how to run Apple.
Comment by Jocko Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 1:31 pm
It’s 2017.
We don’t give up on kids, even when their parents do. Every child must be lead to their highest potential and school are where kids live from 9:00 to 3:00 every school day. This requires that schools be where our children go for escape. This costs us money. If we fail, we end up paying even more money.
Ives believes in Darwinism in government services when she should instead focus on providing our citizens their constitutiobnally protected rights.
As to effectiveness, let me remind you that for every horror story, there are twenty success stories. We don’t hear about those. Don’t let bad news bias you into accepting the drivel falling from Ives’ humorless lips. She’s a total downer.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 1:38 pm
Jeanne Ives for IPI CEO. (Unless they’re holding it open for two years, just in case…)
Comment by Winnin' Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 1:56 pm
==I own an iPod, but you don’t see me telling Tim Cook how to run Apple.==
Considering Tim Cook just announced Apple is discontinuing the iPod Shuffle and Nano, that’s probably for the better.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 1:59 pm
== Ives does a great job of articulating the views of her district ==
Maybe not. Hillary won her district by 10 points.
Comment by Roman Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 2:07 pm
Ives does a great job of articulating the views of her district
I live next to Ives district, while there are many who talk and act like her there are many more who do not.
The more she raises her profile and people get to see the real Jeanne the more likely she gets bumped off in an election
Comment by Morty Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 2:30 pm
Ives clearly states what she would not do. She does not state what she would do.
There’s a lot of that going around.
Comment by walker Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 2:31 pm
‘Always with the scapegoats. Where does your campaign $ come from, Rep. Ives?’
Illinois Opprotunity Project- an ally of IPI
Comment by Morty Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 2:34 pm
==Maybe not. Hillary won her district by 10 points.==
Unless Hillary is paying their very high property taxes, I’d wager many of her constituents feel the same about CPS.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 2:39 pm
Jeanne Ives doesn’t have a racist bone in her body. Her reference to an African American legislator supporting her position was meant to illustrate his constituents are inner city CPS consumers and views the current arrangement as unacceptable.
Comment by DuPage Don Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 3:34 pm
===Jeanne Ives doesn’t have a racist bone in her body.===
That may be true.
Singling confederate soldiers… that’s commonplace too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 3:38 pm
“singling”??? If by dog whistle signaling is what you meant, Willy, I’m not buying it!
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 3:49 pm
Morty
Ives is my rep and does not represent my views in any way. It’s torture.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 3:49 pm
Ives is the product of excellent education. Yet, to hear her speak, there is no such thing. I guess she thinks she self-educated.
TO the people who helped her get where she is, she feels contempt.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 4:33 pm
So, someone who wants to “salute” Confederate soldiers is… what… “open minded”…
That’s fun.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 4:37 pm
“Jeanne Ives doesn’t have a racist bone in her body.”
That’s laughable. If you listen to her long enough you’d know. Unless the dog whistle sounds good.
“Her reference to an African American legislator supporting her position was meant to illustrate his constituents are inner city CPS consumers and views the current arrangement as unacceptable.”
I made the same point. Now tell me why he doesn’t merit the professional courtesy of saying his name? And if you know Meeks, his reasons for that legislation aren’t the same as Ive’s reasons for that legislation.
But she’s not racist. Of course not./s
Comment by Sideline Watcher Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 4:59 pm
“Back to the article and my point, even I, as someone who favors school choice, would not make a deal to pass SB1 and bailout Chicago for a tax credit for scholarships.”
IL does not have enough money to properly fund school vouchers, and most parents do not have the money to supplement the voucher for the amount the private schools would require. It could cause both public and private schools to close due to lack of funding.
The private schools are able to pick & chose who is allowed to attend their schools. Public schools have to accept all the children in their school district. This is the only reason private schools do better than public schools.
Comment by Mama Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 5:36 pm
==IL does not have enough money to properly fund school vouchers, and most parents do not have the money to supplement the voucher for the amount the private schools would require.==
My local parochial grade schools charge less than $8,000 with discounts for multiple siblings. Even if you add $1,000 for incidentals that parochial schools hit up parents for, that still thousands less than what CPS spends per pupil.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 8:30 pm
- City Zen -
What is the per pupil spending per student?
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 8:34 pm
===What is the per pupil spending per student?===
I wrote it awkward on purpose…. lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 8:35 pm
OW - For CPS, it’s over $12,000 (your results will vary by district). According to the US Census Bureau’s latest report, Illinois residents spend an average of $13,755 per pupil.
For the record, I don’t think vouchers en masse are the answer. But would a voucher work for a Chicago west side single mother out looking for a different school experience outside CPS? I think it’s worth a try.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 10:29 pm
Try japan or korea at $6k per. Whats missing here…..? Sports. Drivers ed….
Comment by Blue dog dem Monday, Jul 31, 17 @ 10:41 pm
==Sports. Drivers ed….==
Are we really going down this road? That argument is a red herring.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 8:17 am
Dem. Only for those wanting to protect the status quo. Any intelligent person admits that the state financial status, and its school pension system is broken beyond repair if business as usual is the motto. Lets start the dialogue for change. Real change. I want my grandkids to be able to live a decent middle class life in Illinois. Living in the dream world of playing pro sports isnt one. Education. Affordable education. Some people say healthcare is a right. I say affordable education is a right. Excessive property taxes, income taxes, sin taxes, service taxes, gas taxes are a reasons why the working poor snd middle classes no longer have a chance at an affordable education.
Even at 72 years of age i can dream. Because sometimes i have nightmares on what will be in store for my grandkids if we dont change the way we educate.
Comment by Blue dog dem Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 8:33 am