BI-COUNTY BRIEF - FEBRUARY 2009

 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ILLINOIS EDUCATION
The governor's impeachment and removal from office is the BIG news—front page headlines, prime time newscasts—but it's the impact that Rod Blagojevich's antics have made on education that concerns us educators.  In 2004 the "Department of Education Act" essentially gave Governor Blagojevich keys to the state's education agency, and he used them: picked new members for the State Board, set budget recommendations, and reviewed (and put his name on) all news releases from ISBE.  Did he benefit from this power grab?  Only time will tell.

State legislators, though, are taking no chances.  HB80, already on the books, criminalizes communication between the ISBE and the governor's office that is ex parte, not on public record.  It also controls the governor's constitutional authority to appoint new State Board members by instituting a "nominating panel," mostly educators, who will screen applicants.  Be cautioned, however, to anticipate amendments and slow progress, assuming there will be progress at all.

Likewise HB 233 (Rep. Dan Reitz, D-Steeleville) gets on Education's bandwagon by proposing that the state adequately fund special education.  "Beginning with Fiscal Year 2010, the State Board of Education shall reimburse school districts [except in Chicago] for all costs incurred by those districts for the education of children with disabilities."  Again, educators should not let their hopes run wild—there may be more value in HB233 as a bold statement than as a future law—but Illinois' legislature is moving in the right direction.  Let's all be hopeful in 2009!

GED TESTING FEE INCREASES TO $50.00 EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2009
In FY2006, the GED Transition Committee made up of Regional Superintendents of Schools, the Cook County GED testing staff, the Illinois Adult Continuing Educators Association and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) staff conducted a Fee and Feasibility Study to determine the actual cost of administering the GED Test in Illinois.  The committee surveyed the seventy GED testing centers to determine cost information.  Its findings are as follows:  approximately 26,000 individuals are tested annually; there is a $1.2 million deficit that is absorbed by testing centers; and the average testing cost is $84 per test taker, which – with the current fee of $35 to take the test – creates a $49 loss per tester.  After reviewing this information, the GED Transition Committee recommended to the ICCB the following:  1. To request additional resources from the state legislature to offset a portion of the cost of administering the GED Test.  2. To raise the cost to take the GED to $50, an increase of $15.  Given this information, the ICCB has decided to increase the GED testing fee from $35 to $50 effective July 1, 2009.

TEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM – INDIVIDUAL TELEPHONE CONFERENCES
The Regional Office of Education, in cooperation with the Teachers' Retirement System, is scheduling telephone conferences in this area on March 24, 2009.  Members of the Retirement System who have questions about their benefits may request a telephone conference with a TRS counselor.  If you would like to speak with a TRS benefits counselor, check with your district superintendent or call the Regional Office at 939-5650 to complete a request form.  Request forms must be returned to the Regional Office no later than February 17, 2009.  Conferences will be scheduled March 24, 2009, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. in 15-minute time periods.

CELEBRATE LINCOLN'S 200TH BIRTHDAY
Illinois celebrates Abraham Lincoln's 200^th birthday this year, and as part of that celebration President Barack Obama will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker for the birthday banquet on February 12^th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.  The ROE encourages you to share in the many activities being offered around the state and nation and on the Web to celebrate this special bicentennial.  Thank you to Eric Major, social studies teacher at Waterloo High School, for providing these resources. 

• Watch the video Looking for Lincoln on February 11 on PBS. 
• Use the 4 full-length standards-based lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school and streaming and downloadable video segments for classroom use at www.pbs.org/lookingforlincoln.
• Encourage students to upload photos to the "Looking for Lincoln in Your Community" Online Photo Gallery at the same website.
• Visit the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission at www.lincolnbicentennial.gov for information on Lincoln's life and legacy, dynamic Web activities and podcasts, and information on how to get involved in Lincoln Bicentennial celebrations in your community.
• Enter the essay and artwork contests that pose the question, "Who in your life inspires you the most like Lincoln?"  Get details at www.myhero.com.  Contest deadline: March 1, 2009.

USE RESOURCES TO EXCITE STUDENTS ABOUT LINCOLN
These are just a few of the many excellent resources that tell about Lincoln and encourage further study.  According to the Bicentennial Commission there is still "unfinished work," which each of us can do.

• Illinois History Teacher  http://www.lib.niu.edu/ihtlistyrs.html
• Prairie Pages  http://www.illinoishistory.gov/PrairiePages.htm
• Lincoln Legacy Learning Kits  http://www.alplm.org/education/lincoln_legacy.html
  Lincoln's Legacy Lesson Plan CD  http://www.alplm.org/education/celebrate_bicentennial.html
• Papers of Abraham Lincoln  http://www.papersofabrahamlincoln.org
• Collected Works http://www.quod.lib.umich.edu/lincoln
• Lincoln Log http//www.thelincolnlog.org/view

ILLINOIS PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS - PART IV, SELF-ASSESSMENT OF SKILLS NEEDED
Standard 10:  Reflection and Professional Growth addresses the need for educators to reflect on teaching practice in their classrooms if practice and learning are to move forward.  Besides reflecting on and revising practice, we as teachers need to take time to self-assess our skills in the classroom.  Too often we rely on the summative evaluation of an administrator to do this for us.  Why not become part of the process by knowing your strengths and challenges and seeking administrative support for ways to grow in areas you identify for growth.  This means setting measurable goals and determining how you will determine whether growth has been made in your practice.

Performance        indicator	Emerging	Applying	Integrating	Innovating
10.3  Assessing Skills Needed	ª  Assesses own      knowledge and      skills with respect      to providing access      to the general      curriculum for the      range of students'      abilities and needs.   ª  Seeks additional       assistance and re-      sources with      support and assist-      ance from a mentor      general/special      educator and/or      other professional.	ª  Uses self-assess-      ment of effective      student learning      and feedback to set      short-term pro-      fessional goals for      teaching students      with a broad range      of abilities and      needs.   ª  Assesses his/her      needs for know-      ledge and skills      related to teaching      students with      disabilities.	ª  Considers self-       assessment and feed-      back from colleagues      to set and/or modify      short- and long-term      goals for professional      growth.   ª  Seeks opportunities      to enhance own pro-      fessional practice      based upon the range      of students' abilities      and needs.	ª  Demonstrates self-      analysis and re-      flection as a means      to change instruc-      tional practices.   ª  Reflects upon the      varied forms of feed-      back gained from      students, families      and other profession-      als to enhance own      practices and better      support all students'      learning.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February 9, 10, 11 & 12 2009	Team Quest (Adventures in Learning	Old Columbia M.S. Gym	8:30 a.m.
February 10, 2009	Begining Teacher:  Using Student Work to Guide Instruction	SWIC, Red Bud Campus	4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
February 19, 2009	Guidance Counselor Workshop	SWIC, Red Bud Campus	9:00 a.m. - 12: 00 p.m.
February 20, 2009	Art du Jour Competition	SWIC, Red Bud Campus	8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
February 22, 2009	Art du Jour Awards Ceremony	SWIC, Red Bud Campus	2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
February 24,2009	Best Reading Practices - Assessments & Planning	SWIC - Red Bud Campus	8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
February 27, 2009	Superintendent Council Meeting	SWIC - Red Bud Campus	9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
March 19, 2009	Administrator Academy on Instructional       Leadership	Waterloo Annex	8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
March 28, 2009	Young Authors' Conference	Chester Grade School	8:30 a.m.
April 9, 2009	Instructional Practices Inventory - Dr. Jerry Valentine	Waterloo Annex	8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.