IEA Region 2 News
February 2016
Intro
REMINDER - PLEASE DO NOT share any of this information via school email. Thank you!
Higher Ed Council Needs Your HELP
The Higher Ed Council is engaging in a postcard campaign with the United Professionals of Illinois, an IFT local representing four-year state school faculty. Postcards are being sent to state legislators and the governor calling for the release of MAP grants to help students pay for the high cost of their tuition.
We would like you to help with that effort by asking you to get your local executive committees and region reps to sign and distribute the cards for signing and sending them.
Below is what was sent in the insider. It provides context and instructions for getting the cards.
Please join us in the fight to fund MAP Grants!
The Illinois budget crisis is negatively impacting higher ed students, their colleges and universities. The lack of MAP grant funding for the fiscal year is forcing some students to leave school. The lack of higher education funding is causing employee layoffs, including faculty, and Chicago State may be forced to close its doors on March 1, 2016.
The IEA Higher Education Council, in partnership with the Fund Our Future Coalition, has been collecting postcards to urge the Governor and legislators to provide funding for MAP grants. More postcards will be collected in the coming weeks. The council invites all IEA local association executive committees and/or your membership to complete postcards from now through February 10. To request materials for a campaign in your local, please contact us.
Thanks for your help.
Beverly Stewart
Higher Education Council Chair, IEA-NEA
GPA Mini-Conference was held on January 29th and 30th in Springfield
YOUR GPA & REGION 2 CHAIR - SENATE FLOOR
Remarks from Senator Sam McCann
Remarks from Congressman Rodney Davis
IEA TEAM Hillary 2016 Information from Jim Grimes
NEA and IEA have recommended Hillary Clinton for President in the Primary elections.
If you, or IEA members you know, support Hillary, please encourage them to become NEA Activists and register at:
STRONGPublicSchools.org -- and visit HillaryClinton.com/events for volunteer opportunities.
IMPORTANT HAPPENINGS
Human Rights Campaign has endorsed Hillary Clinton. If you would like to help call the thousands of members of HCR contact: Nick.Canfield@HRC.org .
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Phone Banks are up and running across Illinois.
And, you can make calls from home -- with help from the Hillary Clinton campaign.
First sign up at StrongPublicSchools.org, and visit HillaryClinton.com/events for more information on how you can volunteer.
ILLINOIS PRIMARY MARCH 15
Illinois’ Primary is March 15th. Spread the word to IEA members to get registered.
Last election only 16% voted state-wide in the Primary (and we got Rauner). Turnout from IEA members was much better….but we need it to keep growing for all our recommended candidates!
Remember—our IEA goal is over 1,300 NEA Activists signed up at StrongPublicSchools.org before March 15.
How to Talk About Fair Share with Members
- No one is forced to join our union
- Under the current system, we have freedom to choose
- Many of our schools have faced serious funding cuts
- Discuss the results of states with fair share restrictions
- Eliminating Fair Share isn't about what's good for students
IEA Region 2 GPA
Email: Annette.Jaynes@IEAGPA.org
Location: Carterville IEA Office
Phone: (618) 303-8480
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IEA-Region-2-GPA-718969231571777/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Legislative Update
- Increase state support for education
- Increase funding for early childhood education
- More flexibility for districts in bargaining, contracting, and bidding
- Reduce higher education administrative costs, work rules, pension liabilities and unfunded mandates
- Support partnerships between high schools, community colleges, and local employers for vocational training
- Develop an objective student growth measure to track student progress and hold schools accountable while eliminating unnecessary testing and mandates
- Create more quality school choice options for low-income students
- Create schools of choice to get disconnected students back to school
- Consolidate councils and task forces under the p-20 and Early Learning Councils to decrease bureaucracy and improve coordination
- Create a Cabinet of Children and Youth to better align health and human services with education to provide integrated services for children
SB 2043
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Passed the General Assembly on 1/28/2016
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$397M for MAP Grants to serve 143,000 students
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This would serve15,000 more students than FY 15
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$206M in equalization grants for community colleges
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$14Mfor City Colleges of Chicago
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$50M for adult education, technical and career education at community colleges
No funding for universities
Governor said he will veto
- The bill did not pass with veto-proof majority
Pension Changes and Cost Shift
Watch the Governor’s press conference with Senator Radogno and Representative Durkin on January 21st.
Elimination of mandates
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Recommendation from the Task Force on Local Government Consolidation & Unfunded Mandates
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Allow local school boards to make decisions in regards to statewide curricular mandates
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Repeal all state-level special education requirements that go beyond federal government requirements
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Provide an exemption from the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) for special education costs
Provide school district physical education (PE mandate flexibility by allowing them to offer fewer PE course offerings each week
Eliminate the 70/30 rule regarding the ratio in regular classroom of students without special needs to those with special needs.