Minutes:   July 28, 2000

Room 212  -  State House

Springfield, Illinois

Chairman Robert Leininger called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. and welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the Education Funding Advisory Board. The Chairman indicated to the audience that if they wanted to be included on the mailing list for the Education Funding Advisory Board they should sign up on the special sheet.  The Chairman told the Board that their task is straight forward, but not a simple one and that is to make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on the foundation level and its components and the components of the poverty grant.  The first report is due on January 1, 2001 and the next report is due on January 1, 2003.  The Chairman indicated that there were a lot of expectations from various educational groups and individuals

Chairman Leininger introduced State Board of Education staff Gary Ey (contact person) Carol Groves, Bill Hinrichs and Toni Waggoner and explained their role in staffing the Education Funding Advisory Board.  Names, phone numbers and email addresses of State Board staff were provided to each of the Board members for their information and use.  

A listing of Board members names addresses and phone numbers was also distributed to the members for verification of preferred address for future mailings from ISBE or the public. 

Instead of having an official roll call of members, Chairman Leininger asked the Board members to introduce themselves.  Members in attendance were Marleise Trover, Dean Clark, Anne Davis, Bert Docter, J. Kay Giles, Bob Mandeville, Bob Nielsen, Tom Boyle, Senator Lisa Madigan, Ken Gotsch (representing Paul Vallas), Retired Senator Arthur Berman (who indicated he is a full time employee of the Chicago Board of Education), and Doug Delaney.  Those absent were Hazel Loucks, Senator Doris Karpiel, Representative Edgar Lopez and Representative Carolyn Krause.

The next order of business was to draw for member terms.  The four voting members drew statutory terms of office in alphabetical order by last name.  The results of the drawing were:

Term expiration date – third Monday in January 2000:  Bert Docter and Marleis Trover

Term expiration date:  third Monday of January 2001:  Anne Davis and Dean Clark.

A discussion was held on the timetable of critical events.  It was determined that the next meeting will be held on August 25 in Chicago.  Hearings in Carbondale, Springfield and Suburban Cook County will be held before the middle of October 2000.  The Chairman wants to listen to ideas and solutions on how to fix the problems.  What is needed is knowledge and expertise plus creative thinking and suggestions of where to focus our research and analysis.  The third Education Funding Advisory Board meeting will be held near the end of October after the hearings are completed.

The State Board of Education has developed a web page for the Education Funding Advisory Board to disseminate information to the public.  Press releases, meeting and hearing dates and agendas will be available through the web page.  The address is:  www.isbe.state.il.us – Click on Financial Resources - Education Funding Advisory Board is listed first.  Gary Ey informed the members that ILEARN is also on the State Board’s web page (front page).  ILEARN is a powerful new interactive system on the page that has financial information on all the school districts in Illinois.

Senator Demuzio entered the room and was recognized by the Chairman.  He asked if anybody has taken the Edgar program that passed the House in 1997 and plugged in the numbers to see where we would have been if the Senate had passed this proposal?  Senator Demuzio asked if that would be a good exercise?  Bill Hinrichs indicated simulations had not been completed.  Senator Berman added that he thought it would be interesting to evaluate this proposal to see where we would have been today.  Chairman Leininger indicated that Bill Hinrichs would be talking about the General State Aid components in detail today and that this proposal would be investigated.

The Chairman indicated that all information requests should be directed to either Gary Ey or himself and they will be handled accordingly.  Senator Berman indicated that the Ikenberry commission in 1996 came forth with a recommendation on the foundation level after contracting with an outside firm. It could serve us well if we could retain the same firm that Ikenberry used for an update.

Bill Hinrichs responded that it would take several months to do this kind of study and would include many people in the field to make it happen.  The firm of Coopers and Lybrand did the study in 1997 but they no longer do this.  The Chairman indicated that the components of these studies will be reviewed at the August meeting and a study of this magnitude may not be able to be accomplished between now and January 1.

Senator Berman added that this is a long-term board but the legislature has between January 1 and May to make a funding recommendation for FY 02.  If an inquiry could be made now as to who does this, how long would it take and what the costs would be and to move forward along those lines, it could be productive to get the process started.  He indicated that if the process started soon, the study may be completed in time before the legislative process was completed so the Board could make even more informed recommendations for the legislature prior to its adjournment.  The Chairman indicated that staff would look into this matter and give a report on their findings at the August meeting.

Gary Ey advised Board members that they would be reimbursed for travel expenses consistent with the State Board of Education travel policies, which were included in their informational packets.  Questions should be directed to Gary Ey regarding travel reimbursement. 

Bill Hinrichs provided a Power Point presentation on the General State Aid formula.  A good exchange occurred during the entire informational session.  The purpose was to bring the entire Board up to current on significant trends since House Bill 452 passed.  Copies were made available to the Board members and public.

Glenn W. M^cGee, State Superintendent of Education and Representative Carolyn Krause arrived.  Chairman Leininger recognized Representative Carolyn Krause as a member of the Board and she introduced herself as others had at the beginning of the meeting.

Chairman Leininger recognized Superintendent Max M^cGee.  Superintendent M^cGee then addressed the Board and concluded with 6 requests for the Board to address.  First to determine an alternative revenue stream to replace part of the reliance on property tax.  The second is to look at reducing the poverty level and perhaps shortening the steps.  The third is to look at the adequacy level by grade span.  The fourth is the consideration of incorporating pre-kindergarten into the formula.  The fifth is special education and the sixth is the shortage of teachers.  At the conclusion of Superintendent M^cGee’s comments, Senator Berman requested a copy of his remarks, which Superintendent M^cGee agreed to provide to the Board. 

With no other comments or questions from the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m.