David Fields, President of LUDA (Large Unit District Association)

LUDA Summary

LUDA Education & Finance Plan

Good Afternoon, Chairman Leininger and members of the Education Funding Advisory Board. I am David Fields, President of the Large Unit District Association and Superintendent of Danville Public Schools.       

The Large Unit District Association (LUDA) is an organization representing the 54 largest PreK-12 school districts in Illinois. The member districts of LUDA serve more than one-half of all public school elementary and secondary students in Illinois. We are pleased to present to you the 2000 LUDA Education and Finance Plan and summary brochure. The Plan was developed by the LUDA Finance Task Force, comprised of LUDA superintendents, and business managers. We have developed this proposal with the intent of partnering with other interested groups in Illinois in helping to re-define the State policies used to operate Illinois' elementary and secondary schools. LUDA proposes that both the educational needs of Illinois youth and the funding of public schools be linked in a systematic manner so that educational policy-making can be transformed to produce planned, consistent and thoughtful outcomes.        

Our proposal is divided into four major sections. The first section contains background information and a statement of the basic principles upon which the proposal is based. The second section contains an explanation of how and why this proposal is tied to the Illinois Learning Standards. The third section contains a listing of the essential components of the LUDA Educational Plan, and the fourth contains the essential components of the LUDA Finance Plan. The members of LUDA suggest that student performance become the criteria by which the effectiveness of Illinois schools is measured. LUDA serves more than half a million Illinois public school students 

II. Foundations.        

As the members of LUDA considered the existing school funding situation, three issues became clear. First, the connection between school funding in Illinois and performance of students on measures of what they should know and be able to do when they graduate needs to be strengthened. Second, the existing resources have gradually increased, but the efficiency and effectiveness of the use of these funds needs to improve. This can occur through the reduction of program mandates and limiting categorical funding. Third, the State of Illinois needs to commit to an adequate foundation level of funding. The commitment should recognize the needs of all students. It should also recognize the importance of a permanent commitment so that schools can plan for continuous improvement.        

Therefore, LUDA's members identified two foundations upon which this proposal is based:        

1. Funding must be related to Illinois Learning Standards and to establishing  alternatives for assessing student learning.  
2. The General Assembly and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) should continue to reduce and/or eliminate un-funded mandates and categorical funding methods while increasing the right and responsibility for local school districts to use existing funds to meet state and local expectations in the context of local needs.                      

Concomitantly, the General Assembly and the Illinois State Board  of Education must realize that the current level of funding and method of funding does not provide sufficient support to enable the schools to reach the highest expectations as defined by the Illinois Learning Standards and the Illinois State Constitution.        

In summary, we believe the General Assembly and the Illinois State Board of Education must collaborate on changes which will produce:  

1. A more adequate system of funding all Illinois schools that will be             predictable and fully meet the expectations; as defined in the Illinois     Learning Standards.       
2. Resources to support recommended systemic changes in all Illinois       schools.        
3. Resources to support technology, curriculum and instruction in all Illinois schools.        
4. Resources to support professional development of all employees and   others involved in the school improvement process.     
5. Resources to permit lengthening the school year for students and faculty;  and       
6. Resources to provide all Illinois students with high quality school               buildings and facilities.

III. The Illinois Learning Standards        

The education portion of the Plan encompasses the scope of work necessary for students to meet the Illinois Learning Standards.        

Significant variances in levels of funding among Illinois school districts and major differences in educational programming from school-to-school across the state are well documented. In Illinois, improvement is targeted to the individual school. Each school must have discretion in outlining future plans for improvement. This system, by design, will continue to produce an array of educational decisions and outcomes across the entire state.        

Significant differences in three variables affecting school performance also exist across Illinois. They are: 

• Socio-economic background of students 
• Pre-enrollment attributes of students 
• Instructional delivery systems of schools        

Although schools and school districts have no control over two of these variables, it is critically important that education and finance policy in Illinois address the impact of these variables on students' educational needs and school performance. The third variable, instructional delivery systems, is very much subject to local decisions made by school boards, improvement teams, and school councils.        

Historically, school decisions have reflected a combination of the local educational priorities and the fiscal capabilities of schools. LUDA proposes that differences in educating Illinois students become more a reflection of local priorities and less a function of the ability to afford programs which should be available to all of the elementary and secondary students. Thurs, we believe the General Assembly must initiate a reformed funding system in which the State provides sufficient funding for all students to meet the Illinois Learning Standards. This funding must allow local school districts the flexibility to use its resources to meet the Illinois State Standards while recognizing that schools must be accountable based upon student performance.        

LUDA believes that the educational expectations for Illinois students must be defined statewide so all citizens will be able to address the question, "How much does it cost to educate an elementary or secondary school student in Illinois?" Public discourse on this question will lead us to the design of a funding system based on two fundamental beliefs expressed by the Illinois State Board of Education:

• All students can learn 
• All students will be served       

We will never know if too much or too little is available to fund schools until the funding system is made more efficient, more predictable and directly related to the learning standards for all students.       

The school improvement process provides the vehicle educational communities can use to connect educational and financial policies. School districts and individual school buildings develop school improvement plans designed for each student to achieve the educational expectations outlined in the Illinois Learning Standards. The five components of the LUDA Education Plan are: 

1. Collaboration in decision-making and service-delivery.      
2. Competencies required to use appropriate technologies and software.       
3. Assessment skills to collect, analyze, organize and apply data. 
4. Communication skills.
5. Time and technology.       

Thank you for your time and attention. Now I will turn this over to my colleague, Dr. Sherry Eagle, who will present the essential components of the LUDA Finance Plan.