Good morning.
The State Board met on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
A major focus of discussion and deliberation was the effect of budget cuts on
ISBE operations.
The Board also took action on the following issues
related to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB):
·
Proposed criteria for highly
qualified teachers and
·
Intermediate goals for adequate
yearly progress.
Information about other Board actions is at http://www.isbe.net/news/Default.htm.
Other items in this message include the following
announcements:
·
Deadline for
submitting data for school report cards –
·
District financial profiles and
historical data now available on the ISBE Web site.
Appended to the message are the dates, locations, and
agenda for the fall Superintendents’ Regional Conferences and the New
Superintendent’s Conference. This is a repeat of information included in last
week’s message.
ISBE Staffing Cuts
Announced/Budget Update
A difficult, challenging and sad time began this week at
ISBE. We are compelled by cuts in the budget approved by the General Assembly to
eliminate some 45 positions and reduce spending in virtually every operational
category, particularly contractual agreements.
We made the announcement yesterday after talking with
affected employees and their bargaining agents. As I told my board earlier this
week, these cuts will surely reduce our capacity to serve you. I am particularly
concerned about the areas of technical assistance and external assurance. As
soon as I am able to share with you more specifics about the effect of the cuts
on the agency, I will do so.
Of course, we still have an agency full of hard-working,
extremely capable people determined to do more with less. I know that’s a
concept all of you are familiar with these days.
More details on the reductions are available at http://www.isbe.net/news/2003/june19-03.htm.
Also on the budget front, the Governor has still not
received the education appropriations bill from the General Assembly, nor has he
made known whether he will use his item veto authority to reduce or eliminate
lines from the budget. Further reductions in the appropriation could mean
additional staff reductions here at ISBE.
State Board Accepts
Proposed Criteria for Highly Qualified Teachers Under
NCLB
The Illinois State Board of Education adopted
State Board Approves
Trajectory for Adequate Yearly Progress Under
NCLB
The State Board approved intermediate goals for
determining adequate yearly progress (AYP) under NCLB at its regular monthly
meeting on June 17. The Board had approved a version of these goals as part of
the Illini Plan in February 2003. That version was based on the recommendations
of the Assessment and Accountability Task Force, but the U.S. Department of
Education did not approve the plan. More information about the revised plan can
be accessed at http://www.isbe.net/news/2003/june17-03d.htm;
a graph and chart showing details of the trajectory is at http://www.isbe.net/board/meetings/june03meeting/nclbaccountcover.pdf.
Reminder: Data for the
E-Report Card Are Due
Data for the school report cards are being collected
online for the first time this year. The due date for submitting the data is
District Financial Profiles
and Historical Data
We now have available on our Web site a new application
which presents all school districts financial profile and historical data? It
can be easily accessed on the School Finance page http://www.isbe.net/finance/default.htm,
School Business and Support Services page http://www.isbe.net/sbss/default.htm,
or from the School District Financial Profile area, http://www.isbe.net/sfms/p/profile.htm.
To access your profile directly, go to http://webappsnet1.isbe.net/finprofile/profile.aspx.
Robert Schiller
State Superintendent
of Education
statesup@isbe.net
The State Superintendents’ Conference this year will be
offered at six regional meetings.
Dates
and Locations:
September 3
September 4
Matteson
September 9
September 15
September 22
September 23
District superintendents, regional superintendents,
association leaders, and others will receive a mailing in July with specific
registration and conference site information.
Proposed
Conference Agenda for Superintendents’ Regional
Conferences
September
2003
Five
breakout sessions: participants may attend 2 of the
5:
Accountability:
Keeping Our Heads While Those About Us Are Losing
Theirs
Learn the facts and fallacies about the newly adopted
legislation for testing and accountability that aligns Illinois law with No
Child Left Behind; walk through how adequate yearly progress (AYP) is determined
and how to project progress for your schools; view the new e-Report Cards and
the Illinois Interactive Report Card Web site; review the new “assessment
frameworks” that will guide test development for the next five
years.
Offered in breakout sessions I &
II
School
Improvement: Using What We Know to Improve
Performance
Focus on four components of school improvement,
highlighting strategies that really work: data analysis that drives targeted
improvement plans; classroom curriculum, instruction and assessment aligned with
the Learning Standards; teacher and administrator enhancement; and support
services for students, families and communities.
Offered in breakout sessions I &
II
Finance
and Funding: Gearing Up for the Real Reform We
Need
Understand the new state financial profiles—what they
are and are not; preview proposed legislation to assist districts in significant
financial difficulty; review the status of the state education budget; discuss
“life after EFAB,” potential funding recommendations and next steps; review
options for legislative and public support
strategies.
Offered in breakout sessions I &
II
P-Card:
Adding Efficiency and Accountability to the Purchasing
Process
With the Procurement Card, school leaders are able to
increase the efficiency of the purchasing process while improving on
accountability. This session will explain in detail the new P-Card program,
provided through the sponsorship of the IASA/IASB/IASBO, which has a proven
record of streamlining the P.O. process, saving time and money while improving
control over expenditures.
Offered in Breakout Session
I
Financial
Projections: Looking Five Years Out
A critical part of local school management is making
timely and accurate financial projections. The ISDLAF+ sponsored by the
IASA/IASB/IASBO has a relationship with PMA for fund management and advisement.
A new PMA service allows for such projections. This session will provide you
with a close look at the system.
Offered in breakout session II
The annual New Superintendents’ Meeting, cosponsored by
the IASA and ISBE, will be held at the State Board office in