Chicagotalks » Stephanie Ewing

Performance-based funding guidelines for state schools hard to pin down

Stephanie Ewing — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:00:27 +0000

Discussions of performance-based funding and the Governor’s call for higher graduation rates have left state schools scrambling, but according to a recent study, more than one-third of all actual graduates aren’t counted by the federal government’s current standards. Proposed performance-based funding, like the plans suggested by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, would give more money to schools with higher graduation rates. But experts say that Illinois lawmakers should be careful about weighting a school’s funding too heavily on graduation rates, since accurate numbers are notoriously difficult to pin down. So-called non-traditional students, like those who transfer schools or go to school only part time, are not counted in the official numbers even though they make up a growing segment of Illinois college students. By undercounting the actual number of graduates, schools may not receive enough funding if Illinois switches to the performance-based funding some lawmakers are pushing. But although Illinois’s 62 percent average graduation rate is slightly higher than the national average, it’s a troubling indication of bigger problems says Patrick Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. “The American system of education, from top to bottom, is hemorrhaging human talent,” said Callan. Callan agrees [...]

Performance-based funding guidelines for state schools hard to pin down

After Jackson Victory, Halvorson Supporters Still Upset About Airport

Stephanie Ewing — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:45:07 +0000

As Debbie Halvorson walked into the Fifth Quarter Restaurant in Homewood to greet supporters after her loss in Tuesday’s primary to incumbent congressman, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., she said lightheartedly that she wanted a “nice, large beer.” “This wasn’t the ending we anticipated,” said Halvorson, as she thanked her supporters, staff and family for their assistance. Halvorson lost by a large margin, 28 percent to Jackson’s 71 percent. Jackson and his supporters, meanwhile, gathered at the historic Parkway Ballroom in Chicago to celebrate. In his victory speech, Jackson said he wanted to have what he called a “people’s groundbreaking” for the third airport he supports building in the newly remapped 2nd district, much to the dismay of some constituents. “Gov. Quinn, build this airport now,” said Jackson, drawing applause from supporters. He went on to invite Quinn to the ceremonial Apr. 21 groundbreaking: “I hope you will join with ministers and activists and the mayors and communities’ leaders looking to create jobs in the footprint of this airport.” Since redistricting after the 2010 census, the 2nd district still encompasses neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and East side, but now swoops down along the state’s eastern border south through Will and Kankakee [...]

After Jackson Victory, Halvorson Supporters Still Upset About Airport

Quinn Proposes Adding $50 Million in Scholarship Funds

Stephanie Ewing — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:35:15 +0000

As part of a broader 1 percent increase to education funding in a budget proposal characterized by deep cuts, Gov. Pat Quinn said he’d like to see an additional $50 million of funding for college scholarships in hopes of getting more Illinoisans into jobs. “Jobs follow brainpower,” said Quinn in his Feb. 22 budget address, “That’s why this budget invests more in education from birth to university.” Quinn sees an investment in need-based financial assistance as a way to get more people job-ready, said Charles Wheeler, associate professor of public affairs reporting at University Illinois at Springfield. Quinn’s proposal is aimed at helping Illinois residents better qualify for future jobs. According to one Ilinois-focused report by the national group Complete College America, there is a 24 percent gap between the kinds of jobs that will be created over the next decade and the kind of education that an average Illinois resident has. By 2020, 67 percent of Illinois jobs will require a career certificate or college degree, which only 43 percent of Illinoisans currently hold, according to the report. The proposed scholarships would increase add to the number of existing grants awarded by the state to students with financial need attending [...]

Quinn Proposes Adding $50 Million in Scholarship Funds

Tough Times for Bilingual and Disabled Students in Illinois Schools

Stephanie Ewing — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:33:12 +0000

SPRINGFIELD–As Illinois legislators look to save money wherever they can, educators and families of bilingual students with disabilities worry that they’ll fall by the wayside. Statewide, there are about 184,000 students designated as English Language Learners. Of those, almost 25,000 students also qualify for special education services. “In the early 1990′s and into the early years of the 2000′s, we were just gangbusters here in Illinois in terms of things we were doing for bilingual kids with disabilities,” said Rita Brusca-Vega, associate professor at the School of Education at Purdue University Calumet. Today, things are drastically different. Illinois’s education budget is still in danger of being under-funded, despite Gov. Quinn’s proposed one percent increase, and educators fear that students requiring both special education and bilingual classes won’t receive the services they need. In 1992, Illinois enacted unique laws that require bilingual students with disabilities to receive both English language learning instruction as well as any necessary special education services. They also set up a specific teacher certification for bilingual special education. This way, students with special needs can have the resources, extra staff and supplemental instruction they require, in a language environment that will give them the tools to become [...]

Tough Times for Bilingual and Disabled Students in Illinois Schools

Illinois Legislators Target State Prepaid College Plan

Stephanie Ewing — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:25:04 +0000

State Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Hinsdale) hopes that his new legislative efforts will turn around the flailing College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Plan, but it could be just one part of a more comprehensive fix. Durkin introduced an open meeting bill to the Illinois House Jan. 10 hoping to curtail some of the haphazard, risky investments being made behind closed doors, which he said led to the plan’s current struggles. If passed, the bill, which is currently in the Rules Committee, would amend the current Open Meetings Act to make the plan’s meetings concerning investments open to the public. “There were questionable investment decisions made under the previous College Illinois! administration which possibly would not have been made if the families who own these contracts were in the room or aware of these investment choices,” Durkin said in December, as his office prepared to introduce the legislation. Durkin approaches the investment strategy not only as a legislator, but as a stakeholder–he owns a prepaid tuition plan for his daughter. The college savings plan, overseen by the Illinois Student Assistance Council, was created in 1997 to help Illinois parents save for their children’s college costs. The tax-exempt plan locks in tuition costs from [...]

Illinois Legislators Target State Prepaid College Plan

CPS Addresses Principal Vacancies, Faces Skepticism

Stephanie Ewing — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:37:33 +0000

Hiring new, effective principals is a pressing problem for Local School Councils across the city. Currently, there are 95 principal vacancies throughout CPS’s 670 neighborhood schools, and there are typically about 100 vacancies each school year, said Steve Gering, CPS chief of leadership development. Responding to the need for more effective principals, CPS created the Chicago Leadership Collaborative to train and recruit more qualified, experienced candidates, said Gering, who heads the Chicago Leadership Collaborative. CPS turned its attention to principal selection and retention in August when the Mayor’s Office announced the creation of the Chicago Leadership Collaborative. “You get the best schools when you get the best principals,” said Gering, presenting details of the program at a November 30 Board of Education meeting. Around 89 percent of CPS’s principal candidacy pool is made up of current CPS staff, including assistant principals, transferring principals, and other administrators. Just 10 percent come from principal internship programs the Chicago Leadership Collaborative hopes to expand, and only 1 percent of principal candidates come from outside the city, said Gering. At the Board Meeting, Gering said the new principal training plan would increase the number of new principals trained in yearlong internship programs from 32 [...]

CPS Addresses Principal Vacancies, Faces Skepticism

Romney Supporters Watch from Local Watering Hole

Stephanie Ewing — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 06:00:33 +0000

Mitt Romney’s Illinois supporters are enthusiastic about the former Massachusetts governor’s chances in Illinois following his win in the New Hampshire primaries. Romney supporters from Chicago and across the state gathered at the Emerald Loop Bar and Grill in Chicago, Tuesday evening, for a New Hampshire Primary viewing party hosted by State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, chairman of Romney’s Illinois campaign. The former Massachusetts governor won the Jan. 10 New Hampshire primary with 39 percent of the vote, and is now gaining momentum in South Carolina and Florida, said Rutherford. Romney’s success in New Hampshire was his second straight victory. A narrow first-place finish in Iowa made Romney the first non-incumbent Republican to win the nation’s first two presidential nominating contests. Following several key endorsements in Illinois from Rep. Judy Biggert (13th) and Senator Mark Kirk, among others, Rutherford and other Romney supporters are optimistic about Romney’s success in the Illinois March 20 primary and beyond. Related articles Well Known Illinois Republicans Contributing to Mitt Romney’s Campaign (chicagotalks.org)

Romney Supporters Watch from Local Watering Hole

Well Known Illinois Republicans Contributing to Mitt Romney’s Campaign

Stephanie Ewing — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:00:51 +0000

Though some GOP primary candidates are bound to drop before Illinois’ March 20 primary, Mitt Romney’s campaign continues to woo local Republicans as he hopes for a strong finish in the South Carolina primary, after winning the nation’s first two presidential nominating contests. Romney has found solid support among Illinois’ Republicans and reported raising about $680,000 in Illinois as of Sept. 30, 2011—more than double what second-place fundraiser Texas Governor Rick Perry has netted from state residents. “In the state of Illinois, it’s getting down to the point where organization and financial resources will play the most important role,” said Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford, Romney’s Illinois campaign chairman. “Romney has a good opportunity to put all of that together and a good shot to win this thing. I’m going to work very hard to help make that happen.” Besides a strong fundraising presence in Illinois, Romney’s campaign was the first campaign to file for a place on the Republican primary ballot. Provided there are no snags or mistakes in Romney’s filing, he will have the coveted first position on the ballot. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich secured spots on Illinois ballot Jan. [...]

Well Known Illinois Republicans Contributing to Mitt Romney’s Campaign

Romney Wins Iowa by 8 Votes

Stephanie Ewing — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:52:30 +0000

via YouTube

Romney Wins Iowa by 8 Votes

Illinois Voters May Miss Bachmann in March

Stephanie Ewing — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:59:46 +0000

DES MOINES – Michele Bachmann might not be on the Illinois primary ballot this spring if she does not perform well in the Iowa caucuses Tuesday. Bachmann’s campaign seemed off to a solid start when she won the Iowa straw poll in August, but she faces challenges as Iowans prepare to choose a Republican to challenge President Obama. Bachmann is ranked last out of six GOP candidates, with just 7 percent of those polled last week saying they would support her, according to The Des Moines Register’s poll released over the weekend. And while the Republican candidates have raised a combined $1.6 million in Illinois, Bachmann reporting raising only $60,000 of that. Nationwide, Bachmann has raised $8.4 million compared to top GOP fundraiser Mitt Romney’s $32.2 million. Some political observers have said if Bachmann hopes to move on to later primaries, she needs to finish in the top three Tuesday night in Iowa. “The conventional wisdom is that there are three tickets out of Iowa,” said Rachel Caufield, an associate professor at Drake University’s Department of Politics and International Relations. “Much of Iowa is about expectations,” said Caufield, and Bachmann’s expectations “are so low right now that even if she [...]

Illinois Voters May Miss Bachmann in March