Our region's public schools — and our impressions of them
— are a study in contrasts. Most of us believe "the system" is broken but
that our own local school is doing pretty well. MPC has waded into this
dilemma, not as education policy experts, but as an organization with tax policy
background and with deep conviction that reducing Illinois' reliance on the
local property tax is needed to unleash the next level of growth and regional
problem solving.
A sweeping new federal law should prod some action in Springfield and resolve
the tired debate over what must come first — more accountability or more state
funding for schools. Both are critically needed.
In south suburban Hazel Crest, the elementary school district soon will be
asking local taxpayers to reach for their wallets to eliminate a $1.5 million
deficit fueled by state education budget cuts this year.
That may be their only immediate option in a district where half of the 1,300
children are failing to meet state standards for math, reading and
writing. That's shameful on two counts. As a region, we all have a
stake in preparing students for future success. And while raising local
property taxes may produce badly needed dollars for the classroom, it also
stifles a community's economic competitiveness — a catch-22 affecting many inner
suburbs.
Students
at Mae Jemison Elementary School in south suburban Hazel Crest. Photo by
Chris D'Arpa.
Teachers and principals need clear expectations, meaningful rewards for
student performance gains, and adequate and predictable resources to do the
job. These are the responsibilities of state government, not individual
school districts.
The Leave No Child Behind Act sets the sobering goal that 100 percent of our
students should be meeting State Learning Standards by 2014. Illinois is
not in any shape to meet that target, particularly when the spotlight shines on
the state's 900 high poverty schools — 850 are failing, affecting the lives of
more than 400,000 children.
In 1994, the last time a gubernatorial election was held in tough economic
times, education received a lot of airtime, paving the way for passage of Gov.
Jim Edgar's education reform package in 1997. And MPC was right there,
building consensus through our Reform '97 coalition.
What's Rod Blagojevich or Jim Ryan and a new General Assembly to do, recognizing
that they will need to take quick action once in office to comply with
federal performance requirements while inheriting a budget crunch? When
the two candidates appeared at the Metropolitan Planning Council's Annual Meeting
Luncheon in June, both emphasized key pieces of the puzzle — student
performance standards, teacher recruitment, early childhood education and an
increased state foundation level — but stopped short of specifics on the tough
issues of accountability and funding.
As the cover story highlights, the MPC-led Network 21 coalition is laying out
a comprehensive reform agenda for action in 2003. It spells out common
sense components — like incentives to recruit teachers to high poverty schools
and a $1,000 per pupil increase in the foundation level so schools have the
resources to meet expectations — that we can all rally around.
I urge each of you to contact candidates in your area this fall, and let them
know that leaving more than 400,000 students behind is unacceptable. Just
saying education is a priority is not enough. Solving the education puzzle
will require some tough, and perhaps unpopular, decisions. But the time to
act is now. Soon, states like Illinois that have been mired in neutral on
education will feel the not-so-gentle hand of the federal government on the
throttle, prodding us to respond.
MarySue
Barrett
President