Illinois School Board Journal, July/August 2022

July/August 2022 Vol. 90 No. 4

Teacher Shortage Progress and Hopes

IASB Survey: Q u estions Answered

Remote Recovery for English Learners

Front Page

R

Reading the news is a perquisite and sharing it with IASB members and staff is an expectation, of my work in the IASB Communications Department. Sometimes it’s heartbreaking, such as coverage of a school shooting and the aftermath.

Sometimes it’s distressing, as when there’s an investigation into disciplinary practices. Other times it’s worrisome, as when boards of education face challenging community reactions to difficult decisions.

And other times, it’s reassuring, comforting, and funny. Public education in Illinois is doing its thing.

Full credit goes to local news outlets that cover the positives as well as the negatives. In this, the “Summer Reading” issue of the Illinois School Board Journal, here are a few articles that caught and kept my attention.

“Decatur students sign letters of intent to go straight into careers from high school,” by Valerie Wells, as published in the Decatur Herald and Review, captures Decatur SD 61’s priority of career readiness. The district holds a “signing day,” not for athletics as usual, but for students going from high school to apprenticeships, training for health care professions, or jobs in industry and agriculture.

“Decatur Public Schools has put an increasing emphasis on career readiness in the last few years … and that means recognizing that college is not the goal of every student. Some … want to get right to work, and the trades have partnered with the school district

2 • Illinois School Board Journal

to provide internships and opportunities to make that happen.”

Creative protest and excellent headline writing get their day in “CPS students give Instagram treatment to school lunches like this very sad hot dog,” by Nader Issa in the Chicago Sun-Times. You can see the sad hot dog and more commentary on school lunches and supply chains in this sweet and sour article and accompanying photos from an art class at Phillips Academy High School in Chicago.

“Wanting to take a creative approach to those gripes, a group of … students teamed up with a teacher over the past few months for a project that started with a simple thought: What if we took highly produced, high-resolution photos of the meals that were beautiful to look at — but also full of irony?

Sometimes we find serendipity in board decisions, as when absences dropped after Woodstock CUSD 200 changed school-day start times due to a shortage of bus drivers.

As published in December 2021 in “New Woodstock District 200 school start times improve student attendance, relieve shorthanded bus drivers, officials say,” by Sam Lounsberry in the Northwest Herald/Shaw Local Media: “District officials in the spring will analyze the school system’s options for a more permanent solution, as officials do not expect the shortage of bus drivers to be

alleviated anytime soon, even as it is still hiring and trying to recruit more transportation workers … That may include conversations about moving to later start times for junior high or high school students, Lyons said, as research has shown early morning starts are less conducive to their academic performance than later starts.”

A Marion Republican editorial, “Paying it back is a positive lesson for everyone in paying it forward,” lauded the thousands of service hours

by Johnson County senior students.

Technique and adaptability are evident in “QPS art teacher takes classes on the road” by Deborah Gertz Husar in the Quincy Herald-Whig.

The Code of Conduct for Illinois school board members states, in part, “As a member of my local school board, I will … be sufficiently informed about and prepared to act on the specific issues before the board, and remain reasonably knowledgeable about local, state, national, and global education issues.”

I encourage you to stay informed with IASB. Catch the headlines in the daily Leading News section of the IASB website and read more about topics of interest in this, the semi-annual Summer Reading issue of the Journal.  Theresa Kelly Gegen is Editor of the Illinois School Board Journal. Articles can be accessed via the Journal resources page at bit.ly/JA22JRes.

Table of Contents FEATURE ARTICLES Survey Measures Engagement 9 IASB and Satisfaction

By Theresa Kelly Gegen

IASB uses responses to the Member Survey to assess engagement and customer satisfaction and correlate those to the Association’s strategic priorities.

Overcoming Challenges for English Learners, 20 Remote Learning Made Speaking Skills

Cover art credit: Olga Nefedova and Edvaru Yeon / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Harder to Practice

By Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat Chicago

To help students make up for lost time, school districts like Berwyn North SD 98 are boosting English learners’ speaking skills with new tactics.

23

District 99 Strategizes for a Greener Future

By Kristen Kucharski

Discover how one school district has enacted longterm, fundamental changes to school environments.

REGULAR FEATURES 2 Front Page 4 Advocacy Angle

The Future of Advocacy and Governmental Relations

6 Policy Page

Is the Board Policy Manual on Your Summer Reading List?

COMMENTARY

14

Teacher/Administrator Shortage: A Commentary on How We Got Here, and Our Road to Solving the Problem

By Jim Rosborg

The author offers perception of the teacher/ administrator shortage history in Illinois and ideas for ending the current crisis.

July/August 2019 Vol. 87 No. 3

Kara Kienzler, Associate Executive Director Theresa Kelly Gegen, Editor Bridget Kusturin, Advertising Manager Jennifer Nelson, Copy Editor Katie Grant, Design and Production Jeff Armbruster, Typesetting

25 Practical PR

From Board Room to Classroom, District 303 Supports Literacy

30 Milestones 31 Insights

ILLINOIS SCHOOL BOA R D JOURNAL (ISSN-0019-221X) is published every other month by the Illinois Association of Sc hool B oa rd s, 2921 Ba ker Dr ive, Springfield, Illinois 62703-5929 (217) 5289688. The IASB regional office is located at One Imperial Place, 1 East 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148-6120 (630) 629-3776.

The JOURNAL is supported by the dues of school boards holding active membership in the Illinois Association of School Boards. Copies are mailed to all school board members and the superintendent in each IASB member school district.

Non-member subscription rate: Domestic $20 per year. Foreign (including Canada and Mexico) $25 per year.

Publication Policy IASB believes that the domestic process functions best through frank and open discussion.

Material published in the JOURNAL, therefore, often presents divergent and controversial points of view which do not necessarily represent the views or policies of IASB. Copyright © 2022 by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the JOURNAL is published six times a year and is distributed to its members and subscribers. Copyright in this publication, including all articles and editorial information contained in it is exclusively owned

by IASB, and IASB reserves all rights to such information. IASB is a tax-exempt corporation organized in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

July/August 2022 • 3

Advocacy Angle

The Future of Advocacy and Governmental Relations

I

By Shelly Bateman

I joined the Association as the Associate Executive Director of Governmental Relations, in March 2021, mid-legislative session. Talk about a whirlwind! While I established my IASB “sea legs,” I listened, observed, and studied. As a fresh pair of eyes, I offered new and different perspectives, ways of thinking, and a different approach to legislative strategy. Now, a year later, I thought it appropriate to highlight some of the positive changes that have taken place in the IASB Governmental Relations program this year, and what members can look forward to moving ahead.

More than 150,000 bills were introduced in legislative sessions in statehouses across the country in 2021, according to an analysis by FiscalNote. Illinois is among the top five states, introducing the highest number of bills. With thousands of bills introduced each year, prioritization becomes critical. The current political climate in Illinois, the number of IASB Position Statements (150+), and the increasing volume of proposed Positions and Belief Statements present significant challenges for the Association’s advocacy work.

The agenda of the Illinois General Assembly is voluminous and prioritizing our legislative agenda has become increasingly important.

4 • Illinois School Board Journal

Simply stated, prioritizing maximizes impact. It is essential to prioritize legislation so the Association can engage meaningfully on critical issues. Trying to advocate on too many things at once is ineffective; in fact, an organization can lose sight of what it is “for.” It is the desire of the IASB Board of Directors to focus advocacy on a limited number of issues that are the most impactful to the membership, that unite the membership (clear consensus), and that position the Association for legislative success.

Engaging members in the work we do drives meaningful advocacy.

An engaged membership means a strong network of advocates and a much easier process for the Association to activate its membership when navigating policy challenges.

In January, we launched the IASB Advocacy Ambassador program, a grassroots program designed to build relationships between school board members and state and federal legislators. Advocacy Ambassadors help IASB meet its advocacy goals by sharing personal stories and expertise on policies related to education. Ultimately, we hope to grow and expand the program to have member representation in each legislative district across the state.

Also in January, we launched a series called “Advocacy Fridays,” which takes place the last Friday of each month during session. Advocacy Fridays provide access to special briefings and exclusive information presented by the IASB Governmental Relations staff and guest speakers to help school leaders advocate for public schools at home, in Springfield, and Washington, D.C. One of the most fulfilling and powerful privileges of membership in IASB is the opportunity to participate in the Resolutions and Delegate Assembly process. Advocacy is a powerful tool that guides our organization towards advances that create lasting, impactful, positive change to further our mission. Advocacy ensures that member voices are heard on issues most important to them.

Have you experienced a conversation around the board table discussing legislative requirements and asked, “If only we were able to…” or “Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to…”?

Grassroots advocacy often begins when a school board identifies an issue that needs to be resolved or a new idea to be considered and submits a proposed solution to IASB in the form of a resolution.

Over the past year the Association has taken steps to simplify and enhance the Resolutions Process,

identify statewide issues that unite our membership, focus and prioritize our legislative work, and set IASB up for legislative success. Following a lengthy meeting of the 2021 Resolutions Committee, the IASB Board of Directors began to discuss a review of the process.

The Board convened a committee (the IASB Resolutions and Constitution Review Committee) to examine all aspects of the resolutions process — from submission of proposals through consideration by the Delegate Assembly. The Committee began its work in January and presented Advocacy Core Values to the Board of Directors, which were unanimously approved in March.

IASB also consulted a Registered Parliamentarian for guidance on procedures and rules for the Resolutions Committee process as well as the Delegate Assembly meeting.

Here are a few highlights of the key changes: • Advocacy Core Values were developed; and submitted resolutions must be in alignment • A new, online, electronic submission form for resolutions • Limit of three Resolutions per submitting district • The development of procedural rules for the Resolutions Committee meeting in August.

• The IASB Resolutions and Constitution Review Committee also made recommendations for Constitutional changes to the Board of Directors that will be voted upon at the Delegate Assembly in November. Shelly Bateman is IASB Associate Executive Director for Governmental Relations.

IASB Administration and Staff As of June 15, 2022

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Thomas Bertrand, Executive Director Tulsi Srinivasan, HR Director Chris Montrey, Admin. Assistant MEETINGS MANAGEMENT Carla S. Bolt, Director Natalie Duke, Assistant Manager EXECUTIVE SEARCHES Thomas Leahy, Director Tim Buss, Consultant Jim Helton, Consultant Dave Love, Consultant Alan Molby, Consultant Patricia Sullivan-Viniard, Consultant Mary Torgler, Admin. Assistant OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL Kimberly Small, General Counsel/Associate Executive Director Maryam Brotine, Assistant General Counsel Debra Jacobson, Assistant General Counsel Bridget Trojan, Assistant Manager Ummehani Faizullabhoy, Admin.

Assistant

GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS Shelly Bateman, Associate Executive Director Zach Messersmith, Director Andrew Proctor, Director Deanna Sullivan, Director Mary Ellen Buch, Admin. Assistant FIELD AND EQUITY SERVICES Nakia Hall, Associate Executive Director Reatha Owen, Senior Director Patrick Allen, Director Lori Grant, Director Perry Hill IV, Director Laura Martinez, Director Dee Molinare, Director Yolanda Chavez, Admin. Assistant Jenny Harkins, Admin. Assistant Nancy Johnson, Admin. Assistant Chelsea Reimann, Admin. Assistant Cindy Rispens, Admin. Assistant Shantel Rotherham, Admin. Assistant Gretchen Watson, Admin. Assistant BOARD DEVELOPMENT Dean Langdon, Associate Executive Director Sandra Kwasa, Director Rhonda Cass Mackiney, Assistant Director Haylie Noltensmeier, Admin. Assistant Linda Zulaski, Admin. Assistant

POLICY SERVICES Angie Powell, Director Nicholas Baumann, Consultant Boyd Fergurson, Consultant COMMUNICATIONS Breanna Rabacchi, Assistant Manager Kara Kienzler, Kathryn Bulava, Admin. Assistant Associate Executive Director John Fines, Admin. Assistant Theresa Kelly Gegen, Director Emily Tavernor, Admin. Assistant Heath Hendren, Director Jennifer Nelson, Director ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Isaac Warren, Assistant Director Jennifer Feld, Bridget Kusturin, Admin. Assistant Chief Financial Officer/Associate PRODUCTION SERVICES Executive Director Katie Grant, Director Karen Faith, Assistant Business Toby Chiles, Lead Print Shop Operator Manager Jeff Armbruster, Print Shop Patrick Shea, Assistant Manager, Operator/Graphics Technology Camille Gillette, Specialist III Staff emails: First initial and last name Ruth Ann Ferris, Receptionist preceding iasb.com Sally Kimmel, Receptionist

July/August 2022 • 5

Policy Page

Is the Board Policy Manual on Your Summer Reading List?

W

By Nicholas Baumann

While some peoples’ summer reading list may consist of novels, it is also a great time to consider a review of your board policy manual. This is a way of monitoring district performance while ensuring policies are current and reflect your community and the needs of the district.

The benefits of the monitoring process are that it • Provides the opportunity for the board to know, own, and confirm or revise its board policy direction.

• Provides the opportunity for the superintendent to know, implement, and be accountable for the board’s policy direction.

• Ensures that board expectations are being met.

• Ensures the legal operation of the district.

• Allows the board to ensure its policies are current and clear.

• Provides continuity during transitions of board members and/or the superintendent.

• Enables the board to better fulfill all of its governance responsibilities.

July

IASB PRESS sample board policy 2:240, Board Policy Development, states, “The board will periodically review its policies for relevancy, monitor its policies for effectiveness, and consider whether any modifications are required. The board may use an annual policy review and monitoring calendar.” So what do an annual policy review and monitoring calendar look like? Above right is an example of a one-year plan.

You may observe that the monitoring is not necessarily in order by section, but there are good reasons for that.

Dec

In addition, board members find that a good monitoring process: • Enables accountability to the community, based upon accurate data and information.

• Builds trust among the board, staff, students, parents, and community.

• Provides an opportunity for continuous board and district improvement.

A review of Section 4, Operational Services, in July allows the board to ensure compliance with annual budget deadlines before September 30.

A review of Section 2, School Board, within six months of board elections and the seating of new board members allows the assessment of the board’s own processes and commitment about how it does its work.

6 • Illinois School Board Journal

July-September Review Period

Section 4: Operational Services

Aug Sept

Section 2: School Board

Oct Nov Jan

Section 6: Instruction Section 1: School District Organization Section 3: General School Administration Section 8: Community Relations

Feb Mar

Section 5: Personnel

Apr May

Section 7: Students

June

October-December Review Period

Reviewing Section 6, Instruction, during the months of October through December allows the board to work with the superintendent, existing staff, as well as new staff in working toward reviewing and updating instructional goals.

January-March Review Period

A review of Section 3, General School Administration, in January allows the board to complete its review prior to completing its

superintendent evaluation and the evaluations of other district administrators.

A review of Section 5, Personnel, in March is ideal, as the district may be looking at staff changes as the school year begins to come to a close and the new year approaches. This is also an ideal time to review Section 1, School District Organization, and Section 8, Community Relations, to see if they are still representative of the district and its connection with the community.

April-June Review Period

That leaves the board with Section 7, Students, as the final section to review. As the board looks back on the school year as a whole, this is an ideal time to cover policies related to subjects such as equity, attendance, student rights and responsibilities, and welfare services.

As you can see, a full review of the board policy manual may seem like a daunting task, but by breaking it into quarters, it becomes manageable. Upon completion of a monitoring program, your board will ensure: • Legal compliance. There are legal parameters set by federal and state law and regulations. Written board policy addresses the parameters necessary for the district’s legal compliance.

• Clarification of the district’s purpose. The board’s written policy is the tool by which it establishes board and district commitments to its community and stakeholders – what the board promises in terms of what the district will accomplish and the operational parameters within which the district will work.

• Providing information to stakeholders. Written board policy informs the community and stakeholders of its commitments.

• Spanning transitions and providing continuity.

The board’s written policy provides a means for spanning transitions (turnover within the board, in the superintendency, and administration) and provides continuity for the district’s work towards its mission, vision, and goals.

IASB has materials available at the resources link below, as is information on signing up for an In-District Workshop about this topic.  Nicholas Baumann is a Consultant in the Policy Services Department with IASB. Resources associated with this article can be accessed via bit.ly/JA22JRes.

IASB Board of Directors As of June 15, 2022

PRESIDENT Simon Kampwerth Jr. VICE PRESIDENT Mark Harms IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Thomas Neeley TREASURER Tim Custis ABE LINCOLN Christopher Gordon

NORTHWEST Chris Buikema

BLACKHAWK David Rockwell

SHAWNEE Sheila Nelson

CENTRAL ILLINOIS VALLEY Tim Custis

SOUTH COOK Joyce Dickerson

CORN BELT Nick Sartoris DUPAGE Thomas Ruggio EGYPTIAN Lisa Irvin ILLINI Michelle Skinlo KASKASKIA Linda Eades KISHWAUKEE Robert Geddeis LAKE Marc Tepper NORTH COOK Alva Kreutzer

SOUTHWESTERN Mark Christ STARVED ROCK Jim McCabe THREE RIVERS Liz Campbell TWO RIVERS Tracie Sayre WABASH VALLEY Mandy Rieman WEST COOK Carla Joiner-Herrod WESTERN Sue McCance SERVICE ASSOCIATES Mark Jolicoeur

The vision of the Illinois Association of School Boards is excellence in local school board governance supporting quality public education.

The mission of the Illinois Association of School Boards is to Light the Way for its members by developing their competence and confidence through a robust toolkit designed to build excellence in local school board governance, including • Premier training experiences; • Networking opportunities for mutual support; • Valuable benefits, pooled services, information, and expertise; • Advocacy on behalf of public education; and • A platform for a strong collective voice on common interests and concerns.

July/August 2022 • 7

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Feature Story

IASB Survey Measures Engagement and Satisfaction

By Theresa Kelly Gegen

T

The purpose of the 2022 IASB Member Survey, which was open from February 28 to April 22, was to ensure IASB is fulfilling its mission regarding the “common interests and concerns” of school board members in Illinois and assessing Association products, events, and services to gauge member engagement and satisfaction. IASB asked those that use such services – board members, superintendents, and school district administrative professionals – questions regarding topics of urgency and engagement with the Association. The survey also asked board members additional questions covering demographics and board work, plus further questions on interests and engagement.

In 2022, 1,458 responses were collected. This included 983 school

Demographics 2022 3% N/A 47% male

50% female

35% < age 50 2020: 86% white non-Hispanic 2022: 80% white non-Hispanic

board members, 269 superintendents, and 206 school board or district administrative professionals or other respondents. IASB is using all responses to assess engagement and customer satisfaction and correlate those to the Association’s strategic priorities. The following information includes board member responses only.

Topics of Urgency and Interest

Over the years, IASB has asked board members what topics are most urgent in their districts. The question reads, “How urgent are the following issues for your board and your district right now?” and lists several response options. In 2018, the most urgent issue was budgeting and school funding, and the same was true for previous surveys, according to past survey records. But in 2020, a new topic – the teacher shortage – topped the urgency list, just ahead of academic performance and student growth, followed by budgeting and school funding.

Now, in 2022, the teacher shortage is once again the most urgent topic, and by a wider margin, with 72% of board member respondents saying it is very or extremely urgent.

In second place on the urgency scale for 2022 was social and

emotional and mental health support, with 70% of board member respondents deeming it extremely or very urgent. Third in urgency in 2022 was academic performance and student growth, the only topic to be ranked among the three most urgent in the past three surveys. In 2022, that budgeting and school funding category, the most urgent concern in 2018, ranked a fairly distant seventh, with 47% now considering it very or extremely urgent.

It should be noted that the 2020 survey was open from February to April, coinciding with the rise of COVID-19 in the U.S. and the March 13, 2020 closing of Illinois classrooms in response. And the 2018 survey opened just after the school shooting tragedy in Parkland, Florida, which likely skewed the responses in favor of safety and security. In 2022, the February-to-April timeframe offered less dramatic events, but the cumulative impact of the coronavirus pandemic, social justice issues, and school safety and security informs the opinions of survey respondents.

Board Service

Historically, there have been Illinois members with decades of service to their boards of July/August 2022 • 9

education. In the 2022 survey, the respondents with 20 or more years on their board of education went from 8-10% prior to 2022 up to 13% in 2022. Half of the 2022 respondents had served between 5 and 20 years and that percentage was approximately the same in 2020 and 2018.

Given the circumstances of the past two years, it’s not a surprise that the number of hours board members report they spend on board work is going up. In 2020, 18% of board members reported devoting over 15 hours a month to board work; in 2022 it’s now 23%.

Most (57%) are between 5 and 15 hours in 2022. The percentage who reported five hours or fewer dropped from 24% in 2020 to 17% in 2022.

10 • Illinois School Board Journal

Demographics

The member survey asks demographic questions of board members. IASB seeks to understand who our school board members are and their service to the district. Demographic data provides a snapshot in time of association membership.

One small but notable demographic shift occurred since 2020: Of the board members who responded, 50% identified as female, 47% male, with the remaining 3% selecting other or declining to state. It’s the first time that females out-pointed males in the survey of board members. In 2020, respondents were 49% male and 48% female. In 2018, 52% of board members who responded were male, 47% female.

Board Members Hours Per Month

30% 40% 20% 10%

5

or

le

ss

0 + 10 15 6- 11- 16-2 20

HOURS WORKED

In 2018, 86% of board member respondents identified as white. In 2022, that number was 80%, with a small corresponding increase in Black member respondents (8% in 2018 to 10% in 2022)

and those of multiple ethnicities (2% to 6%).

From the 2020 survey results, we noted the possibility that the average age range of board members was trending younger. In 2022, we see that that’s not the case. The percentage of board members who said they were over age 60 is about the same, with a few more over 70. And there are fewer in their 30s and 40s with a fraction of a percent under age 30.

We also ask about families, education, and employment, and the results have stayed consistent. For three surveys and six years running, 47% of board members have children in public schools at the time of the survey. More today have no children in school (PK-College) than in 2018. In the last three surveys, education level attained has been within a percentage point of the 2022 numbers of 4% high school graduate; 23% associate’s/vocational training; and 31% bachelor’s degree. Board members with a graduate or professional degree went from 37% in 2020 to 40% in 2022. Respondents are consistently 60% employed fulltime and 23% retired.

When asked if IASB membership was valuable to their board, 57% agreed plus 29% strongly agreed. IASB’s overall customer satisfaction was rated poor (4%); fair (9%); good (31%); very good (36%); and excellent (20%).

Many respondents stated they experience IASB by doing what you are doing right now – reading the Journal. Thank you! Here are the options that over half of the respondents reported taking part in: • Reading the Illinois School Board Journal (69%) • Attending the Joint Annual Conference (66%); • Using the IASB website for content including videos, news feeds, guidance resources (64%);

• Discussing IASB Resolutions with my board (55%); and • Attending a Division Meeting or other Division event, such as a Governing Meeting or Legislative Breakfast (50%).

Another way members can interact with IASB – although for obvious reasons it’s not included in the survey – is to participate in the survey.

IASB encourages all board members to respond to the next semi-annual Member Survey in 2024, and express your opinion so IASB can continue to improve its efforts to “Light the Way” for its members. Theresa Kelly Gegen is Editor of the Illinois School Board Journal.

Members Engage with IASB

IASB further asked survey responders to “Think about your overall perceptions of IASB and indicate your level of agreement with the following statements,” with statements regarding how and why they interact with the Association, and how they assess the success of those interactions.

In each case, a majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they felt connected, engaged, and supported by IASB. July/August 2022 • 11

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Advocacy

Represent your districts’ advocacy positions at the annual Delegate Assembly. This is your opportunity to elect Association leaders and set IASB legislative priorities.

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Commentary

Teacher/Administrator Shortage: A Commentary on How We Got Here, and Our Road to Solving the Problem

By Jim Rosborg

T

The following is the author’s perception of the teacher/administrator shortage history in Illinois and ideas for ending the current problem. As an educator and researcher, I have been encouraged by actions at the state level, but work is still needed. Illinois must overcome the fact that more educators are leaving the field than coming in. First, the discussion will be centered around some of the problems that evolved. Then, I will outline positive efforts and potential needs to improve the educator shortage.

In the February 1, 2022, edition of the Wall Street Journal, Kathryn Dill wrote a compelling article entitled “Companies Are Hot to Hire Teachers Quitting in Droves.” The article states that teachers are leaving

14 • Illinois School Board Journal

the education profession to “work in sales, software, healthcare and training and other fields.” Dill stated that COVID protocols, such as switching between online and classroom instruction, with the additional problems of teaching challenging students and dealing with difficult parents and administrators, have led to a mass exodus of teachers in the profession.

This should be no surprise in Illinois. The downward spiral, teachers and administrators leaving the profession, began in 2010 when the elaborate teacher/ principal evaluation process, teacher basic skills test, and new degree requirements created unnecessary burdens on educators. An additional factor included no teacher license state-to-state reciprocity, which

discouraged teachers from coming to Illinois. Other issues causing the teacher shortage long before the pandemic include the lack of social and emotional support, few state incentives such as the teacher tuition scholarships given in the 1960s and 1970s, low competitive salaries exacerbated by Illinois having no state budget for three years and changing the retirement age from 55 to 67.

The nationwide reform movement at the time forced a major teacher and administrator licensure change in Illinois. This effort, which included a university-required entrance examination, titled the Teacher Basic Skills Test, which, in my opinion, was unfair and was created specifically to reduce the number of licensed teachers in Illinois. The policies led to the reduction of teacher licenses which had a cascading effect: a reduced number of principal licenses and, accordingly, fewer superintendent licenses.

Respected educators (including William Phillips at University of Illinois Springfield, Nick Osborne at Eastern Illinois University, Ken Jandes at American College of Education, Howard Bultinck at Northeastern Illinois University, and me at McKendree University), who were all once administrators, voiced strong disagreement with many of the efforts. Below are some of the key points that were made in 2010.

At the time, this group opined that Illinois should not try to limit the number of “teacher certificates” (the terminology at the time) as many of the graduates go into other fields which then reduces the pool of teacher candidates. It also stated that it was important to have a full resource of teacher candidates from which school districts could choose.

Now, as expressed in the Wall Street Journal, teachers are qualified for other workforce positions, and they are leaving the field of education. Dill cited data from the Labor Department that from January to November 2021 nearly 550,000 educators resigned their school jobs in the U.S. In 2010, universities knew that principal preparation programs included candidates who might not want to be administrators but were completing administrative programs to become better teachers or teacher leaders. Universities and school districts understood this to be better for our profession. We identified a new rubric for principal preparation programs as cumbersome. In 2010, university principal programs had an

intense curricular component. One of the most egregious components in the initial rules was eliminating Type 73 (guidance counselors, school psychologists, speech therapists, and nurses) from achieving the principal license. Ultimately this reduced the number of principal candidates.

Under the current ISBE leadership and lobbying efforts by educational groups, this has now been changed to allow Type 73 personnel to earn their principal licensure. This was a great move by the legislature to correct past mistakes.

In 2010 the educators stated the Basic Skills Test (later changed to the Test of Academic Proficiency) was not fair and would adversely impact teacher education programs. Why test language arts teachers and elementary teachers in analytical geometry and trigonometry to obtain university education degree admission?

University passage rates on the state test declined from nearly 90% to 25%. Passage rates for minority students dropped to 10%. A significant number of potentially outstanding teachers were not allowed in the education field because of this test. When I was superintendent of Belleville SD 118, some of my best teachers did not earn straight As in college. I have not observed a dramatic increase in principal and teacher skill sets due to these restrictive efforts, but boards of education have dramatically fewer choices in hiring. The goal of employing the highest-quality teacher candidates has shifted to a goal of hoping to fill vacant positions.

Today, we are thankful that ISBE and the legislature have ended this unfair entrance test. This is a big step towards improving the teacher and administrator shortage.

In 2010 the group said that the decrease in the number of education candidates would force universities to increase tuition. This happened and the results have been staggering. Increased tuition has limited many outstanding economically challenged and disadvantaged students from applying to universities.

This was verified by some of the initial research Patrick Rice, Clinical Assistant Professor, for Education Policy and Organization and Leadership at UIUC, and I performed in 2015.

Seven years later, the number of students going into education is not good but is getting better.

The educators stated back then that more strict certification requirements would lead to a teacher July/August 2022 • 15

shortage which would eventually lead to either no certification requirements or declining standards.

In the November/December Journal, authors Hans Andrews and William Marzano stated that quick fixes, like bringing back retired teachers, increasing current teacher workloads, bringing in foreign teachers (occurring in Arizona), and using paraprofessionals in licensed teacher positions, are being discussed.

Current Efforts

Current efforts at the legislative level are excellent but I expect are not going to be totally effective. Legislators are genuinely concerned about the problem and want to work towards solutions. Leaders at ISBE are doing their best to make the necessary changes to end this tough societal dilemma. Jason Helfer and Emily Fox, part of the current licensure leadership team at ISBE, have been receptive to many of these ideas and have assisted my research.

The suggestions that follow are worthy of discourse by decision-makers. Now is the time for immediate and real action that helps to significantly reduce or even eliminate the shortage.

Positive Steps Taken in Illinois

The Illinois Legislature and State Board of Education have taken positive steps to solve the current teacher/administrative shortage in Illinois. A great thank you goes out to them for their latest efforts in passing legislation expanding the substitute teacher

For Further Reading

Discover more about local programs aimed at alleviating the educator shortage at bit.ly/JA22More.

Illinois Invests in Educators Rising

By Lindsey Jensen Investing in Teachers to Achieve Student-Centered Goals

By Travis McGuire Residency Programs for Future Teachers

By Jim Rosborg

16 • Illinois School Board Journal

pool, lowering the paraprofessional age requirement from 19 to 18, and getting rid of the provision that made retired teachers pay a $500 penalty for a lapsed license (it’s now $50).

Other positives are on the horizon. Candidates who did not have to be subjected to the Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency, which limited potential great teachers from entering the field, will soon be coming out of universities. I expect applicant numbers to go up. Some in the field were concerned about rigor lost in the process, but candidates still must pass the Content Area Test in their field, which preserves rigor in education preparation.

According to ISBE and as reported by WGN-TV in April 2022, nearly 5,500 education positions went unfilled for the 2021-2022 school year. The top reason was lack of candidates. Illinois has made progress and Governor JB Pritzker pointed out in the report that 5,600 teachers have been hired this academic year.

More individuals are entering education, but still more are leaving. We have work to do.

Positive Steps Still Needed

While it is not my expectation that the legislature passes all these suggestions I list below, some need to be implemented. Current changes in the law regarding the educator shortage are not enough. The first category has recommendations the legislature can pass at no cost (or optional cost), to the state.

1. Offer “Grow Your Own” incentives, providing opportunities for current high school graduates to come back and teach in their home district.

Such a plan should include a pipeline for paraprofessionals to become certified teachers.

This is a matter of lessening restrictions that currently force paraprofessionals to quit their jobs to student teach. This program would also alleviate the serious problem we have filling teacher positions in rural communities and areas of economic distress and would make the teaching field more diverse.

2. Start “Future Teachers of America” clubs in high schools. These programs were popular in the 1960s and worked to raise interest in education.

Encourage local and state FTA scholarships. Costs would be incurred but would be worth the longrange results of more individuals in the pipeline.

3.

4.

5.

6.

These clubs encourage current teachers to speak more highly of the education field which currently has been reported as a problem.

Lower restrictions on industrial technology (Career and Technical Education), and elementary licensure. Specifically, kindergarten should be placed back with elementary licensure as this non-researched change has caused placement problems in many districts. Alternative certificates should be offered in industrial technology/CTE and other areas where there are great shortages, without taking away the course rigor needed to be a skilled teacher. I think an additional positive would be to move the current secondary license to at least a Grade 7-12 certificate instead the current nonresearched Grade 9-12 certificate.

Explore programs to assist in teacher retention.

We will not be able to tackle the teacher shortage without addressing current turnover trends in teacher career paths. This might include encouraging districts to include activities in their professional development plans, attendance bonus incentives, and having staff socials, etc.

Form a task force to study overregulation, and regulate for success, not failure. Establish achievable benchmarks. ISBE’s benchmark on the SAT state test is 50 points higher than the benchmark established by the College Board. ESSA guidelines set up many schools in Illinois to be perceived as failures, when many are excellent schools with fine instruction. I would add that the state must relax outdated and unnecessary laws and rules that govern principal prep programs. In addition, overreliance on testing and the Danielson evaluation model has driven both teachers and administrators out. When I started teaching in 1972, we made pennies but had academic freedom and loved our work. That is no longer true. It has become not fun, offering few rewards, and the feeling of accomplishment has waned.

Illinois needs a marketing/promotion campaign to highlight the value of teachers. Life is short.

Teachers change lives and help create the future. I think Governor Pritzker could lead the charge with a slogan and ad campaign to retake lost ground on respect for teachers. Show adults whose lives were changed by teachers and what they have done.

Teaching is hard, very hard. Don’t hide that. But it can be worth it.

Next are some ideas that need to be changed at the university level. In my opinion, this will be the hardest level to change, because universities are locked into tradition and protection of tenured professors’ turf and maintaining the courses they are currently teaching.

1. Encourage universities to limit future increases in tuition to assist minority, low income, and overall student enrollment. Open the door for the financially challenged student. Universities across the state have been raising tuition at approximately 7% a year. The higher the tuition, the fewer candidates we have. Costs, along with the virus threat, could be devastating to universities. We have already seen some long-established universities close their doors.

2. Set up university study commissions to evaluate general education classes offered at the first- and second-year undergraduate levels. Too many students drop out due to lack of interest in general education classes that are not imperative to the development of a good teacher. This could extend resident student-teacher programs so the candidate could have more experience in the classroom.

3. Start residency programs to increase the number of individuals in Illinois who have their teaching license. Teacher residency programs are an alternative pathway for prospective educators who already have a bachelor’s degree. The model integrates master’s-level content with a yearlong classroom internship in a public school. (Look for more on the residency model at the Journal resources link below).

My final recommendations for legislative solutions include some cost factors. Recent legislation provides good band-aids, but in my opinion will not have a long-term impact on the teacher shortage. For example, many retired teachers have no interest in going back to the classroom. Belleville SD 118 has approximately 300 retired teachers and administrators; 20-25 are actively substituting. The solutions I am listing below will have costs but will greatly help the teacher shortage.

1. Offer tuition scholarships to teacher education candidates. These state scholarships in the past provided individuals such as this researcher the July/August 2022 • 17

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

ability to attend college. Though I had to make a five-year commitment to teach in the state, the scholarship changed my life. I went on to be a teacher, principal, superintendent, and university professor and am now in my 50th year in education. I give thanks that I was in a state that gave individuals such as myself the boost to be able to succeed. The Illinois Black Caucus is pushing for minority scholarships, and I hope they are successful. Such scholarships are needed for all races and ethnic groups, especially students who come from economically challenged environments.

Provide hiring bonuses to high teacher shortage positions (math, science, early childhood, industrial technology, special education, and ESL). Rural communities and schools experiencing high poverty should be placed in this consideration.

Illinois must lower the retirement age from 67 to at least 62 for Tier 2 and Tier 3 teachers. Teachers in the field before 2011 can retire at the age of 55 (Tier 1). Teachers entering the field after 2011 (Tier 2) and in the future (Tier 3) must work until they are 67. Age 67 is too old (Missouri allows full retirement as young as 53). Now that the basic skills test has been eliminated, I view the retirement rule as the major factor for young people leaving Illinois high schools for out-of-state universities in the field of education.

Continue to support mentoring and induction programs. Finance local school efforts and encourage school districts to build these efforts into their professional development plans.

Develop avenues for existing paraprofessionals to get their teaching licensure in a streamlined process. For example, decrease observation hours because of classroom experience. Transfer college credit. Provide more flexibility for paras, such as setting up time for the paras to student teach in the summer months when they do not have to conflict with school contracts.

Establish alternative pathways for teaching licensure, paraprofessionals, and substitute teachers without lowering the standards of instruction. Prioritize resources for minority candidates, those teaching in e-learning environments, and areas of teaching shortage.

This includes high-needs areas that have been

18 • Illinois School Board Journal

severely impacted by state regulations and the pandemic.

7. In addition to tuition scholarships to teacher education candidates, establish low-interest loans for education students along with lower tuition for individuals going into university education programs.

8. Continue to look at ways to raise teacher salaries and provide state funding for the additional costs placed on school districts. Currently, the state law regarding future teacher salaries states that the minimum salary for all teachers will be $40,000 by the first day of school, 2023. This is good if the state financially supports districts to make this change. I hope this will help keep teachers in the classroom and bring more high school students into the field.

Decisions need to be based on research, and Illinois needs to change its attitude towards the education profession. Teachers changed my life. Now more than ever, the state needs to provide school districts and universities consistent guidelines and continual support to fight the impact of the pandemic.

Total focus is needed to end this problem. It would make sense to establish a commission to look at changes that need to be made in policies that have limited individual opportunities to become licensed teachers and administrators. The legislature and ISBE have made a great start. Now take the next big step forward to solve the problem.

I am passionate about this issue. My passion is that I want highly qualified teachers to teach in good work environments. I want my six grandchildren and all students to have the best teachers possible. I want boards of education to have choices in their hiring practices. I want all individuals, no matter their race, creed, or economic status to have the opportunity to become licensed in the education field. The bottom line is that we need more action now on this topic to solve a problem that is not going away under current conditions, even though some great improvements have taken place.  Jim Rosborg, Ph.D., is Past President of the Illinois Council of Professors in Education Administration, retired Superintendent of Belleville SD 118, and chairs the Ed.D. Committees at McKendree University. Resources associated with this article can be accessed via bit.ly/JA22JRes.

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Feature Story

Overcoming Challenges for English Learners Remote Learning Made Speaking Skills Harder to Practice

By Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat Chicago

A

As Guillermo Benitez moved through a lesson on ratios, he pressed his sixth-graders to elaborate at every turn: How did we get that answer?

The math teacher gave some students a heads-up first, knowing it’s helpful not to put English learners on the spot. Along the way, Benitez kept a mental tally of who hadn’t spoken up yet. Benitez has relied on his experience as an English learner to support students. “I feel like that connection with them — they understand that I went through the same thing as them,” he said. “And if I can overcome it, they can overcome it as well.”

“I’ma call on you to explain something to me,” Benitez nudged one student. “You’re the only one I haven’t called on today. Your time’s coming. Are you prepared?”

“No!” the student said, with a giggle.

Earlier in the period, Benitez let students work out problems in groups of three before they shared with the whole class — another way of helping students prepare to participate. He leaned over the desk of a student who hadn’t spoken up in her group.

She began to explain how they arrived at 14, softly. “Good,” Benitez told her. “That’s how you show your work.”

For many teachers of English learners like Benitez, working with students to build oral language skills has been especially crucial this year.

20 • Illinois School Board Journal

Sebastián Hidalgo for Chalkbeat. Used with permission.

That’s because remote learning made those skills harder to practice last year. A report released by New America in April 2022 detailed some of the common challenges: Students had fewer opportunities to talk with their classmates online, and teachers who specialized in language support often got pulled away to help with other duties. The charts and word banks that students rely on as they learn to speak a new language were harder to share in virtual classrooms, too.

“Kids, especially younger kids, just did not have opportunities to use language in the way that they normally do,” said Amaya Garcia, a co-author of the report who researches education policies that affect English learners for New America.

“For a lot of the people that we spoke with, that was a real area of concern.”

Those issues showed up on the test that many states use to measure the progress of students learning English. Across the U.S., including in Benitez’s school district, a smaller share of students reached their English language proficiency goals than usual last spring, especially in the younger grades. Scores dropped the most on the writing and speaking portions.

To help students make up for lost time, school districts like Berwyn North SD 98, where Benitez teaches just west of Chicago, are focused on boosting English learners’ speaking skills with new tactics, more coaching, and even new furniture arrangements.

Districts across the country are trying to help English learners make progress this year after a smaller share of students hit their

English proficiency goals than usual last year.

“That was very important for them to practice that conversation piece,” said Francela López, who oversees services for Berwyn North’s English learners, who make up a third of all students in the district.

“They did miss out on some of that.”

Like many districts, Berwyn North schools had a tall order before them last fall. It marked the first time most students returned for in-person learning after more than a year. Though the district reopened buildings last spring, few students came in. Most English learners got language support over Zoom, but few were able to practice their English outside of class, López said.

Dana Sartori, an elementary school teacher who’s worked in the district for two decades, noticed that when they returned, many younger English learners were quieter than usual.

“It’s like you have to pull words out of them,” Sartori said in an interview in December. “I always thought that all the kids had silent periods, but this is different.”

To help, Sartori has tried to boost her students’ confidence. One morning that month, she stopped by the desk of an English learner in third grade wearing sparkly silver shoes whose voice barely rose above a whisper.

Sartori knew the little girl often stayed quiet because she struggled to read, so Sartori read the lesson aloud with gusto and asked the student to tell her about it. The third-grader’s voice rose up a notch. “It was louder because she felt comfortable and confident in what she was telling me,” Sartori said.

This year, Berwyn North teachers arranged new hexagonal desks in ways that encourage students to talk more with one another.

Educators have looked for ways to get students talking more to one another, too. Early in the school year, for example, López and a colleague helped teachers figure out how to set up new hexagon-shaped desks to encourage students to turn and talk with a classmate.

Teacher coaches have helped teachers add more speaking practice into their lessons, too. It’s something they did before the pandemic that’s taken on added significance this year.

One day in December, fifthgrade teacher Anne Vaccaro tested out a new activity that gave each student a different speaking role. Students pushed their desks together into groups of four and took turns asking and answering science questions about the atmosphere, weathering, and erosion.

Conversations filled the room.

At one table where a little boy wasn’t saying much, a classmate tried to help him explain how erosion breaks down cliffs, while he nodded along — the kind of natural interaction that had been difficult to replicate online.

Some students glanced down at a piece of paper filled with phrases such as “What do you mean when you say that?” and “Can you tell me more?” Getting students to elaborate on their thinking like that has taken a little longer this year, Sartori said, but by winter, she was starting to see it stick.

“What I liked about interacting with my classmates was that

I could share my ideas,” said one especially enthusiastic student.

Teachers also got more training on how to use Flipgrid, a tool that allows students to record themselves speaking, listen back, and get feedback. Sartori uses the tool twice a week in an extra support class for a handful of struggling English learners, though sometimes it hasn’t elicited the response she was looking for.

“Remember, you’re talking as much as you can!” Sartori told her three students that day. She wanted them to look at a picture of a young boy playing soccer and describe how he might be feeling.

“OK, when you’re ready!” Sartori said. None of the students spoke.

Sartori moved around the room, trying to help. She offered to turn off the camera so students wouldn’t see their faces. She provided some sentence starters and rehearsed what students might say.

One student wrote his answer on a Post-it, but he didn’t want to say it.

“You’re being shy? What’s going on?” Sartori said. “You’ve done this before!”

For one 9-year-old, who rarely talks in her larger classes, the lesson felt hard. She prefers working in teams and doing activities that feel more like games, she said.

At home, she said in Spanish, “I talk a little more because I feel more comfortable there.” But at school, “there are a lot of people I still don’t know and it makes me nervous.”

The district is also serving a larger number of newcomer students this year, mainly from Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Morocco.

Some students arrived a few months ago, while others started July/August 2022 • 21

school just before the pandemic but didn’t attend many virtual classes last year. To support those students at the middle school, teacher Hannah Nolan-Spohn created a small class in February specifically for newcomers with six Spanish speakers and two Arabic speakers.

It’s a one-hour class where students can get more consistent language support. Nolan-Spohn, who specializes in working with English learners, sets aside time every Tuesday for students to talk with their classmates, and she’s teaching them phonics so they feel confident in their pronunciation. She also tries to pick activities that will resonate with students, like listening to an audio story about a Vietnamese-American woman trying to maintain a connection with her mother’s language.

“I’m hoping that will continue to make them feel safe,” she said. “This is the place to make mistakes and take risks because everybody’s in the same boat as you. No one’s going to tease you. It’s OK if you mispronounce something. This is the space to try.”

Already, she’s built an atmosphere where students feel comfortable joking with each other. At the start of a lesson in mid-February, one student led the class in a daily speaking activity about the day and the weather.

She teased her classmates when she didn’t get much of a response.

“Are they asleep?!” she asked Nolan-Spohn.

After a winter of pandemic hiccups — including a spike in student and teacher absences that pulled some English learner specialists away to sub — López is hopeful English learners will make more progress this year.

22 • Illinois School Board Journal

Last year, around 6% of English learners in the district scored high enough on the proficiency test to exit the program, though typically it’s between 7% and 9%. Educators are hoping it will be closer to 10% this year.

“I think we are moving along,” López said. “Our goal is to see some growth.”

Garcia, at New America, expects speaking scores will be higher this year, now that students have had more time to talk with their teachers and classmates in person. And with more information in hand, she wants schools to pay particularly close attention to English learners’ progress.

Last spring, school districts were able to test a much smaller share of

their English learners than usual — Berwyn North reached around 60% — so teachers had less information to work with. This time around, teachers will know a lot more about what support students need and what they can do.

“To me, this is the level-setting year,” Garcia said. “Now we need to figure out how to adjust what we’re doing to address what we see.”  Kalyn Belsha is a national education reporter based in Chicago. This story was originally published by Chalkbeat Chicago. Chalkbeat (chalkbeat.org) is a nonprofit news organization covering public education. Sign up for newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

Resources associated with this article can be accessed via bit.ly/JA22JRes.

Feature Story

District 99 Strategizes for a Greener Future

By Kristen Kucharski

C

Community High SD 99 in Downers Grove has committed to ensuring energy conservation and environmental awareness, important both to the future of students and for fiscal responsibility to the district’s taxpayers.

The district’s efforts earned it recognition as a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School in 2022. Across the country, 27 schools, five districts, and four postsecondary institutions were so honored for environmental efforts. The aim of the Green Ribbon Schools Award is to • Reduce environmental impact and costs; • Improve the health and wellness of schools, students, and staff; and • Provide effective environmental and sustainability education.

“To receive recognition at a national level is a testament to the quality of our people and programs,” said Hank Thiele, Superintendent of District 99. “What’s unique about this award is that in addition to considering what we’ve practiced for years, energy conservation and education, we’re being recognized for our activities that

Courtesy of Community High SD 99.

promote social sustainability, which relates to how we work to improve the health and wellness of our students and staff.”

Community High SD 99 educates about 5,000 students in two high schools. To reduce environmental impact and costs, improve student and staff health, and provide effective environmental and sustainability education in daily operations, the district’s efforts are many and recently include • Replacing outdated and inefficient heating and cooling systems to reduce overall energy costs with a commitment to use only energy service companies

for all HVAC improvement projects; • Switching from T12 fluorescent light bulbs/ballasts to T8 light bulbs in classrooms and offices; • Installing LED lighting in small and large gymnasiums; • Installing covers on swimming pools at the district’s two high schools, reducing heating costs by 28% and the pool’s annual water consumption by 38%.

For all new construction and/or renovation projects, the district considers LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines during design and construction to ensure energy and water efficiency July/August 2022 • 23

on all future projects to reduce operational costs. Some examples are installing light, faucet, and toilet sensors throughout the buildings, as well as adding water refilling stations. The district has tanks that receive rainwater from district fields to supply water for the irrigation system. New outdoor seating areas and patios were created to extend the classrooms to a natural environment. An additional drop-off circle was constructed to reduce idling time.

Over the years, District 99 has enacted fundamental changes to environments to better align buildings to conservation efforts. Highlights of these initiatives include establishing quarterly Energy Committee Meetings with a core group to bring together information from employees and students; working with Nania Energy to purchase renewable energy and power 100% of electricity usage via Green-E Energy Certified National Wind RECs; installing solar panels funded via a grant from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for science students. District 99 purchases 100% of its bulk purchase copy paper from recycled sources and deepens recycling efforts by educating students to recycle cafeteria waste into appropriate receptacles while developing a food share program for unwanted whole foods.

Improving the health and wellness of students and staff is of utmost importance. This prompts annual, three-year, and six-month inspection agreements with Gallagher Bassett Technical Services to complete regular testing at all district buildings to deliver a consistent message to occupants 24 • Illinois School Board Journal

concerning the superior air quality. The data can also identify energy savings where temperatures or fresh air are outside of IAQ and energy parameters. They conduct an indoor air quality study including temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide.

Daily building operations continuously promote clean air and clean surfaces and use “green,” environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies including those on the EPA-N list to combat the coronavirus and beyond.

Eating clean encourages a healthy body with proper nutrition now available in a newly renovated servery lines that include a wide variety of customizable and premade options throughout all nutritional categories while having allergen-aware options readily available.

Coordinated efforts for a healthy mind and body have also been included in recent building renovations to make access to counseling and social services easily assessable during lunch periods and study halls. Wellness and Mental Health Resources are widely available and the district schedules events to foster better health, green ideals, and scholarship. Live plants were also installed inside the buildings to improve focus, lessen symptoms of anxiety, and boost the moods of staff and students.

District 99 students participate in several clubs related to environmental sustainability. Environmental Science courses have field trips as part of their required curriculum, such as to a water treatment plant, a landfill, a business such as “The Plant” in Chicago

that is a sustainable business, and an energy generating facility. The Women in STEM club printed out posters to hang in every room and in the common areas above the recycle bins, showing which items go in which bin.

Beyond facilities and curriculum, Community High School District 99 has partnered with the community to participate in Earth Chats Podcast with SCARCE, Adopt a Highway, and Illinois Science and Technology Coalition of Chicago to provide a research challenge for students; CEMAST as well as ComEd to help develop innovative ideas for use of solar, wind, and additional technologies to move toward a greener method of energy production; and the Morton Arboretum to access their 300 test beds that are planted in a homogeneous and heterogeneous state. The district is restoring community land to native prairie for environmental and recreational benefits inclusive of student access to a natural laboratory. Many more extracurricular activities are available for students involved in preservation of the environment and developing awareness of the harmful effects our actions can have on the environment.

Green Ribbon School Community High School District 99 is committed to sustainability and strategizes to continue its pursuit for a greener globe to protect the environment and welfare of future generations.  Kristen Kucharski is Assistant to the Director of Physical Plant and Facility Rental Manager at Community High SD 99 in Downers Grove.

Practical PR

From Board Room to Classroom, District 303 Supports Literacy

By Carol L. Smith with contributions from Rebecca Jordahl and Christine Hittmeier

L

Located in Kane County, St. Charles CUSD 303 serves 12,000 PK-12 students in 17 buildings spread across 54 square miles.

Members of the District 303 community from the classroom to the boardroom are making a concerted effort to support literacy as students matriculate through the system.

Much of the conversation over the last year has been about learning loss during the pandemic. But educators have long been challenged by summer learning loss or setback. Often referred to as the “summer slide,” it is a devastating loss of academic achievement students experience during the summer months when they can lose up to two months of reading achievement, according to a 2009 study by Brenda McLaughlin and Smink in 2009. Research by Karl L. Alexander, Doris R. Entwisle, and Linda Steffel Olson suggests that two-thirds of the reading achievement gap between highlow socioeconomic statuses in ninth-graders can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities during elementary school, and one-third of the gap is present before students begin school. The body of summer learning research demonstrates the critical importance of developing summer

reading habits that can combat summer learning loss and provide a foundation for academic success.

In District 303, to combat potential learning loss, the school board has supported literacy efforts through allocation of resources for personnel including reading specialists and instructional support coaches in all elementary and middle schools.

Reading specialists support literacy in the district in a variety of ways. They work with the most striving student readers through explicit small group interventions.

Teachers become the students when reading specialists provide coaching and model lessons when new resources have been implemented.

This gives teachers the tools they need to work alongside students and provide meaningful lessons that can also be used by students when they practice independently.

When the school board also approved extended release time at all levels, the expectation was that the time would be used for staff to engage in professional learning as

Columns are submitted by members of the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association

well as data analysis and response.

The additional time increased opportunities to build background knowledge of teachers to address the shifts in instruction as they related to the sciences of reading.

For the 2021-2022 school year, the school board allocated $5,000 per elementary school earmarked for improving classroom libraries.

Students need a basic understanding of concepts/knowledge and a toolbox of comprehension strategies in order to construct meaning, make connections, and develop new ideas. Teachers built diverse collections that incorporated current and engaging texts aimed at sparking student interest in a variety of topics and increasing comprehension. A community partnership with the St. Charles Public Library also offers families a way to access diverse materials.

The St. Charles Public Library encourages students to participate in its summer reading program.

Students log their reading hours and receive a badge for every 100 minutes logged. Once they reach 1,000 minutes, the Library gives them book-related prizes. During the summer of 2021, PK-8th grade students in St. Charles read 978,524 minutes. The school district and Library continue to market the summer reading program July/August 2022 • 25

and encourage all District 303 students to participate.

One of the most important things that parents can do over the summer to help decrease reading leaning loss is to read with their children, provide opportunities for children to read alone, and find ways to make it engaging.

Reading together gives parents the opportunity to have in-depth

conversations with their children about the text that may increase a child’s desire to learn more about the topic.

In District 303, the school board has shown its commitment to reading by allocating funds for personnel, professional development, and many types of materials such texts-picture books, graphic novels, digital books, fiction and

nonfiction, and series books that make reading fun and exciting for students. 

Richard D. Stephens, , 94, died April 5, 2022. He served on the school board for Macomb CUSD 185.

Bill Thorp, 91, died April 25, 2022.

He had served on the Winola school board in Mercer County.

Robert A. Van Hamme, 70, died April 30, 2022. He served on the school board for Stockton CUSD 206.

Arthur J. Whittington, 84, died April 23, 2022. He was a past member and president of the Tamaroa SD 5 school board. 

Carol L. Smith is INSPRA Past President and was Director of Communications and Community Relations and contributors Rebecca Jordahl and Christine Hittmeier are Reading Specialists, at St. Charles CUSD 303.

Milestones

Continued from page 30

Joseph M. “Mike” Souders, 75, died May 22, 2022. He was a member of the board for Massac CUSD 1.

Carl Andrew Sowa, 87, died April 18, 2022. He was a past member and president of the Richland SD 88A school board.

26 • Illinois School Board Journal

Service Associates Directory Appraisal Services INDUSTRIAL APPRAISAL COMPANY Building and fixed asset appraisals for insurance and accounting purposes.

Oak Brook (630) 575-0280

Architects/Engineers ARCON ASSOCIATES, INC. Full service firm specializing in educational facilities with services that include architecture, construction management, roof and masonry consulting, landscape architecture, and environmental consulting.

Lombard (630) 495-1900; www.arconassoc.com; rpcozzi@arconassoc.com BERG ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, LTD. Consulting engineers.

Schaumburg (847) 352-4500 BLDD ARCHITECTS, INC. Architectural and engineering services for schools. Decatur (217) 429-5105; Champaign (217) 356-9606; Bloomington (309) 828-5025; Chicago (312) 829-1987 www.bldd.com CORDOGAN CLARK & ASSOCIATES Architects and engineers.

Aurora (630) 896-4678; www.cordoganclark.com; rmont@cordoganclark.com DEWBERRY ARCHITECTS INC. Architects, planners, landscape architecture, and engineers.

Peoria (309) 282-8000; Elgin (847) 695-5840 DLA ARCHITECTS, LTD. Architects specializing in preK-12 educational design, including a full range of architectural services, assessments, planning, feasibility studies, new construction, additions, remodeling, O&M and owner’s rep services.

Itasca (847) 742-4063; www.dla-ltd.com; info@dla-ltd.com DLR GROUP Educational facility design and master planning. Chicago (312) 382-9980; dlrgroup.com; mengelhardt@dlrgoup.com

ERIKSSON ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES, LTD. Site Planning/Studies, Civil Engineering, Traffic/Transportation, Landscape Architecture. Grayslake (847) 223-4804; Chicago (312) 463-0551; Mokena (708) 614-9720 FARNSWORTH GROUP, INC. Architectural and engineering professional services.

Normal (309) 633-8436 FGM ARCHITECTS, INC. Architects. Chicago (312) 942-8461; Oak Brook (630) 574-8300; O’Fallon (618) 624-3364; St. Louis (314) 439-1601; Milwaukee, Wisconsin (414) 346-7282 www.fgmarchitects.com GREENASSOCIATES, INC. Architecture/construction services.

Deerfield (847) 317-0852; Itasca, (847) 317-0852 Springfield

IASB Service Associates are businesses which offer school-related products and services and which have earned favorable reputations for quality and integrity. Only after careful screening is a business firm invited to become a Service Associate.

To learn more about IASB Service Associates membership, visit www.iasb.com or contact IASB at bkusturin@iasb.com

HEALY BENDER PATTON & BEEN ARCHITECTS Architects/Planners.

Naperville (630) 904-4300; www.healybender.com; dpatton@healybender.com

LARSON & DARBY GROUP Architecture, engineering, interior design, and technology.

Rockford (815) 484-0739; www.larsondarby.com; snelson@larsondarby.com

HURST-ROSCHE, INC. Architecture, engineering, planning, and interior design. Hillsboro (217) 532-3959; East St. Louis (618) 398-0890; Marion (618) 998-0075; Springfield (217) 787-1199; www.hurst-rosche.com

LEGAT ARCHITECTS, INC. Architectural and educational planners who specialize in creating effective student learning environments.

Gurnee (847) 622-3535; Oak Brook (630) 990-3535; Chicago (312) 258-9595; www.legat.com; atranter@legat.com

JMA ARCHITECTS Full service professional design firm specializing in K-12 educational design, construction management, strategic/ master planning, health/life safety compliance, building commissioning, and interior space design.

South Holland (708) 339-3900; www.jmaarchitects.com; allison@jmaarchitects.com KLUBER ARCHITECTS + ENGINEERS Building design professionals specializing in architecture, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and fire protection engineers.

Batavia (630) 406-1213

PCM+DESIGN ARCHITECTS Provide a full range of architectural services including facility and feasibility studies, architectural design, construction consulting, and related services.

East Peoria (309) 694-5012; www.PCMPLUSD.com; whelmick@pcmplusd.com PERFORMANCE SERVICES, INC. An integrated design and delivery engineering company serving the design and construction facility needs of K-12 schools. Schaumburg (847) 466-7220 PERKINS AND WILL Architects. Chicago (312) 755-0770

July/August 2022 • 27

RICHARD L. JOHNSON ASSOCIATES, INC. Architecture, educational planning.

Rockford (815) 398-1231; www.rljarch.com STR PARTNERS Architectural, interior design, planning, cost estimating, and building enclosure/ roofing consulting.

Chicago (312) 464-1444 STUDIOGC ARCHITECTURE + INTERIORS StudioGC is passionate communityminded partner, committed to creating imaginative and well-designed facilities.

StudioGC offers innovative planning, programming, architectural, interior design, and cost estimates.

Chicago (312) 253-3400 TRIA ARCHITECTURE An architectural planning and interior design firm that provides services primarily to school districts in the Chicagoland area with an emphasis on service to their clients, and their communities.

Burr Ridge (630) 455-4500; www.triaarchitecture.com WIGHT & CO. A fully integrated design, engineering, and construction firm that partners with education leaders to create progressive, inspiring, and sustainable learning environments, while helping to manage risk and provide accountability in the delivery of work. Darien (630) 969-7000; www.wightco.com; bpaulsen@wightco.com WM. B. ITTNER, INC. Full service architectural firm serving the educational community since 1899.

Fairview Heights (618) 624-2080; www.ittnerarchitects.com WOLD ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS Specializing in Pre-K-12 educational design including master planning, sustainable design, architecture, mechanical and electrical engineering, quality review, cost estimation and management.

Palatine (847) 241-6100

Building Construction BOLLER CONSTRUCTION CO., INC. Construction Manager and General Contractor specializing in building and renovating schools.

Waukegan (847) 662-5566

28 • Illinois School Board Journal

CORE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES OF IL., INC. Professional construction management, design-build, and general contracting services. Peoria (309) 404-4700; COREconstruction.com; mikaylavincent@coreconstruction.com F. H. PASCHEN A general/construction manager with extensive experience in new construction and renovation of educational and institutional facilities in the public/private sectors.

Chicago (773) 444-1525; www.fhpaschen.com; aizzi@fhpaschen.com FREDERICK QUINN CORPORATION Construction management and general contracting. Addison (630) 628-8500 HOLLAND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INC. Full service construction management and general contracting firm specializing in education facilities.

Swansea (618) 277-8870 IHC CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES LLC IHC Construction Companies LLC is a full-service construction management firm that delivers new construction, additions, and renovations for School District clients on-time and within budget.

Elgin (847) 742-1516 INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTORS, INC. (ICI) An award-winning construction management firm specializing in K-12 facilities. Our firm is currently partnering with eight Illinois School Districts on capital improvement projects.

Elmhurst (630) 641-6852 NICHOLAS & ASSOCIATES, INC. Construction management, general contracting, design and build.

Mt. Prospect (847) 394-6200 info@nicholasquality.com; nickjr@nicholasquality.com PEPPER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Construction management and general contracting services.

Barrington (847) 381-2760; www.pepperconstruction; jripsky@pepperconstruction.com

POETTKER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Specializing in construction management, design/build, construction consulting services, and energy solutions for education clients.

Breese (618) 526-7213; www.poettkerconstruction.com RUSSELL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC. Russell provides successful, knowledgeable construction management and contracting services in the PreK-12 market from concept to completion and continuing care for your facility needs.

Davenport, Iowa (563) 459-4600; www.russellco.com; sbaumann@russellco.com S.M. WILSON & CO. Provides construction management and general construction services to education, healthcare, commercial, retail, and industrial clients.

St. Louis (314) 645-9595; www.smwilson.com; kristyn.newbern@smwilson.com TRANE HVAC company specializing in design, build, and retrofit.

Willowbrook (636) 305-3600

Computer Software, Supplies, Services COMPUTER INFORMATION CONCEPTS, INC. Infinite Campus student information System and Finance Suite, and Tableau Data Visualization/Analytics.

Greeley, Colorado (312) 995-3342 EDMENTUM We provide fully digital curriculum and assessment tools for educators to utilize in K-12 classrooms to establish blended and personalized environments and advance student learning.

Bloomington, Minnesota (952) 832-1570 COMMON GOAL SYSTEMS, INC. We offer cloud-based software solutions for student information management, student registration, state reporting, financial management and payroll, parent communication, scheduling, gradebooks, report cards, and more.

Elmhurst (630) 592-4200; www.common-goal.com

Consulting DECISIONINSITE, LLC DecisionInsite provides the nation’s school district leaders with the technology, enrollment forecasts, and expertise they need to understand how enrollment impacts their district.

Irvine, California (877) 204-1392 EOSULLIVAN CONSULTING Illinois-based EOSullivan Consulting has developed a proven process the helps school districts with community engagement, survey research, messaging, informational campaigns and referendums.

Libertyville (815) 353-1991

Environmental Services ALPHA CONTROLS & SERVICES, LLC We deliver energy cost justified solutions that make the learning environment comfortable, secure, and efficient.

Rockford, Springfield, Champaign (815) 227-4000; www.alpaacs.com; jasonv@alphaacs.com VEREGY Dedicated to assisting K-12 education meet the challenge of providing healthy, safe, and educational appropriate learning environments.

St. Louis (636) 230-0843; Chicago (773) 633-0691; veregy.com; bsmith@veregy.com ENERGY SYSTEMS GROUP A comprehensive energy services and performance contracting company providing energy, facility and financial solutions.

Itasca (630) 773-7201; smcivor@energysystemsgroup.com GRP MECHANICAL CO., INC. Renovating buildings through energy savings performance contracting to provide the best learning environment.

HVAC, plumbing, windows, doors, and mechanical services.

Bethalto (618) 779-0050 IDEAL ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, INC. Asbestos and environmental services.

Bloomington (309) 828-4259 ILLINOIS ENERGY CONSORTIUM Sells electricity and natural gas to school districts, colleges, and universities.

DeKalb (815) 753-9083; www.ILLec.org; hwallace@iasbo.org

ENGIE SERVICES U.S. Turnkey partnership programs that enable K12 school districts in Illinois to modernize their facilities; increase safety, security and efficiency; reduce operations costs; and maximize the lifespan of critical assets.

Chicago (312) 498-7792; sharon.uslan@engie.com

STIFEL Full service securities firm providing investment banking and advisory services including strategic financial planning; bond underwriting; referendum and legislative assistance.

Edwardsville (800) 230-5151; noblea@stifel.com

RADON DETECTION SPECIALISTS Radon measurements in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as all DCFS licensed spaces. We service the entire state of Illinois.

Westmont (630) 325-4443 or (800) 244-4242

WINTRUST FINANCIAL Financial services holding company engaging in community banking, wealth management, commercial insurance premium financing, and mortgage origination. Rosemont (630) 560-2120

Financial Services BERNARDI SECURITIES, INC. Municipal bond specialty firm; offers a full range of school bond underwriting services, including capital needs financing and debt refinancing.

O’Fallon (618) 206-4180; Peru (815) 587-8972; Chicago (312) 281-2014; jvezzetti@bernardisecurities.com BMO HARRIS BANK BMO Harris Bank’s experienced specialists can help you build a sound strategy to help close budget gaps, manage day-to-day cash flow and maximize your resources.

Chicago (312) 461-7895 EHLERS AND ASSOCIATES School bond issues; referendum help; financial and enrollment studies.

Roseville, Minnesota (312) 638-5250; www.ehlers-inc.com; tolszewski@ehlers-inc.com GORENZ AND ASSOCIATES, LTD. Auditing and financial consulting.

Peoria (309) 685-7621 ICE MILLER, LLP Nationally recognized bond counsel services. Chicago (312) 726-7127

Human Resource Consulting BUSHUE HUMAN RESOURCES, INC. Human resource, safety and risk management, and insurance consulting.

Effingham (217) 342-3042; www.bushuehr.com; steve@bushuehr.com

Insurance THE SANDNER GROUP Insurance program management, marketing & claims services for workers’ compensation, property & liability.

Chicago (800) 654-9504

Office Equipment EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS BY FRANK COONEY COMPANY, INC. Furniture for educational environments.

Wood Dale (630) 694-8800; www.frankcooney.com; gregory@frankcooney.com

Superintendent Searches ECRA GROUP Superintendent searches, board and superintendent workshops.

Schaumburg (847) 318-0072

KINGS FINANCIAL CONSULTING, INC. Municipal bond financial advisory service including all types of school bonds; school referenda, county school sales tax; tax revenue forecasts/projections.

Monticello (217) 762-4578 SPEER FINANCIAL, INC. Financial planning and bond issue services.

Chicago (312) 346-3700; www.speerfinancial.com; dphillips@speerfinancial.com

July/August 2022 • 29

Milestones

In Memoriam Douglas William Armantrout, 90, died January 9, 2022. He had served on the Glen Ellyn SD 41 Board of Education.

Aileen Bridget Biel, 92, died April 2, 2022. She served four terms on the school board for Antioch CHSD 117.

She was a part-time employee and longtime volunteer for the PM&L Theatre in Antioch.

Jim Bloomberg, 66, died May 19, 2022. He was a past member of the Abingdon CUSD 276 school board, serving 16 years as president.

Jim Bray, 89, died April 5, 2022.

He had served on the Utica Board of Education in LaSalle County.

Jacqueline Carrothers, 83, died April 3, 2022. A teacher for 24 years, she was also a past member of the board of education for Trico CUSD 176.

Wayne Carter, 79, died May 77, 2022. He had served on the Sandoval CUSD 501 school board.

Marianne E. DeBoer, 58, died April 11, 2022. She served on the board of education for Beach Park CCSD 3 from 2007 to 2015.

Norman Charles Eckstrom, 90, died May 13, 2022. He served on the school board for DeKalb CUSD 428.

Frank C. Esker, 89, died May 5, 2022. He was a past member of the Effingham CUSD 40 school board.

Lois Marian Frels, 92, died May 14, 2022. She was the first woman elected to the Riverdale CUSD 100 Board of Education and was a teacher, counselor, school nurse, and a professor of nursing.

William “Bill” Joseph Gray, 83, died April 4, 2022. He was a past member and president of the school board for Hamilton CCSD 328.

30 • Illinois School Board Journal

Robert Gustav Grulke, 87, died April 26, 2022. He was a past member of the Zion-Benton THSD 126 Board of Education.

Roy Alvin Haney, 86, died April 12, 2022. He was a member of the school board for Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampico CUSD 3.

Kenneth Leroy “Ken” Hill, 91, died May 30, 2022. He served on the school board for Dixon Unit SD 170.

Phil B. Jones, 86, died April 21, 2022. He was a past member of the school board for Nashville CCSD 49.

A farmer and writer, he was a writer and editor for Successful Farming Magazine.

Walter A. Kinder Jr., 84, died April 28, 2022. He was a past member of the Brussels CUSD 42 Board of Education.

Robert L. Lalande, 86, died March 8, 2022. He served on the school board for Payson CUSD 1.

Charles A. Litteken, 75, died May 20, 2022. He was on the board of education for the Aviston school district in Clinton County.

Lyle E. Lohse, 88, died April 11, 2022. He served on the Silvis SD 34 Board of Education and served as mayor of Silvis from 1997 to 2009.

Norman Madison, 90, died May 9, 2022. He was a member of the boards of education for the Mazon school district and then Mazon-Verona-Kinsman ESD 2C. Paul E. Marshall, 72, died March 28, 2022. He was a member of the school board for Serena CUSD 2.

Edward Roland May, 92, died May 8, 2022. He served for over 30 years on the Warren THSD 121 Board of Education. A doctor, he volunteered his services for Warren athletics for 50 years.

Donald LaVern McVey, 91, died March 25, 2022. He was a past member of the school board for Roxana CUSD 1.

Dorothy L. Millar, 97, died April 20, 2022. She was a member of the board of education for Hawthorn SD 73.

Gerald S. Milton, 91, died April 5, 2022. He served on the Heyworth CUSD 4 Board of Education, including time as president.

Brian Anthony Naretto, 66, died April 2, 2022. He was a member of the Tri-Point CUSD 6J Board of Education.

Lelan Paul Nash, 78, died April 17, 2022. He served on the school board for Martinsville CUSD 3C. Cecelia A. O’Brien, 61, died May 12, 2022. She was a past member of the school board serving Moline-Coal Valley SD 40.

Keith Ferdinand Roesslein, 89, died April 28, 2022. He was a past member and president of the Alden-Hebron SD 19 Board of Education.

Donald L. Ruggles, 80, died April 9, 2022. He was a past member of the Moline-Coal Valley SD 40 school board.

Anne Louise Sandvik, 70, died May 4, 2022. She served on the school board for Eureka CUSD 140.

Michaele “Mike” W. Skowron, 79, died April 7, 2022. She was a past member of the Mt. Prospect SD 57 Board of Education.

Theodore “Pidge” Smith, 77, died May 25, 2022. He served on the school board for Coal City CUSD 1. continued on page 26

Insights “For the 2020 census, all states were not counted equally well for population numbers used to allocate political representation and federal funding over the next decade, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released Thursday. … found significant net undercount rates in six states [including] Illinois (1.97%)…”

“These 14 states had significant miscounts in the 2020 census,”

by Hansi Lo Wang, National Public Radio, May 19

“In Illinois, the official 2020 census showed the state’s population as 12,812,508. That was a decline of 18,124, or 0.1 percent, from the 2010 census. As a result of the state’s population loss, combined with large gains in some other states, Illinois lost one of its congressional seats, leaving the state with only 17 U.S. House seats.

However, if Illinois really was undercounted by 1.97 percent, as the survey suggests, that would have meant that the population actually grew by more than 257,000, putting it at just over 13 million.”

“Survey data shows 6 states undercounted, 8 overcounted,”

by Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois, May 19

“… This assault in the form of censorship infringes on our children’s civil right to a free and public education, as well as teachers’ autonomy. … [T]his movement to limit the discussion of ideas by restricting access to books and other material in schools is a menace to our democracy. Policymakers, politicians, and local, state, and federal lawmakers must fight against censorship. We urge them to leave the curriculum

decisions to our experts: our educators. Without these actions, our students will be left with a severely limited curriculum and a shrinking pool of educators — both of which hurt their education.”

“Censoring books is bad for students, teachers and democracy,”

by Gina Caneva and Rebecca Woodard, Chicago Sun-Times, April 26

“News consumers also have a responsibility to discern what sources are doing authentic reporting and which are just trying to make your blood boil. ...

The dangers to our democracy ... can be much closer to home and we need to be aware and on guard in protecting our small-town democracy.”

“Editorial: Lies about OPRF,” Editorial Board, Wednesday Journal, Oak Park and River Forest, June 7

July/August 2022 • 31

NON-PROFIT PRST STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS

2921 Baker Drive Springfield, Illinois 62703-5929 Address Service Requested