Illinois Legislature To Consider Sweeping Educational Reforms

The Illinois General Assembly is poised to consider sweeping and potentially controversial educational reform legislation. Both Houses announced new bipartisan working groups that will address education reform issues over the coming weeks. Proposals by education advocacy groups such as Stand for Children Illinois and Advance Illinois are expected to be at the forefront of the discussions. Those organizations support a number of significant reforms, including considering teacher performance as a factor when granting tenure and when compensating and laying off teachers. Other proposals under consideration are requiring fact-finding as part of the statutory impasse resolution procedure and limiting the right to strike. Union representatives, including those from the Illinois Education Association and Illinois Federation of Teachers, have indicated that they will oppose such proposals.

Kimberly A. Lightford (D) and J. Bradley Burzynski (R) will co-chair the Senate Special Committee on Education Reform, which includes two other members. Linda Chapa LaVia (D) and Roger Eddy (R) will co-chair the House Education Reform Committee, which includes six other members and will hold hearings at 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 16, and 10 a.m. on Friday, December 17, at the Illinois Math and Science Academy Lecture Hall, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, in Aurora.