The Illinois School Board Journal, January/February 2015

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 Vol. 83, No. 1

CYBERBULLYING AND THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BULLYING AND SUICIDE

P L U S : P R I N C I P A L I N T E R N S H I P S • J O I N T A N N U A L C O N F E R E N C E

Start the conversation.

Jim Burgett, in his address to the

second general session of the 2014

Joint Annual Conference, encour-

aged his audience to “Share the ben-

efits of a stronger public education

system. Start the conversation.”

Likewise, in the first general

session, John Draper brought his

audience “crucial conversations”

about public education. He empha-

sized the differences between head-

lines and reality, saying, “Think and

talk about what you believe. Belief

is contagious.”

Not everyone can command an

audience the way the Burgett, Draper

and social entrepreneur Craig Kiel-

burger did during Conference key-

notes. However, everyone can take

part in the public education con-

versation. Call or write a legislator.

Share discussions at a roundtable.

Tweet from a smartphone. These

days, conversations come in dozens

of modes.

Vision 20/20, a partnership of

Illinois leaders in public education,

received its formal introduction at

Conference. Taking the lead in the

conversation will be vital to promot-

ing the program’s four pillars: Highly

Effective Educators, 21st Century

Learning, Shared Accountability, and

Equitable and Adequate Funding.

“We always have been good

about knowing what we were opposed

to in public education, but now we

have a plan that clearly outlines what

we are for,” said Brent Clark, exec-

utive director of the Illinois Asso-

ciation of School Administrators.

“Our motto is ‘Fulfilling the promise

of public education,’ and to do that

we now have to spread the word and

turn this vision into a movement.”

This month’s Journal presents

more conversations worth having.

In “Cyberbullying and the complex

relationship between bullying and

suicide” on page 5 a team of authors

from Indiana examines the relation-

ships and ramifications of bullying in

the digital age. Bridget Roberts-Pitt-

man, Julie M. Slavens, and Bradley V.

Balch offer a look at school response,

especially how students’ access to

technology has led to cyberbullying

and ultimately changed school dis-

cipline policies.

Also in this issue, Jim Herndon,

an instructor in the educational lead-

ership department at Southern Illi-

nois University Edwardsville, relates

conversations about the internship

portion of the Illinois principal prepa-

ration program. In “Principal intern-

ships create exciting opportunities,”

page 14, Herndon shares his enthu-

siasm for the internship model and

its mutual benefits for prospective

principals and hosting schools.

Another conversation that

is definitely worth having — and

indeed, was promised in the previous

issue of The Illinois School Board

Journal — is the second installment

of the administrator salaries series.

Because of data unavailability, that

conversation will have to wait until

March.

Although we live in a digital age,

the Illinois Association of School

Boards has no plans to abandon print

media (or the even more old-fash-

ioned face-to-face discussions).

However, IASB did join another con-

versation over the past few months,

by jumping into social media. The

initial foray into “live-tweeting” from

Conference garnered favorites and

retweets by many, and we hope more

will join for #ILjac15. In the mean-

time, please follow @ILschoolboards

on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

To start a new conversation, add

to one from Conference, or say some-

thing about the promise of public

education in Illinois, please write,

post, call, or otherwise share it with

the Journal. Let’s keep these con-

versations going.

— Theresa Kelly Gegen, Editor

[email protected]

T O P I C S F O R U P C O M I N G I S S U E S

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

ILLINOIS SCHOOL BOARD JOURNAL (ISSN-0019-221X) is published every other month by the Illinois Association of School Boards, 2921 Baker Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703-5929, telephone 217/528-9688. The IASB regional office is located at One Imperial Place, 1 East 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148-6120, telephone 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 $18.00 per year. Foreign (including Canada and Mexico) $21.00 per year.

PUBLICATION POLICYIASB 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.

James Russell, Associate Executive Director

Theresa Kelly Gegen, Editor

Gary Adkins, Contributing Editor

Heath Hendren, Contributing Editor

Dana Heckrodt, Advertising Manager

Kara Kienzler, Design and Production

@ILschoolboards

www.iasb.com

Vol. 83, No. 1

COVER STORY

5 Cyberbullying and the complex relationship between bullying and suicideAccess to technology has opened a new avenue for bullying behaviors, which can have severe consequences for students. While the relationship between bullying and suicide is a complex problem, school leaders have defined responsibilities to combat bullying, and resources to manage the challenge.

By Bridget Roberts-Pittman, Julie M. Slavens and Bradley V. Balch

8 Sidebar: Illinois law requires prevention, response

FEATURE ARTICLES

11 Illinois school board members make the connectionRevisit highlights from the 2014 Joint Annual Conference in Chicago, at which over 10,000 attendees experienced educational and networking opportunities, introduced Vision 20/20, and established resolutions that will guide the Association’s work for the upcoming year.

Photos by Robert Levy

14 Principal internships create exciting opportunitiesThe internship component of the Illinois principal preparation pro-gram offers benefits for mentoring school districts as well as their aspiring-principal protégés.

By Jim Herndon

18 Judicial challenges to educational funding, Part II: Illinois courts tackle equity vs. adequacyThe Illinois Constitution calls for “an efficient system of high quality public education.” Read how Illinois courts have applied and interpreted the education clause.

By Susan Farrell

23 Understanding fund balancesFund balances are not extra money: they are the useful, practical and often neces-sary, difference between a school district’s assets and liabilities.

By the Pennsylvania Association of School Boards Bulletin

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J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5

March/April Common Core conversation; Administrative salaries, Part II

May/June Rural schools face distinct challenges

2 THE ILLINOIS SCHOOL BOARD JOURNAL / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015

P R A C T I C A L P R

S uccessful school districts

measure the impact of pro-

grams and instruction on student

achievement. Similarly important is

measuring the impact of communi-

cation efforts on community connec-

tions. Many measurement tools help

district leaders learn, often in real

time, what stakeholders understand,

or misunderstand, about the message.

Educators also learn what stakehold-

ers expect from schools and the best

avenues to reach community mem-

bers. Data allows leaders to highlight

successes, respond to concerns before

they grow into problems and gain

support for their schools and public

education. Measurement tools include

surveys, instant feedback sources and

social media metrics.

Surveys

Many cost-effective or cost-free

tools allow school districts to learn

about community perspectives on

any specific issue, gain insight into

what the hot topics are, or track gen-

eral culture and climate. In Deerfield

Public Schools District 109, we sur-

vey stakeholders often with a com-

bination of different surveys to get

the data we need to ensure that we

are connected with stakeholders.

SurveyMonkey is an easy and

relatively inexpensive survey tool. A

free option limits length of surveys

and number of responses allowed;

paid subscriptions cost $300–$780

per year. Organizations can add

logos, customize color themes and

create custom URLs to share via

email, websites and social media.

Results appear, in real time, in

an easy-to-analyze, easy-to-share

graphic format that allows districts

to quickly inform the public about

results and actions taken based on

the input. Districts that use Google

Apps for Education can build sur-

veys and collect data free of charge

with Google Forms. The reporting

is less robust than SurveyMonkey,

but with staff skilled in data analysis

and reporting, it’s not difficult to

analyze feedback and share results

publicly.

“Do-it-yourself” tools allow

quick check-ins with stakeholders

on a specific topic or for informal

temperature checks. The results

can inform the content of in-depth,

annual or biennial climate or cul-

ture surveys. When conducted by

professional research organiza-

tions that focus on the education

world, in-depth surveys offer large

databases of results to compare

one district to local, peer district,

or national samples.

Instant feedback sources

Email is the ultimate open door.

Districts should always encourage

community members to contact

administrators with questions, com-

ments and concerns. If administra-

tors notice a trend in topics, they can

develop a Frequently Asked Ques-

tions page on the website to address

common questions. In District 109,

we enhance email communication

with a service called “Let’s Talk!”

which allows community members

to submit questions or comments

online at any time. The “Let’s Talk!”

button appears on our district home-

page and that of every school, and

administrators have the logo on their

email signatures.

The tool sorts topics and assigns

the dialogue to the appropriate leader

to respond. Over time, administra-

tors see the topics the community

is most interested in, allowing us to

guide the content of more in-depth

surveys and to target messages to the

community. It also provides data on

our response time and satisfaction

with responses.

Cathy Kedjidjian

is coordinator of

communications

and community

relations for

Deerfield Public

Schools District

109 and vice

president of

communications

for the Illinois

Chapter of the

National School

Public Relations

Association.

Data can help drive community engagementBy Cathy Kedjidjian

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015 / THE ILLINOIS SCHOOL BOARD JOURNAL 3

PresidentKaren Fisher

Vice PresidentPhil Pritzker

TreasurerDale Hansen

Immediate Past President Carolyne Brooks

IASB is a voluntary association of local boards of education and is not affiliated with any branch of government.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Abe Lincoln Lisa Weitzel

Blackhawk Jackie Mickley

Central Illinois Valley Thomas Neeley

Cook North Barbara Somogyi

Cook South Val Densmore

Cook West Frank Mott

Corn Belt Mark Harms

DuPage Rosemary Swanson

Egyptian John Metzger

Illini Michelle Skinlo

Kaskaskia Linda Eades

Kishwaukee Mary Stith

Lake Joanne Osmond

Northwest Ben Andersen

Shawnee Roger Pfister

Southwestern Rob Luttrell

Starved Rock Simon Kampwerth Jr.

Three Rivers Dale Hansen

Two Rivers David Barton

Wabash Valley Tim Blair

Western Sue McCance

Chicago Board Jesse Ruiz

Service Associates Glen Eriksson

Social media metrics

Communication professionals

love social media not only for its abil-

ity to connect with target audience

members directly and instantly, but

also because Twitter, Facebook and

other social media tools are inher-

ently measurable.

Facebook has built-in, cost-free

analytics. Page administrators see

the growth in page “likes,” post reach

(the number of people who see the

post), and engagement (the num-

ber of people who like, comment or

share any given post). Twitter also

offers analytics, as do social media

dashboards such as HootSuite and

TweetDeck, which allow adminis-

trators to track all social media sites

from one virtual place. Those met-

rics allow communicators to target

the message, down to the words or

phrases that make the most impact,

and schedule the best time to reach

the target audience.

Take risks, take action

A benefit of ongoing measure-

ment of community engagement

and results reporting is that leaders

become comfortable taking risks.

When you are in the habit of seek-

ing feedback, you don’t think about

failure, but rather about striving to

the end goal of success, whatever

the path. By measuring, reporting

and responding, you build trust

with the community so that the

public supports school leaders’

efforts — even if at first they don’t

succeed.

When asking for input, whatev-

er the method, create a clear and

consistent feedback loop. Share

results publicly, develop a plan to

take necessary action based on the

results, and as you put changes in

place, continue to point to the com-

munity input and collaboration that

led to the changes. Don’t ask if you

won’t act.

3

Columns are submitted by members of the

Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association


I N S I G H T S

“For most students, science, math, engineering, and technology (STEM) subjects are not intuitive or easy.

Learning in general — and STEM in particular — requires repeated trial and error, and a student’s lack of confidence

can sometimes stand in her own way. And although teachers and parents may think they are doing otherwise, these

adults inadvertently help kids make up their minds early on that they’re not natural scientists or ‘math people,’ which

leads them to pursue other subjects instead.” — “Too Many Kids Quit Science Because They Don’t Think They’re Smart,” by Alexandra Ossola, The

Atlantic, November 3, 2014.

“I feel that the ball is moving

forward on a solution to fix the edu-

cation funding inequity problems

in Illinois, albeit much too slowly.

We need to make sure that school

districts receive the financial sup-

port they need so all students have

opportunities to achieve at high lev-

els. We need to ensure that a qual-

ity education isn’t determined by a

student’s zip code. And we need to

restore taxpayer’s confidence that

they aren’t being asked to contribute

more money to a funding model that

isn’t working effectively or efficiently.”

— Illinois State Senator Jason Barickman, “It’s time to fix state’s

education funding inequities,” The News-Gazette, Champaign,

December 7, 2014.

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORRoger L. Eddy, Executive DirectorBenjamin S. Schwarm, Deputy Executive Director

Meetings ManagementCarla S. Bolt, Director

Sandy Boston, Assistant Director

Office of General CounselMelinda Selbee, General CounselKimberly Small, Assistant General Counsel

Executive SearchesDonna Johnson, DirectorDoug Blair, ConsultantThomas Leahy, ConsultantDave Love, Consultant

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICESJennifer Feld, Associate Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer

ADVOCACY/ GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSBenjamin S. Schwarm, Deputy Executive DirectorDeanna L. Sullivan, DirectorSusan Hilton, DirectorZach Messersmith, Assistant Director

AdvocacyCynthia Woods, Director

BOARD DEVELOPMENT/TAGDean Langdon, Associate Executive Director

Board DevelopmentSandra Kwasa, Director Nesa Brauer, Consultant Angie Peifer, Consultant

Targeting Achievement through GovernanceSteve Clark, Consultant

COMMUNICATIONS/ PRODUCTION SERVICESJames Russell, Associate Executive DirectorGary W. Adkins, Director/EditorialJennifer Nelson, Director, Information ServicesTheresa Kelly Gegen, Director/ Editorial ServicesHeath Hendren, Assistant Director/ CommunicationsKara Kienzler, Assistant Director/ Production ServicesGerald R. Glaub, Consultant

FIELD SERVICES/POLICY SERVICESCathy A. Talbert, Associate Executive DirectorField ServicesLarry Dirks, DirectorPerry Hill IV, DirectorLaura Martinez, DirectorReatha Owen, DirectorPatrick Rice, DirectorBarbara B. Toney, Director

Policy ServicesAnna Lovern, DirectorNancy Bohl, ConsultantBrian Zumpf, Consultant

IASB OFFICES

2921 Baker Drive Springfield, Illinois 62703-5929 217/528-9688 Fax 217/528-2831

www.iasb.com

One Imperial Place1 East 22nd Street, Suite 20Lombard, Illinois 60148-6120630/629-3776 Fax 630/629-3940

Prioritize education


C O V E R S T O R Y

R ebecca Sedwick, Holly Grogan,

Megan Meier, and Ryan Hal-

ligan are only a few of the names of

teens that have committed suicide

in the last few years. While their sto-

ries reached the attention of national

media, many more young lives are

lost too early. News media frequently

portray a direct link between bul-

lying and suicide, yet the research

indicates that teen suicide is a highly

complex matter, which is why it is

critically important that educators

and leaders working with school-age

children have accurate information.

Only with accurate data can edu-

cators effectively intervene at the

much-needed level of advocacy, poli-

cy, intervention and prevention. The

importance of a safe teaching and

learning environment cannot be

overstated.

Considered an act of aggres-

sion done in order to intentionally

hurt another, bullying has been a

focus of much research in the K-12

environment in the last few decades.

The U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services offers definitions of

bullying and cyberbullying. Bullying

is defined as “unwanted, aggressive

behavior among school-aged chil-

dren, that involves a real or perceived

power imbalance. The behavior is

repeated, or has the potential to be

repeated, over time. Children who are

bullied and those who bully others

may have serious, lasting problems,”

according to the U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services at the

website www.stopbullying.gov. The

department further defines cyberbul-

lying as “bullying that takes place

using electronic technology. Exam-

ples of cyberbullying include mean

text messages or emails, rumors sent

by email or posted on social network-

ing sites, and embarrassing pictures,

videos, websites, or fake profiles.”

Another term found in the lit-

erature is “electronic aggression.”

Electronic aggression has been

defined by the U.S. Centers for Dis-

ease Control and Prevention (CDC)

as “any type of harassment or bul-

lying that occurs through e-mail,

a chat room, instant messaging, a

website (including blogs), or text

messaging.” Technology includes

devices and equipment such as cell

phones, computers and tablets as

well as communication tools includ-

ing social media sites, text messages,

chat and websites. Cyberbullying and

electronic aggression have received

Bridget Roberts-

Pittman is

associate

professor of

counseling at

Indiana State

University. Julie

Slavens is a staff

attorney with

the Indiana

School Boards.

Brad Balch is

professor of

educational

leadership and

dean emeritus of

the Bayh College

of Education at

Indiana State

University.

Cyberbullying and the complex relationshipbetween bullying and suicideBy Bridget Roberts-Pittman, Julie M. Slavens and Bradley V. Balch

©iravgustin/Shutterstock.com


a great deal of attention in scholarly

research and from national media.

Such behavior in all forms can

have serious consequences for young

people, other than on academic suc-

cess. The most severe of these conse-

quences is when young people take

their own lives.

Prevalence rates

Suicide is a complicated picture.

According to the CDC in 2014, sui-

cide ranked third in terms of cause

of death for young people between

the ages of 10 and 24 with the top

three methods of suicide being the

use of firearms (45 percent), suffo-

cation (40 percent) and poisoning (8

percent). In addition, in a study of

ninth- through 12th-graders, 16 per-

cent reportedly had considered sui-

cide, 13 percent had created a suicide

plan, and 8 percent had attempted

suicide in the previous 12 months.

Nearly one in three students

ages from 12 to 18 report some form

of bullying in the school setting while

one in five students report being

cyberbullied through electronic

devices. Contrary to media claims,

prevalence rates of bullying and

cyberbullying have remained essen-

tially unchanged. In other words,

despite multiple repeated interven-

tion efforts, a dramatic decrease in

bullying behaviors in any form has

not been achieved.

In a 2013 study conducted by

the CDC, researchers indicated

that nearly 20 percent of students

in grades 9-12 reported experiencing

bullying. Relative to cyberbullying,

in a study conducted by the Cyber-

bullying Research Center (www.

cyberbullying.us), 24 percent of

middle and high school students

reported being cyberbullied at some

time in their lifetime, with 8 percent

stating it had occurred within the

last 30 days.

Bullying vs. cyberbullying

The suicide of a student at Lou-

isville Male High School in Kentucky

brought to the forefront the role of

social media in the lives of young

people and that educators must

place great importance on social

media. According to an April, 2014

article in Education Week, the Lou-

isville student had posted a suicide

note on YouTube before she commit-

ted suicide. While media and others

may use such terms less discrim-

inatingly, there remain some key

differences between bullying and

cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying does have com-

monalities with traditional bullying

(i.e., use of power, harmful intent);

however, some distinct and import-

ant differences are present. The first

is the concept of power. Power in

cyberspace is not measured by phys-

ical size or family income. Instead,

power lies in the anonymity that is

possible with cyber communication.

If using a false name, a cyberbully

can go undetected. Similarly, cyber

communication can be difficult,

although not impossible, to track

and trace. Further, cyberbullying,

with the use of a computer or cell

phone, can occur anytime. Finally,

cyberbullies are able to reach a wide

audience very quickly.

Causal relationship?

Bullying is a complicated phe-

nomenon and occurs within many

social systems. Suicide is a compli-

cated phenomenon with its own set of

risk factors, protective factors, social

influences and individual differenc-

es. Putting them together suggests

that the relationship between bul-

lying and suicide is also challeng-

ing and complex. While there may

be a relational link, to say that the

relationship is a causal one is not

yet known. Much more research is

needed in this area.

As stated in 2013 by Justin

Patchin from the Cyberbullying

Research Center, “I think it is just

as important to remember that as

inappropriate as it is to assert that

‘bullying causes suicide,’ it is perhaps

equally incorrect to say that ‘bullying

does not cause suicide.’ The frank

truth is that we really don’t know.”

According to www.stopbullying.

gov, four important points exist:

• Bullying may lead to thoughts,

feelings and behaviors that are

risk factors for suicide (i.e., feel-

ings of rejection and exclusion,

behaviors such as isolation and

withdrawal)

• Many teens are victims of bully-

ing; however, the vast majority

of them do not become suicidal.

• Suicide is complex and teens

that commit suicide had many

risk factors

• Some teens are at higher risk for

suicide.

It is important for parents,

educators, administrators, and


Illinois law requires prevention, responseThe definition of bullying in Illinois, according to

Illinois School Code 105 ILCS 5/27-23, includes cyber-

bullying, and means any severe or pervasive physical or

verbal act or conduct, including communications made

in writing or electronically, directed toward a student

or students, that has or can be reasonably predicted to

have the effect of one or more of the following:

1. Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of

harm to the student’s or students’ person or property;

2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the

student’s or students’ physical or mental health;

3. Substantially interfering with the student’s or stu-

dents’ academic performance; or

4. Substantially interfering with the student’s or stu-

dents’ ability to participate in or benefit from the

services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.

The definition includes bullying of students during

school program or activity, while in school/property/

buses/bus stops or at school-sponsored events, or through

transmission of info from school computer and electronic

equipment. Also included is transmission of information

from a computer that is accessed at a non-school-related

location, activity, function or program, or from the use

of technology or an electronic device that is not owned,

leased, or used by the school district or school, if the

bullying causes a substantial disruption to the educa-

tional process or orderly operation of a school. This

applies only when a school administrator or teacher

receives a report that bullying through this means has

occurred; it does not require staff members to monitor

any non-school-related activity, function, or program.

School districts are required to have a bullying pre-

vention and response plan consistent with the Illinois

School Code 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7. Local school boards

must create and maintain a bullying policy, communicate

the policy to students and parents annually and file it

with ISBE every two years.

The policy services department of the Illinois Asso-

ciation of School Boards offers subscribers the subscrip-

tion service PRESS, which includes access to current

policy information, sample policies and procedures

and legal references and footnotes. In August 2014,

the section “Prevention of and Response to Bullying,

Intimidation and Harassment” was updated in response

to the change in Illinois law under Public Act 98-669,

which added 12 requirements for boards to cover in a

bullying prevention policy. For more information, visit

www.iasb.com/policy.

IASB also offers an Online Learning Center course,

“Bullying Prevention: The Board’s Role,” at www.iasb.

com/training/onlinelearning_courses.cfm#BULL.

PRESS has resources regarding suicide as well,

specifically 7:290 Adolescent Suicide Awareness and

Prevention Programs. 105 ILCS 5/3-14.8 requires the

regional superintendents to cover the warning signs of

suicidal behavior in teacher institutes. 105 ILCS 5/10-

22.39, amended by P.A. 96-951, requires that school

guidance counselors, teachers, school social workers,

and other school personnel who work with students in

grades 7-12 be trained to identify the warning signs of

suicidal behavior in adolescents and teens along with

appropriate intervention and referral techniques. P.A.

96-951 added opportunities to earn continuing profes-

sional development credits through participation in or

presenting at an in-service training program on suicide

prevention that is jointly approved by the State Teacher

Certification Board and ISBE.

Other available resources:

The Suicide Resource Center has a public prevention

pilot program titled “It Only Takes One,” available at:

www.itonlytakesone.org

National Suicide Prevention Center resources

are available at: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

GetHelp/WhatIfSomeoneIKnowNeedsHelp.aspx.

Assessing Tips for Suicide Risk is available at: www.

suicidepreventionlifeline.org/App_Files/Media/PDF/

NSPL_WalletCard_AssessingRisk_GREEN.pdf

Sources:Illinois School Code 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7

i-SAFE.org: www.nsba.org/sites/default/files/reports/State_Anti-Bullying_Statutes_table_04_2012.pdf

PRESS Online, IASB policy and procedure information and updating serv



members of communities at large

to remember that while some teens

commit suicide, the great majori-

ty do not. Media have portrayed a

causal relationship in some cases

and the reality is that bullying was

one of many factors that led a teen

to make that decision.

Individual differences refer to

the unique set of traits, talents and

skills each person possesses. Individ-

ual differences can place someone

at a higher or lower risk for commit-

ting suicide. For adults in the lives

of today’s youth, it is most import-

ant to obtain information and use it

in ways that is supportive, helpful

and nurturing. The days are gone

in which “bullying is something to

learn to live with” as if it was a rite of

passage. Many teens do not come for-

ward about their experiences as vic-

tims of bullies, or about their darkest

thoughts, for fear of how it will be

received or if it will be received at

all. Caring and compassionate adults

who demonstrate a plan of action

represent a key part of the interven-

tion efforts.

Legal considerations

Before the current, explosive age

of technology, students who engaged in

bullying behavior at school, on school

grounds or at school activities were

disciplined by school administrators

for violating student misconduct rules.

With the advent of and round-the-clock

access to technology devices, cyber-

bullying increased at a rapid pace.

As a result, some states have passed

laws addressing the ability of school

administrators to discipline students for

bullying and cyberbullying conducted

during non-school hours and off school

property because these behaviors ulti-

mately impact educational functions.

School administrators should

be sure their school’s student disci-

pline or misconduct rules contain

provisions prohibiting such activi-

ty and clearly stating what conduct

will be considered violations. These

rules need to be enforced on a con-

sistent basis and all reports of bully-

ing activity must be taken seriously

and investigated promptly so that

students understand bullying is a

serious offense and will be taken seri-

ously by the school’s administration.

The investigation may not result in a

severe discipline action such as sus-

pension or expulsion, but some action

should be taken against a student who

has engaged in bullying activity.

School administrators in most

states also have statutory or legal

authority to impose alternative dis-

cipline measures that are less severe

than suspension or expulsion but can

be effective in addressing the under-

lying problems causing the bullying,

and in stopping the behavior alto-

gether. These alternative measures

include requiring counseling, rear-

ranging class schedules, assigning

additional work, restricting atten-

dance at or participation in extra-

curricular activities, assigning an

alternative course of study, school

or program, and/or referral to the

juvenile court system.

States that have not passed spe-

cific statutes addressing bullying or

cyberbullying may have other laws

allowing school administrators to

address or discipline students for

such actions. Some states have laws

that allow school administrators

to discipline students for unlawful

activity engaged in by students during

off-school hours and off of school

grounds. The unlawful activity does

not necessarily have to be criminal

activity but may be a civil wrong such

as defamation or harassment.

The unlawful activity of the stu-

dent must have a nexus back to the

school setting, such as the activity cre-

ates a risk of harm to other students,

teachers or staff members while they

are at school, or it cause an interfer-

ence with the educational function of

the school. Under the latter criteria,

there must be an actual interference

and not a perceived or an anticipated

interference in order to discipline the

student under this type of state law.

School officials must also keep

in mind students have free speech

“School officials must also keep in mind students have

free speech rights and they cannot violate such rights

by disciplining a student for engaging in a protected

speech activity.”


rights and they cannot violate such

rights by disciplining a student for

engaging in a protected speech activ-

ity. The vast majority of speech made

in bullying or cyberbullying behav-

ior generally will not be protected

speech. The key issue will, again, be

whether persons are at risk of harm

when at school or the bully’s behavior

causes interference with the educa-

tional function of the school. State

laws should be reviewed to determine

the authority of school administra-

tors in that state to discipline stu-

dents for cyberbullying that takes

place during non-school hours and

off school grounds.

Is disciplining the bully the only

action with which school adminis-

trators should be concerned? The

answer is clearly “No.” School offi-

cials need to keep in mind that all

students are affected by bullying,

including the bully. Many state

laws that prohibit bullying and/

or mandate discipline of students

who engage in bullying also require

schools to provide educational and

preventative programs on bullying to

students, school staff members (not

just classroom teachers) and par-

ents. Implementing these programs

for each of these school communi-

ty groups provides an opportunity

to create a safe environment for

students. Many states and federal

law require safe use of the Internet

curriculum to be taught at all or

most grade levels beginning at the

elementary level. This curriculum

should address issues surrounding

cyberbullying, such as how to recog-

nize it, report it and not engage in it.

School boards should adopt

policies (see sidebar, page 7) to

address not only the student disci-

pline issues surrounding bullying

and cyberbullying, but also the

reporting of such activity especial-

ly when it occurs of f of school

grounds and/or during non-school

hours. While a school may not

always be able to discipline a student

for such action, it can provide coun-

seling and/or intervention programs

to help prevent future activity. Pro-

grams that address the well-being

of the victim, and the bully while at

school can be provided through col-

laboration with other community

resources or through grants. Imple-

menting such programs is another

way for the school district to carry

out its duty of care for students.

ReferencesBullying. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from Stop-bullying.gov at http://www.stopbully-ing.gov/what-is-bullying/definition/index.html.

Cyberbullying. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from Stopbullying.gov at http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyber bullying/index.html

continued on page 10

setting district goals and direction strategic planning values and beliefs/mission/vision/goals clarifying the district’s purpose

Field Services

For more information, contact your IASB field services director today!Springfield - 217/528-9688 Lombard - 630/629-3776

Jan/Feb 2015

Whether you call it Setting District Goals and Direction, strategic planning, or values and beliefs/ mission/vision/goals work, school

boards are responsible for clarifying the district’s purpose.

An IASB Field Services Director brings expertise about the school board’s role in this work.

Setting District

Goals and Direction

Field service ads.indd 6 12/9/2014 9:11:50 AM


References, continued

Cyberbullying Facts. (2014). Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved from http://cyberbullying.us/research/facts/

Education Week. (April 16, 2014). Louisville suicide highlights role of social media in schools’ crisis-response efforts. Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2014/04/louisville_suicide_highlights_ .html?qs=Louisville

Jacobsen, K.E. & Bauman, S. (2007). Bullying in schools: School counselors’ responses to three types of bullying incidents. Professional School Counseling, 11, 1-8.

Hinjuda, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2010). Cyberbullying fact sheet: Identification, prevention, and response. Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.cyberbullying.us/Cyberbullying_Identification_Prevention_Response_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Kowalski, R.M., Giumetti, G.W., Schroeder, A.N., & Lattenner, M.R. (2014). Bullying in the digital age: A critical review and meta-analysis of cyberbullying research among youth. Psychological Bulletin, 140(4), 1073-1137.

Patchin, J.W. (September 28, 2013.) Does bullying “cause” suicide? Retrieved from The Cyberbullying Research Center. http://cyberbullying.us/does-bullying-cause-suicide/

Robers, S., Zhang, J., & Truman, J. (2012). Indicators of school crime and safety: 2011 (NCES 2012-002/NCJ 236021). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

Technology and youth: Protecting your child from electronic aggression. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ea-tipsheet-a.pdf

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance, United States, 2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 13, 2014. Retrieved from The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6304.pdf.

Youth Suicide. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (January 9, 2014). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/youth_suicide.html.

Information for educatorsA large body of information is available relative to bullying and a

growing body relative to cyberbullying and suicide. The following links

are offered as valuable links for school board members and educators.

Bullying and Cyberbullying Resources:

www.bullying.org

www.cyberbullyingstopsnow.com

www.cyberbullying.org

i-SAFE.org: www.nsba.org/sites/default/files/reports/State_

Anti-Bullying_Statutes_table_04_2012.pdf

Bullying and Cyberbullying Programs:

Second Step and Steps to Respect: www.cfchildren.org/

Seattle Public School District: www.seattleschools.org/mod-

ules/cms/pages.phtml?sessionid=&pageid=217021

Resources for Suicide Prevention:

Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools: store.sam-

hsa.gov/product/Preventing-Suicide-A-Toolkit-for-High-

Schools/SMA12-4669

U.S. Surgeon General Call to Action: www.surgeon

general.gov/library/reports/national-strategy-suicide-

prevention/index.html

PRESS Online, IASB policy and procedure information and

updating service, 7:290 Adolescent Suicide Awareness

and Prevention Programs

Information from ISBE:

Illinois: www.isbe.net/recognition/html/bullying_resources.htm


O ver 10,000 attendees “Made the Connec-

tion” at the 2014 Joint Annual Confer-

ence, held Nov. 21-23 in Chicago.

Organized annually by the Illinois Associa-

tion of School Boards, the Illinois Association of

School Administrators, and the Illinois Associa-

tion of School Business Officials, the conference

offers educational and networking opportunities

to public school leaders from across Illinois.

This year’s Conference opened with the

introduction of the Vision 20/20 statewide pub-

lic education initiative, and featured keynote

speakers John Draper, Jim Burgett and Craig

Kielburger.

Professional development is the primary

purpose of the conference, offered through 267

exhibit booths, 104 panel sessions, 31 “carousel”

panels, nine pre-conference workshops, five

school tours, three general sessions, as well as

the IASB Delegate Assembly, bookstore, and

other learning and networking opportunities.

A complete review of the 2014 Joint Annu-

al Conference is available on the IASB website:

www.iasb.com/jac14

All photos by Robert Levy

IASB•IASA•IASBO 82ND JOINT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

John Draper speaks to a full house at the first general session: "America is the sweet spot of balance between creativity and structure."

Chicago welcomed attendees to the 2014 Joint Annual Conference.

Illinois school board members make the connection


The IASB board of directors and friends spent Thursday afternoon before Conference filling backpacks for the students at Chicago Public schools. Participants included Karen Fisher (left), her husband John (right), vice president Phil Pritzker and past president Carolyne Brooks.

Among the points Jim Burgett made during the keynote address of the second general session: “A better educated populace ... Would help solve the state’s problems.”

Phoenix Military Academy of Chicago posted the colors to open the 2014 Joint Annual Conference.

Leaders in public education introducing Vision 20/20 included

IASA’s Brent Clark, IASB’s Roger Eddy, Illinois ASBO’s Michael Jacoby, IPA’s Jason Leahy, SCSDD’s Creg Williams

and Patricia Dal Santo from IARSS.

Conference participants took time to visit the exhibition hall, which featured 267 booths offering school districts information on their products and services — and many trinkets.

IASB Service Associates participated in the popular Bingo program.

IASB Executive Director Roger Eddy addresses the participants in the Chicago Schools Tour.

Illinois Association of School Boards

@ILschoolboards #ILjac14 Participants followed the Joint Annual

Conference on social media, via live-tweeting from the general sessions and the delegate

assembly. Next year, look for #ILjac15.


82nd IASB•IASA•IASBO

Joint Annual ConferenceNovember 21-23, 2014•Chicago

The 2014 IASB Delegate Assembly included representatives from 352 school districts, who voted on 16 resolutions, providing direction to IASB officers and staff.

Included among the 31 topics at Saturday afternoon’s Carousel of Panels was Farmington Central CUSD 265’s conversation about “leading with clarity and purpose” by developing a district vision statement.

Steve Webb, superintendent at Goreville CUSD 1, led the Rural Issues discussion at during Sunday morning’s Coffee and Conversation session.

Ray Lauk, author of Fuel for Learning, was one of 11 writers who met with readers and signed their books in the Conference bookstore.

Social entrepreneur Craig Kielburger brought the concept of minga — a riot for good — to the Joint Annual Conference’s third general session. Kielburger also discussed We Day, a celebration of the power young people have to change the world. Illinois’ first We Day will take place April 30 at Allstate Arena in Rosemont.


F E A T U R E A R T I C L E

C hange is inevitable. In a school

district setting, whether com-

ing from federal or state levels or

locally via school board decision,

change can be difficult to accept.

Often, change leads to opposition

and emotionally involved debate,

because stakeholders “wish it was

like the old days.”

Forgotten in such a statement

is that the world and society are not

stagnant entities. On the contrary,

they are constantly evolving. Because

of this, we must embrace change to

more effectively address the edu-

cational needs of students in this

ever-evolving world.

Effective school leadership is

important in facilitating change in

our schools today. Southern Illinois

University Edwardsville’s principal

preparation program has embraced

change by introducing principal

candidates to valuable leadership

experiences while building leader-

ship capacity in schools. In doing

so, the program has also energized

this faculty supervisor.

Recently, at the age of 64, I found

myself as excited as I had been on

my first day as principal at the high

school from which I graduated.

What in the world could generate

such excitement? Believe it or not,

it was recent education reform in

Illinois regarding administrative

licensure, specifically as it concerned

the internship portion of the state’s

new principal preparation program.

Senate Bill 226, signed into law in

2010 as PA 96-0903, required Illi-

nois institutions to redesign principal

preparation programs. The rede-

sign created new courses, aligned

coursework and internship to new

standards, and modified principal

internships. No longer could an

internship be successfully completed

by merely logging hours of activity,

but only by leading complex, specific

instructional leadership tasks. As

the faculty supervisor for interns,

I wondered:

• Wou ld mentor pr inc ipa l s

embrace the new requirements

James “Jim”

Herndon is an

instructor at

Southern Illinois

University

Edwardsville in

the Educational

Leadership

department,

most recently

concentrating

his work with

program faculty

on development

of the principal

preparation

program

internship.

Principal internships create exciting opportunitiesBy James Herndon

©A

nast

asia

Sonn

e/Sh

utte

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ck.c

om


and accept the added responsi-

bility in supervising principal

interns?

• Would interns and mentors make

the internship requirements

meaningful and sustainable?

I have overcome my temporary

anxiety associated with change.

Through many emails and personal

conversations, I believe I have also

eased the anxiety of mentors and

interns. SIUE began accepting can-

didates into its new principal prepa-

ration program in the fall of 2012,

enrolling candidates in the admis-

sions class for spring of 2013.

As the first group of mentors

and interns completed a semester

of internship, we experienced many

positive outcomes of this change.

It is truly refreshing and exciting

to see the value of the redesigned

internship.

My initial excitement came after

an on-site visit with an intern and her

principal. We reviewed and discussed

internship work accomplished during

the summer. Listening to the intern

describe the experience, I learned

the internship was focused and well-

planned, and possessed significant

depth of thought. Even more exciting

was the discussion with the principal

about how the intern’s work demon-

strated value and could improve the

educational program of the school.

This same type of excitement

and discussion continued throughout

meetings with interns and principal

mentors from small rural schools to

large urban settings. Principals were

quick to volunteer their sense of val-

ue in the internship experience with

perceptions of how the interns’ work

could enhance, change or grow the

school. In many cases, the principal

expressed a gratitude for being able

to have someone develop relevant

data sets. Working together, the team

would analyze and postulate on the

meaning of the data and answer the

question, “What do we do now?”

While interns’ experiences

varied, the value of the experiences

and the potential for positive, future

change is significant. An underlying

theme throughout the discussions is

the hidden value of the internship

experience that is fostering and facil-

itating school-wide improvement.

The SIUE internship field expe-

rience consists of four sections:

Instructional Leadership and Super-

vision, Data Driven Decision-Mak-

ing, Curriculum Leadership, and the

Principalship. The following excerpts

from site visits demonstrate the val-

ue and power of the experience to

educational changes.

In two situat ions, interns

addressed the expectations for Data

Driven School Improvement and

Accountability by creating a school

portfolio, using Victoria Bernhardt’s

School Portfolio Toolkit. In both cas-

es, the portfolio serves as an ongo-

ing tool to focus the thoughts and

energies of all stakeholders toward

understanding “who they are and

what they are all about” with the

ultimate goal of embedding portfolio

elements into “everything they do …

every day they do it.”

In other words, evolving vision

and mission statements for the

school district serve as the foun-

dation for collaborative efforts

aimed at best practices, more effec-

tive instructional processes, and

improved student achievement. In

one intern’s experience, the school

used the portfolio and an analysis of

student test scores to identify gaps

in the district’s special education

curriculum. This led to discussion

15

• Would mentor principals embrace the new

requirements and accept the added responsibility in

supervising principal interns?

• Would interns and mentors make the internship

requirements meaningful and sustainable?

IASB ServIceASSocIAteS

IASB Service Associates provide quality products and services for schools. Membership is by invitation only. A list of Service Associate firms is on the IASB website and in this Journal.

The best ofeverythingfor schools


of various stakeholders regarding

instructional methods and curricu-

lum design in an effort to close that

gap, if not eliminate it.

In addition, an intern was able to

serve as a consultant to elementary

teachers preparing to align curricu-

lum. By creating a matrix designed

to allow a fluid electronic document

being made available to all teachers,

the intern created an opportunity

for on-going and valuable growth in

best practices for the educational

program. The intern was also able

to create a matrix to develop student

schedules specifically focused on

meeting the individual needs of the

students.

Another intern — to meet the

requirements of both Data Driven

School Improvement and Account-

ability and Curriculum Leadership

expectations — had similar results.

This came after identifying gaps

with the school’s current Response

to Intervention (RTI) approach with

an evaluation tool called “Self-As-

sessment of Problem Solv ing

Implementation” (SAPSI) to accu-

mulate data. Once analyzed, that

data led to several recommendations

to the administration, including a

request to dedicate 20-30 minutes

of each regularly scheduled SIP day

with a focus on discussion and col-

laboration regarding RTI. In a second

step, the intern collaborated with

teachers and administration to cre-

ate a master schedule that was more

conducive to implementing inter-

ventions in order to improve student

achievement.

Another intern, by meeting

Curriculum Leadership expecta-

tions, was able to assess the need

for a more uniform and value-laden

curricular approach to an advisory

period designed to provide students

with focused learning opportunities.

The intern and principal conducted

extensive research to find a curric-

ulum that would best meet the stu-

dents’ needs. Then the intern created

a year’s worth of lesson plans and

activities that teachers could use to

develop an optimal experience for

students that was also user-friendly

for teachers.

One intern with an assignment

in a parochial school not only expe-

rienced the valuable opportunity

to work with staff in reviewing and

re-developing curriculum, but as

part of the process that included

best practice, designed tools and

instruments to aid in the process.

Of equal value was the opportuni-

ty to facilitate the process with a

mix of experienced veteran educa-

tors and less-experienced educa-

tors. She experienced dealing with

pushback by several members of the

• IASB facilitates searches for all size districts throughout the state.

• IASB recruits potential candidates from across the country.

• IASB encourages and cultivates potential applicants via:

• Professional Advancement Seminars annually • University Presentations • State and National Conference Presentations

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:2921 Baker Drive One Imperial PlaceSpringfield, IL 62703 1 East 22nd Street, Suite 20217/528-9688, ext. 1217 Lombard, IL 60148 630/629-3776, ext. 1217

Jan-Feb 2015

Did you know?

www.iasb.com/ executive

exec search ads new 2014-15.indd 2 12/9/2014 9:15:23 AM


committee. The intern learned to

approach the process diplomatically,

with the assistance of her principal

mentor, by separating fact from fic-

tion and helping the members under-

stand the value and necessity to them

as well as the students.

The preceding examples, lim-

ited in number, scratch the surface

of what is possible through the new

principal preparation program

internship. In the old program, the

experience was driven by the expec-

tation that student interns collect

a variety of administrative expe-

riences with at least 150 hours of

administrative activities. In some

cases, hours were filled more with

supervision than true instruction-

al leadership. In my experience, a

certain amount of supervision is

an appropriate activity. However,

the new internship program is more

rigorous and focused on demon-

strating competency, rather than

simply experiencing an adminis-

trative task. Furthermore, the new

internship program has a genuine

focus on key areas of administrative

responsibilities, leadership, super-

vision, data-driven improvement

and accountability, and curriculum

development that are part of the prin-

cipalship.

The difference between the old

and new internship programs is the

difference between going through the

motions and active engagement in

administrative tasks. Active engage-

ment requires critical thinking and

organized, sequential, well-planned

decision-making. Because there

is value to the mentoring school

district, an opportunity exists for

growth among faculty members,

particularly those showing signs

of developing into a future school

leader. In a very real sense, it is an

opportunity to “grow your own”

school leaders who will understand

the culture, the fabric of the com-

munity, and the values of the school

district – as well as the nuts and bolts

of educational leadership. These

essential elements are often part of

a large learning curve when hiring

outside of the school district.

The excitement expressed is that

of a person with 27 years of adminis-

trative experience during a 40-plus-

year career in education. I appreciate

seeing the tremendous possibilities

for improving student achievement

in Illinois and increasing the lead-

ership capacity of principals as a

result of an extensive (and initially

somewhat uncertain) system-wide

program change. The end product,

the interns or aspiring principals,

have been engaged in valuable,

thoughtful, research and collabo-

rative efforts. These have enhanced

and added value to school districts’

educational programs now have the

potential to become skillful, com-

petent leaders who will lead schools

from practical experience to create

optimal educational experiences for

future students.

At SIUE, the faculty has taken

the time to create an administrative

experience for potential administra-

tors that is focused on giving them

the skills necessary to step into an

administrative position with a strong

foundation necessary to do the job

of being a quality leader. I am pleased

to be a part of this effort.

Contributors

Vicki VanTuyle, assistant

professor in SIUE’s Educational

Leadership department and Ali-

son Reeves, also an assistant and

program chair for the department’s

Educational Administration pro-

gram, contributed to this article.

“... the new internship program has a genuine focus

on key areas of administrative responsibilities,

leadership, supervision, data-driven improvement and

accountability, and curriculum development that are

part of the principalship.”



H istorically, “equity” challeng-

es to education funding have

been an uphill battle. The nature of

the argument is to polarize wealthy

and poor districts, which increases

fear that a decision for equity will

produce winners and losers. While

poorer districts envision funding and

opportunities increasing, wealthier

districts envision losing the same. The

efforts to unite education at a state

level also exacerbate the fear of losing

local control. The inconsistency of

decisions in equity challenges at the

state level helped to move legal chal-

lenges from “equity” to “adequacy.”

All 50 state constitutions include

an educational clause. These claus-

es vary from state to state and range

from very general to very specific

clauses. The first Illinois Constitu-

tion, ratified in 1818, did not include

an education provision. The second

constitution, ratified in 1848, allowed

“school districts,” and other entities,

the power to assess and collect taxes

for corporate purposes; such taxes

were to be to be “uniform in respect to

persons and property within the juris-

diction.” In 1870, education earned

its own article in the third Illinois

constitution, which provided for a

free public education for all Illinois

residents and created a state board

of education. In the current version

adopted in 1970, the education clause

(Article X, Section 1) of the Illinois

Constitution states:

A f undamenta l goa l o f

the People of the State is the

educational development of all

persons to the limits of their

capacities.

The State shall provide an

efficient system of high quality

public educational institutions

and services. Education in public

schools through the secondary lev-

el shall be free. There may be such

other free education as the Gen-

eral Assembly provides by law.

The State has the primary

responsibility for financing the

system of public education.

Under the third Illinois Consti-

tution, in 1877, the state Supreme

Court heard its first case on educa-

tion funding. In a case from Cham-

paign County, David G. Fisher v.

The People of Illinois. A taxpayer

contended that school trustees

were not a competent authority to

levy taxes. The school district had

been created by the township with

the express purpose of building a

schoolhouse and supporting the

school. The taxpayer argued that

levying taxes was another purpose

altogether. The Illinois Supreme

Court decided in favor of the school

district, stating when the power is

given to create a school, it is implied

Editor’s Note:

This article is the second of a two-part series. In the November/December

issue of The Illinois School Board Journal, the author examined the history

of federal legal challenges to school funding issues. That article, available at

www.iasb.com/journal/j111214_04.cfm, concluded with the United States

Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in San Antonio Independent School District

v. Rodriguez effectively closed education equity challenges at the federal

level and moved school financing challenges to the state courts. This article

examines the history of challenges to education funding in Illinois.

Susan Farrell

worked in

school finance in

Illinois between

1992 and

2013, including

13 years at

the Special

Education

District of

McHenry

County. She

recently received

her doctorate

in education

in educational

administration

from Northern

Illinois

University.

Farrell resides in

Stoke-on-Trent,

England.

Judicial challenges to educational funding, Part II:

Illinois courts tackle equity vs. adequacyBy Susan Farrell


that authority is given to execute

the project.

In 1879, the Illinois Supreme

Court heard a LaSalle County case

in which a taxpayer challenged the

county treasurer regarding a school

tax for a high school. In Richard v.

Raymond, the taxpayer claimed

that the statute which authorized

establishing common schools was

in conflict with the constitutional

mandate to provide free schools. The

court noted that a free public high

school was a “common school” and

that no particular course of studies

constituted a common school educa-

tion. The court upheld the tax levy

and the collection of the tax.

By 1899, schools in Chicago

were struggling with a lack of fund-

ing. The Chicago Teachers Federa-

tion researched the issue and found

property assessment abuse at a cor-

porate level. After a proceeding was

begun against the assessment board,

the board attempted to adopt new

rules that would result in corpora-

tions being given lighter assessments.

A decision in favor of the Federation

was determined, and the corpora-

tions were reassessed at higher val-

ues. The resulting taxes were taken

to court and went to the federal level

in The Chicago Union Traction Co.

v. The State Board of Equalization.

The court found in favor the State

Board of Equalization, affirming the

higher assessment values.

In 1968, the McInnis v. Shapiro

equity claim in Illinois stated that

a funding system based on proper-

ty tax was in violation of the 14th

Amendment equal protection and

due process clause. The plaintiffs’

claim was that the variations in

per capita spending had deprived

students of a good education. In

addition, the plaintiffs wanted edu-

cational funds distributed based on

educational need. However, the court

dismissed the case because the 14th

Amendment did not require equal

per-pupil expenditure. It also noted

that the variations did not result in

“invidious discrimination.” A specific

concern stood out in the court’s deci-

sion as a focus for future litigation:

the court held that there were no

“judicially manageable standards”

to determine educational needs and,

ultimately, educational funding.

In Blase v Illinois, a 1973 case

heard by the Illinois Supreme Court,

the plaintiffs claimed that the state

of Illinois had primary responsibility

for financing the public education

system based on the education clause

of the Illinois Constitution. The chal-

lenge further claimed that the state

was required to provide for not less

than 50 percent of the funds needed

to operate the public elementary and

secondary institutions. After review-

ing the history of the constitutional

convention, the court affirmed the

lower court’s dismissal, holding that

the disputed provision was intended

to express a goal or objective, not to

state a specific command.

In 1995, an adequacy case, The

Committee for Educational Rights v.

Edgar challenged the legality of the

Illinois financing system based on

the inequity between district financ-

es in Illinois. The plaintiffs argued

that Illinois had failed to provide an

“efficient system.” It was also argued

that districts with little wealth could

not provide a “high quality” educa-

tion, especially for at-risk students.

The court rejected this claim, relying

on the1968 McInnis decision, and

restated that “efficient system” does

not mean a system that guarantees

parity of funding. The court further

stated, “… questions relating to the

quality of education are solely for the

legislative branch to answer,” and

not one to be resolved in the courts.

In a 1999 case, 11 families

from East St. Louis argued that the

school district had failed to provide

a “minimally adequate education.”

“The challenge further claimed that the state was

required to provide for not less than 50 percent of

the funds needed to operate the public elementary

and secondary institutions. After reviewing the

history of the constitutional convention, the court

affirmed the lower court’s dismissal, holding that

the disputed provision was intended to express a

goal or objective, not to state a specific command.”


In Lewis E. et al, Appellees v. Joseph

A. Spagnolo, the plaintiffs argued

that the buildings in the district

were in “wretched disrepair,” and

that the district had not provided

the basic educational components

such as teachers and textbooks. The

complaint stated that the high drop-

out rate and low test scores proved

that the district was not providing a

high quality education. One notable

point in this case was that the Illi-

nois State Board of Education had

appointed a financial oversight panel

to the district in 1994. This case was

dismissed, with the court restating

that the quality of education is not

a “judicially manageable standard”

and that it belonged in the legislative

arena.

I n 20 0 8 , Chi ca go Urban

League and Quad County Urban

League v. the State of I llinois

and the Illinois State Board of

Education had three basic prem-

ises. Based on the Illinois Civil

Rights Act of 2003, the claim first

alleged that the funding formula

was discriminatory in that it had a

“demonstrable adverse” impact on

African-American students, Latino

students and other minority stu-

dents. The second premise was that

the formula violated the equal pro-

tection clause by failing to provide

an “efficient system of high qual-

ity public educational institution

and services.” There were two new

components to the equal protection

clause. The first was that No Child

Left Behind standards provided a

“judicially manageable standard” to

determine if the state is providing a

“high quality” education. The sec-

ond attacked the “primary respon-

sibility for financing the system”

clause, stating:

“Since 2003 … Illinois has

ranked 49 out of 50 in state con-

tributions to school funding. The

state’s share of the revenue raised

for public schools in Illinois has

decreased steadily, spiraling

downward from a one time high

of 48 percent, over thirty years

ago in 1976.”

Policy Services

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MONITORING – A process that assures board policy is being followed and is having the intended effect.

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policy ads 2014.indd 8 12/9/2014 9:14:15 AM

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NBM 2015 Journal Ad.indd 1 12/9/2014 10:34:42 AM


The third premise was that the

funding formula breached the Unifor-

mity of Taxation provision of the Illi-

nois constitution, “Taxes upon real

property shall be levied uniformly.”

The claim maintained that the edu-

cation clause would be considered a

“non-delegable duty” and therefore

all taxation for education would be

considered state funding, rather than

local funding.

The Illinois court dismissed

plaintiffs’ education adequacy claims

because of the precedent set in The

Committee for Educational Rights

v. Edgar. Plaintiffs are considering

an appeal to the Supreme Court to

ask it to reconsider that precedent.

In March, 2010 the lawsuit Carr

v. Koch, was filed. The suit was based

on the equal protection clause and

alleged that property-poor districts

must levy taxes at a higher rate than

property-wealthy districts in order

to raise the same dollars. This suit

also referenced the general state aid

formula in particular, as well as the

state-directed Illinois Learning Stan-

dards (ILS). The remedy sought was

that the Illinois education financ-

ing system is unconstitutional. The

defendants filed a motion to dismiss

the complaint stating:

[It] must be dismissed for

failure to state a claim under the

equal protection clause based

upon the decision in Edgar. Defen-

dants also argued that the ILS

did not eliminate local control of

schools or the ability to tax prop-

erty at different rates, and that the

funding of public education is a

matter for the legislature, not the

courts, to address.

This case was dismissed by the

appellate court and the decision con-

firmed by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Historically, judicial challenges

to the state’s education financing

system have been unsuccessful in

Illinois, whether addressing the issue

from an adequacy perspective or one

of equity. The Illinois courts have

continued to state that education is

not a judicial issue, but rather a leg-

islative one. With the future of school

funding under ongoing discussion in

the Illinois legislature, it might be

difficult to predict the nature of

future court challenges. However,

the growing reliance on local funding

along with the state’s fiscal problems

would indicate that Illinois can

expect more legal challenges in the

future.

Resource citations

Ill. CONST. of 1970, art. X, § 1 (1970)

David G. Fisher v. The People of Illinois, 84 Ill. 491 (1877)

Richard v. Raymond, 92 Ill. 612 (1879)

The Chicago Union Traction Co. v. The State Board of Equalization, 112 F. 607

McInnis v. Shapiro, 293 F Supp. 327 (1968)

Blase v Illinois, 55 Ill. 2d 94; 302 N.E.2d 46; 1973 Ill. LEXIS 235

The Committee for Educational Rights v. Edgar, 672 N.E.2d 1178 (1996)

Lewis E. et al, Appellees v. Joseph A. Spagnolo, 186 Ill. 2d 198; 710 N.E.2d 798; 1999 Ill. LEXIS 666; 238 Ill. Dec. 1

Chicago Urban League and Quad County Urban League v. the State of Illinois and the Illinois State Board of Education, http://www.schoolfunding.info/news/litigation/ILComplaint.pdf

20 USCS § 6311

Ill. CONST. of 1970, art. 1X, § 4

Carr v. Koch, 963 N.E.2d 244; 2012 Ill. LEXIS 94; 357 Ill. Dec. 291

Sept/Oct 2014Jan/Feb 2015

DIVISION MEETINGS

Mark your calendars now!Visit the IASB website for a complete list of events and locations:

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Attend an IASB division meeting at a location near you! Division meetings provide opportunities for networking, professional development, peer recognition, participation in Association governance and learning about IASB resources.

Field Services

R

Field service ads.indd 5 12/9/2014 9:11:49 AM



T he term “fund balance” can be

a negative trigger, especially

during budget preparation and nego-

tiations. Portrayed in the media as

having “extra money,” school board

members know this is not a true

depiction of this complex part of a

school district budget.

A fund balance is the difference

between assets and liabilities. When

assets are greater than liabilities,

the balance is positive. A fund bal-

ance can include items such as cash

and investments, amounts owed to

the district but not yet received, the

cash value of inventory and operating

surplus, or when revenues exceed

expenditures.

“Just as an individual or family

should maintain a savings account

for unforeseen expenses and emer-

gencies, school districts also should

have funds in reserve to pay for emer-

gency repairs or unexpected inter-

ruptions in revenues, such as a layoff

at a major factory which suddenly

affects tax collection,” said Todd

Hosterman, Pennsylvania Associa-

tion of School Boards acting director

of Research and Evaluation. “Fund

balances also can be used to offset

year-to-year variations in local and

state cash flow, such as a delay in a

subsidy payment from the state. In

addition, fund balances enable dis-

tricts to generate investment income

which, in turn, helps to keep tax

rates lower.”

W hile many may question

how much money should be in a

fund balance, the answer differs

for each school district. A higher

fund balance may be appropriate

in a school district with a weaker

local economy, where the district

relies heavily on state and federal

sources of funding. These sources

can change or be delayed without

notice. Districts carrying a sizable

debt burden also may benefit from

a larger fund balance.

School districts anticipating

a renovation project or other one-

time expense may choose to build a

fund balance over time. This deci-

sion allows the district to essentially

pay itself, rather than borrow money

from a bank and repaying over time

with interest.

There are additional benefits to

maintaining a fund balance, includ-

ing improving the credit rating of

the school district. Credit ratings of

school districts and other public enti-

ties can be directly affected by fund

balance levels. Those with little or

no money in reserve are considered

to be higher risks and their ratings,

along with cost of borrowing, suffer

accordingly.

A fund balance is divided into

four parts – restricted, committed,

assigned and unassigned. A restrict-

ed, committed or assigned fund

balance is earmarked for a special

purpose, such as pre-payments,

This article

appeared in the

February, 2014

issue of the

Pennsylvania

School Board

Association

Bulletin.

Reprinted with

permission and

adapted for

Illinois readers.

Understanding fund balancesBy the Pennsylvania Association of School Boards Bulletin


and inventory or board-established

reserve for items like pension rate

increases. An unassigned fund bal-

ance is available for use.

While there is no right or wrong

answer about how much a school dis-

trict should have in their unreserved

fund balance, three major bond rat-

ing agencies – Moody’s, Standard

& Poor’s, and Fitch – recommend

between five percent and 10 percent

of current period operating expen-

ditures. However, Section 688 of the

Pennsylvania School Code states that

when the unreserved fund balance

exceeds between eight and 12 per-

cent of expenditures, depending on

the size of the budget, the district

must consume any fund balance

in excess of eight percent prior to

increasing taxes. Boards should have

a formal adopted policy in place con-

cerning the fund balance and what

is best for the district, in accordance

with the laws in their state.

If the unreserved fund balance

exceeds the standards set for the dis-

trict, the use of excess funds should

be limited to one-time expendi-

tures and nonrecurring expenses.

An alternative use of excess fund

balance is to transfer the balance

to capital reserve for future build-

ing repairs. Additionally, the excess

funds could be designated for some

specific future use as determined

by the board.

“Because the use of a fund bal-

ance is equal to a one-time revenue,

the expenditure should be a one-time

expenditure,” Hosterman said.

According to the Pennsylvania

Department of Education, unas-

signed fund balance data for Penn-

sylvania public school districts

varied between 2006 and 2012,

ranging from about $1.5 billion to

$1.7 billion. These amounts rep-

resented between 6.2 percent and

7.26 percent of total district expen-

ditures.

“The reason for an increased

number of districts with fund bal-

ances greater than 15 percent is a

combination of trying to prepare

for pension cost increases and also

building … so they are being finan-

cially astute in planning for future

facilities needs,” Hosterman said.

“Many districts have seen large

decreases in their fund balances

due to these increased costs. The

possibility of a district’s fund bal-

ance being depleted by the increase

in expenses is real.”

The Il linois Association of

School Business Officers published

a “Fund Balance White Paper” in

2011. Details can be found at http://

p2p.iasbo.org/resources2/view/

profile/id/14796/vid/1

This ad will run in the Jan-Feb issues of the Journal.

Contact Brian Zumpf at 630/629-3776 ext. 1214, [email protected] for further information.

Policy Services

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An accessible, affordable, and always available online board packet creation service, with digital and/or paper packet viewing.

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policy ads 2014.indd 9 12/9/2014 9:14:16 AM


Miles Allen, 92, died October

20, 2014. He formerly served on the

San Jose school board.

Lee Biesemeier, 68, died Novem-

ber 18, 2014. He was a former Lena-

Winslow CUSD 202 board member.

Wilbur E. Blake, 89, died October

19, 2014. He had served on the Nepon-

set Grade School Board of Education.

Dona ld E. Da i ly, 81, died

November 23, 2014. He had served

on the Summersville School Board

for 14 years.

Earl L. Edmonds, 87, died Novem-

ber 9, 2014. He was a past director of

the Shawnee Division of the Illinois

Association of School Boards (1983-

1991), and served on the Anna District

37 Board of Education for 29 years.

Edmonds was also a member of Anna

Masonic Lodge 520 and past president

of the local Kiwanis.

John Donald Engel, 88, died

November 1, 2014. He was a past

member of the school board of the

McLeansboro high school district.

Geraldine A. Fever, 84, died Octo-

ber 25, 2014. She was the first woman

to serve on the El Paso school board.

John Vernon Fridlund, 90, died

October 17, 2014. A teacher and edu-

cator, he retired in 1980 after serving

as Superintendent of Schools in Mt.

Prospect. He later served as a school

board member in Itasca.

Dale Charles Gerstenecker, 87,

died November 11, 2014. He was a for-

mer member of the Freeburg CHSD

77 Board of Education.

Douglas J. Giaudrone, Sr., 75,

died November 21, 2014. He was a

former member of the school board

for Chaney-Monge SD 88.

Adele Palmer Glenn, 96, died

October 25, 2014. She had previously

served on the Decatur school board

for six years.

Warren G. Hall, 90, died Octo-

ber 11, 2014. He farmed in Moultrie

and Coles counties for 47 years and

served on the Sullivan school board.

Samuel Andrew Hess, 93, died

November 17, 2014. He previously

served as a trustee of the Elk Grove

Township school district.

Stephen Major Hopkins, 70,

died November 27, 2014. He served

for 13 years on the school board for

Rochelle Township High School.

John Hutchings, 82, died Novem-

ber 17, 2014. A former teacher, he had

served as a member of the Aurora

West USD 129 Board of Education.

Robert Earl “Bob” Johnson, 92,

died September 26, 2014. He was a for-

mer East Lynn school board member.

Dr. Philip Newton Jones, 90,

died on September 30, 2014. He was

a past president of the Kenilworth

School Board.

Jerry E. Kember, 77, died


served on the Serena CUSD 2 Board

of Education.

Raymond W. Kienzle, 91, died

November 24, 2014. He was a former

member of the Scales Mound CUSD

211 Board of Education.

Frank Lux Jr., 87, died Septem-

ber 30, 2014. He was a former Bement

School Board member.

Joan Marie Monbrum, 70, died

October 12, 2014. She was a school-

teacher for 33 years with Marissa

School District 40. She was also a past

member of the Marissa school board.

Duane Thomas Morgan, 84,

died October 30, 2014. He was a

member of the Orion school board.

Francis Sharon “Frannie”

Morts, 92, died October 23, 2014.

He had formerly served on the Mil-

ford Area Public School District 124

Board of Education.

Paul K. Povlsen, Jr., 88, died


served as a member and president

of the Sycamore CUSD 427 Board

of Education.

Harold D. Provart, 88, died

November 13, 2014. He was a former

member of the DuQuoin school board.

Barbara J. “Jane” Rohrer, 84,

died November 4, 2014. A former

teacher, she served on the Ches-

ter-East Lincoln CCSD 61 Board of

Education for eight years.

Eugene R. “Gene” Salch, 86,

died October 22, 2014. He was a past

president of the Bloomington SD 87

Board of Education.

Henry L. Schuckenbrock, 78,

died November 17, 2014. He previ-

ously served on the Greenfield CUSD

10 Board of Education for 11 years.

Victor G. Shubert Sr., 98, died


served on the Sparta grade school

and high school boards.

Betty June “B.J.” Vangeison, 81,

died November 12, 2014. She was a

past member and president of the

Pawnee CUSD 11 Board of Education.

A.B. Weddle, 90, died September

30, 2014. He served on the Monticello

High School Board of Education.

B.J. Wolf, 65, died October 29,

2014. A former teacher and principal

in Sterling CUSD 5, he was later the

superintendent of Rock Falls High

School. After retirement he served

as a member of the Sterling CUSD 5

Board of Education.

Dean Richard Zehr, 82, died


served on the school board of the

Pleasant View Grade School.

Milestones continued from page 28


A Directory of your

IASB Service Associates

IASB Service Associates are businesses which offer school‑related products and services and which have earned favorable repu tations for quality and integrity. Only after screening by the Service Associates Executive Committee is a business firm invited by the IASB Board of Directors to become a Service Associate.

Appraisal ServicesINDUSTRIAL APPRAISAL COMPANY — Insurance

appraisals, property control reports. Oakwood Terrace ‑ 630/827‑0280

Architects/EngineersALLIED DESIGN CONSULTANTS, INC. —

Architectural programming, site planning & design, architectural and interior design, and construction administration. Springfield ‑ 217/522‑3355

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; website: www.arconassoc.com; email: [email protected]

BAYSINGER DESIGN GROUP, INC. — Architectural design services. Marion ‑ 618/998‑8015

BERG ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, LTD. — Consulting engineers. Schaumburg ‑ 847/352‑4500; website: www.berg-eng.com

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

BRADLEY & BRADLEY — Architects, engineers and asbestos consultants. Rockford ‑ 815/968‑9631; website: www.bradleyandbradley.net/

CANNON DESIGN — Architects. Chicago ‑ 312/960‑8034; website: www.cannondesign.com; email: [email protected]

CM ENGINEERING, INC. — Specializing in ultra efficient geo-exchange HVAC engineering solu-tions for schools, universities and commercial facil-ities. Columbia, MO ‑ 573/874‑9455; website: www. cmeng.com

CORDOGAN CLARK & ASSOCIATES — Architects and engineers; Aurora ‑ 630/896‑4678; website: www.cordoganclark.com; email: rmont@cordogan clark.com

DESIGN ARCHITECTS, INC. — Architecture, engi-neering, planning and interior design. Hillsboro ‑ 217/532‑3959, East St. Louis ‑ 618/398‑0890, Marion ‑ 618/998‑0075, Springfield ‑ 217/787‑1199; email: [email protected]

DEWBERRY ARCHITECTS INC. — Architects, plan-ners, landscape architecture and engineers. Peoria ‑ 309/282‑8000; Chicago ‑ 312/660‑8800; Elgin ‑ 847/695‑5480; website: www.dewberry.com

DLA ARCHITECTS, LTD. — Architects specializ-ing in preK-12 educational design, including a full range of architectural services; assessments, plan-ning, feasibility studies, new construction, additions, remodeling, O&M and owner’s rep services. Itasca ‑ 847/742‑4063; website: www.dla-ltd.com; email: [email protected]

DLR GROUP — Educational facility design and master planning. Chicago ‑ 312/382‑9980; website: dlrgroup.com; email: [email protected]

ERIKSSON ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES, LTD. — Consulting civil engineers and planners. Grayslake ‑ 847/223‑4804

FANNING/HOWEY ASSOCIATES, INC. — School planning and design with a focus on K-12 schools. Park Ridge ‑ 847/292‑1039

FGM ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS, INC. — Architects. Oak Brook ‑ 630/574‑8300; Peoria ‑ 309/669‑0012; Mt. Vernon ‑ 618/242‑5620; O’Fallon ‑ 618/624‑3364; website: www.fgm-inc.com

GREENASSOCIATES, INC. — Architecture/construc-tion services. Deerfield ‑ 847/317‑0852, Pewaukee, WI ‑ 262/746‑1254; website: www.greenassociates. com; email: [email protected]

HEALY, BENDER & ASSOCIATES, INC. — Archi-tects/Planners. Naperville, 630/904‑4300; website: www.healybender.com; email: [email protected]

HYA EXECUTIVE SEARCH, A DIVISION OF ECRA GROUP, INC. - Superintendent searches, board and superintendent workshops. Rosemont ‑ 847/318‑0072

JH2B ARCHITECTS — Architects. Kankakee ‑ 815/ 933‑5529; website: www.JH2B.com

KLUBER ARCHITECTS + ENGINEERS — Building design professionals specializing in architecture, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and fire protection engineers. Batavia ‑ 630/406‑1213

LEGAT ARCHITECTS, INC. — Architectural and Educational planners who specialize in creating effective student learning environments. Chicago ‑ 312/258‑1555; Oak Brook ‑ 630/990‑3535; Crystal Lake ‑ 815/477‑4545

LARSON & DARBY GROUP — Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design & Technology. Rockford ‑ 815/484‑0739, St. Charles ‑ 630/444‑2112; website: www.larsondarby.com; email: snelson@ larsondarby. com

PCM+D — Provide a full range of architectural ser-vices including facility and feasibility studies, archi-tectural design construction, consulting and related services. East Peoria ‑ 309/694‑5012

PERKINS+WILL — Architects; Chicago ‑ 312/755‑0770

RICHARD L. JOHNSON ASSOCIATES, INC. — Architecture, educational planning. Rockford ‑ 815/398‑1231

RUCKPATE ARCHITECTURE — Architects, engi-neers, interior design. Barrington ‑ 847/381‑2946; website: www.ruckpate.com; email: info@ruck pate.com

SARTI ARCHITECTURAL GROUP, INC. — Architecture, engineering, life safety consulting, interior design and asbestos consultants. Springfield ‑ 217/585‑9111

STR PARTNERS — Architectural, interior design, planning, cost estimating and building enclosure/ roofing consulting. Chicago ‑ 312/464‑1444

TRIA ARCHITECTURE — Full service architectural firm providing planning, design, construction obser-vation and interior design. Burr Ridge ‑ 630/455‑4500

WIGHT & COMPANY — An integrated services firm with solutions for the built environment. Darien ‑ 630/696‑7000; website: www.wightco.com; email: [email protected]

WM. B. ITTNER, INC. — Full service architectural firm serving the educational community since 1899. Fairview Heights ‑ 618/624‑2080

WOLD ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS — Specializing in Pre-K-12 educational design includ-ing master planning, sustainable design, architec-ture, mechanical and electrical engineering, quality review, cost estimation and management. Palatine ‑ 847/241‑6100

WRIGHT & ASSOCIATES, INC. — Architecture and construction management. Metamora ‑ 309/367‑2924

Building Construction CORE CONSTRUCTION — Professional construction

management, design-build and general contracting services. Morton ‑ 309/266‑9768; website: www. COREconstruct.com

FREDERICK QUINN CORPORATION — Construction management and general contracting. Addison ‑ 630/628‑8500; website: www.fquinncorp.com

HOLLAND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INC. — Full service Construction Management and General Contracting firm specializing in education facilities. Swansea ‑ 618/277‑8870

MANGIERI COMPANIES, INC. — Construction man-agement and general contractor capabilities. Peoria ‑ 309/688‑6845

POETTKER CONSTRUCTION — Construction man-agement, design/build and general contracting ser-vices. Hillsboro ‑ 217/532‑2507

S.M. WILSON & CO. — Provides construction man-agement and general construction services to edu-cation, healthcare, commercial, retail and industrial clients. St. Louis, MO ‑ 314/645‑9595

THE GEORGE SOLLITT CONSTRUCTION COMPANY — Full-service construction manage-ment general contractor with a primary focus on educational facilities. Wood Dale ‑ 630/860‑7333; website: www.sollitt.com; email: [email protected]

TRANE — HVAC company specializing in design, build, and retrofit. Willowbrook ‑ 630/734‑6033


Computer SoftwareSOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY, INC. — Administrative

Software. Tremont ‑ 888/776‑3897; website: www.sti-k12.com; email: [email protected]

ConsultingeRATE PROGRAM, LLC — consulting services

assisting districts in processing applications for receiving government funds to cover up to 90% of costs for local, long-distance and cellular phone ser-vice (purchased by the school), internet access and web hosting. St. Louis, MO ‑ 314/282‑3665

SEGAL CONSULTING — A comprehensive array of consulting services including Health & Welfare; Retirement Plan; Claims Audit; Compliance; Communications; Administration & Technology; and Compensation and Bargaining. Chicago ‑ 312/984‑8512

Environmental ServicesALPHA CONTROLS & SERVICES, LLC — Facility

Management Systems, Automatic Temperature Controls, Access Control Systems, Energy Saving Solutions; Sales, Engineering, Installation, Commissioning and Service. Rockford, Springfield, Champaign: toll‑free 866‑ALPHA‑01 (866‑252‑4201); website: www.alphaACS.com; email: info@alphaacs. com

CTS-CONTROL TECHNOLOGY & SOLUTIONS — Performance contracting, facility improvements and energy conservation projects. St. Louis, MO ‑ 636/230‑0843; Chicago ‑ 773/633‑0691; website: www.thectsgroup.com; email: rbennett@thectsgroup. com

DEFRANCO PLUMBING, INC. — Plumbing service work including rodding, sewer camera work, domes-tic water pumps, testing rpz’s, green technology as related to plumbing. Palatine ‑ 847/438‑0808

ENERGY SYSTEMS GROUP — A comprehensive energy services and performance contracting com-pany providing energy, facility and financial solutions. Itasca ‑ 630/773‑7203

GCA SERVICES GROUP — Custodial, janitorial, maintenance, lawn & grounds, and facility operations services. Downers Grove ‑ 630/629‑4044

GRP MECHANICAL CO. INC. — Performance con-tracting, basic and comprehensive building renova-tions with a focus on energy and mechanical mainte-nance services. Bethalto ‑ 618/779‑0050

HONEYWELL, INC. — Controls, maintenance, energy management, performance contracting and security. St. Louis, Mo ‑ 314‑548‑4136; Arlington Heights ‑ 847/391‑3133; email: [email protected]

IDEAL ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, INC. — Asbestos and environmental services. Bloomington ‑ 309/828‑4259

OPTERRA ENERGY SERVICES — Turnkey partner-ship 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. Oakbrook ‑ 312/498‑7792; email: [email protected]

RADON DETECTION SPECIALISTS — Commercial radon surveys. Burr Ridge ‑ 800/244‑4242; website: www.radondetection.net; email: kirstenschmidt@ radonresults.com

Financial ServicesAMERICAN FIDELITY ASSURANCE COMPANY —

Specializing in Section 125 compliance, 403(b) plan administration, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, dependent audits, and health care reform. Fairview Heights ‑ 855/822‑9168

BERNARDI SECURITIES, INC. — Public finance consulting, bond issue services and referendum support. Fairview Heights ‑ 618/206‑4180; Chicago ‑ 312/281‑2014; email: [email protected]

EHLERS & ASSOCIATES — School bond issues; referendum help; financial and enrollment studies. Lisle ‑ 630/271‑3330; website: www.ehlers-inc.com; email: [email protected]

FIRST MIDSTATE, INC. — Bond issue consultants. Bloomington ‑ 309/829‑3311; email: paul@first midstate.com

GORENZ AND ASSOCIATES, LTD. — Auditing and financial consulting. Peoria ‑ 309/685‑7621; web‑site: www.gorenzcpa.com; email: tcustis@gorenz cpa.com

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

MATHIESON, MOYSKI, AUSTIN & CO., LLP — Provides audit, consulting and other related financial services to Illinois school districts, joint agreements and risk pools. Wheaton ‑ 630/653‑1616

SPEER FINANCIAL, INC. — Financial planning and bond issue services. Chicago ‑ 312/346‑3700; website: www.speerfinancial.com; email: dphillips@ speerfinancial.com

STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY, INC. — Full service securities firm providing investment banking and advisory services including strategic financial planning; bond underwriting; and referendum and legislative assistance ‑ Edwardsville ‑ 800/230‑5151; email: [email protected]

WILLIAM BLAIR & COMPANY — Bond issuance, financial advisory services. Chicago ‑ 312/364‑8955; email: [email protected]

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

Human Resource ConsultingBUSHUE HUMAN RESOURCES, INC. — Human

resource, safety and risk management, insurance consulting. Effingham ‑ 217/342‑3042; website: www.bushuehr.com; email: steve@bushuehr. com

InsuranceTHE SANDNER GROUP CLAIMS MANAGEMENT,

INC. — Third party administrator for worker’s comp and insurance claims. Chicago ‑ 800/654‑9504

Superintendent SearchesHAZARD, YOUNG, ATTEA & ASSOCIATES, LTD —

Superintendent searches, board and superintendent workshops. Glenview ‑ 847/724‑8465


Milestones

John George Wargo, 88, died October 25, 2014. He served as executive director of the

Illinois Association of School Administrators from 1969 to 1992. Wargo served in the South

Pacific during WWII. Upon leaving military service, he enrolled at Eastern Illinois University

and received a bachelor’s degree in 1950, a master’s degree in education from the University

of Illinois in 1957, and a doctorate in education from Indiana University in 1967. Wargo had

a long professional career in public education. He was actively involved at the local, state and

national levels, serving as a teacher, principal and superintendent. He was also involved in

higher education, serving on the staff at Western Illinois University, and as a member of the

faculty at the University of Illinois, and serving on the Eastern Illinois University Foundation

Board. Among his honors and awards, he was twice appointed as a U.S. Delegate to the World

Conference on Education, and had received the American Association of School Adminis-

trators Distinguished Service Award and was a recipient of the Eastern Illinois University

Distinguished Alumnus Award.

AchievementsPaul Hertel ,

associate super-

intendent of Des

Plaines CCSD 62,

was recently hon-

ored by the I l l i-

nois State Board of Education with

a Those Who Excel Award in the

administrator category. Hertel had

no district office experience but great

potential when he was asked to join

the district’s senior leadership team

nine years ago as director of human

resources. He exceeded expecta-

tions and was promoted to assistant

superintendent for human resources,

followed three years later by a pro-

motion to associate superintendent.

When Hertel joined District 62, he

faced the challenge of filling a posi-

tion that had been vacant for a con-

siderable period of time, and there

were many processes that needed

to be updated and improved. His

expectations for excellence and his

forward-thinking process for hiring

new staff have resulted in a highly

competent and effective workforce,

according to superintendent Jane

Westerhold.

Victor Zimmerman, superin-

tendent of Monti-

cello CUSD 25, was

recent ly named

Superintendent of

the Year by the Abe

Lincoln Region of

the Illinois Principals Association.

“It’s a great day to be a Sage” is a state-

ment uttered daily by Zimmerman,

whether he is speaking to a large

group through a phone notification

or answering just one email. It was

also at the bottom of his electronic

response when asked his reaction to

being named Superintendent of the

Year. “It’s nice to be recognized for

our work to make Monticello CUSD

25 a top school district in the state,”

he added. “The joint effort of adminis-

tration, faculty, staff and school board

all working together in coordination

with parents and students is what

makes our district rich in a tradition

of educational excellence.” He was

nominated for the award by two Mon-

ticello elementary school principals.

In memoriam

continued on page 25

A S K T H E S T A F F

Q uestion: What is the Alliance

Leadership Summit?

The Alliance Leadership Sum-

mit, scheduled for February 17-18 in

Springfield, will focus on the future

of public education in Illinois and

revolve around Vision 20/20, the

statewide School Management Alli-

ance’s ambitious and comprehensive

blueprint for public education.

The Summit offers an opportu-

nity for stakeholders to come togeth-

er as a unified team to learn and to

engage legislators at this critical time

in the history of public education.

Districts are invited to send a team to

Springfield for the Summit. Ideally,

representatives would include the

superintendent, one board mem-

ber, one principal, and one busi-

ness official, but any combination

is welcome.

Vision 20/20 organizers will

of fer an engaging presentation

regarding the four pillars of Vision

20/20: Highly Effective Educators,

21st Century Learning, Shared

Accountability, and Equitable and

Adequate Funding.

The Summit will also feature

Joseph Scherer, executive director

of the Superintendents’ National Dia-

logue, presenting “School Leaders:

Strong Minds Creating a Vision.”

A panel of political analysts will

include Bernie Schoenburg, long-

time political columnist for The

State Journal-Register; Jamey

Dunn, executive editor of Illinois

Issues magazine; and Dave McKin-

ney, who spent 19 years covering

politics and state government as

the statehouse bureau chief of the

Chicago Sun-Times.

The executive directors of the

Alliance, Brent Clark (IASA), Roger

Eddy (IASB), Michael Jacoby (Illi-

nois ASBO), and Jason Leahy (IPA),

will participate in a panel discussion

regarding hot topics such as Senate

Bill 16, the education budget, pen-

sion reform and the cost shift.

Time is set aside for legislative

visits to the Capitol and the Alliance

will host a legislative reception the

evening of February 17.

School leaders are encouraged

to work with their superintendents to

assemble a district leadership team

and register for the summit, which

will take place Tuesday, February

17 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and

Wednesday, February 18 from 7:30

to 10:30 a.m. (meetings) and 10:30

a.m. to 4 p.m. (legislative visits).

Reg i s t rat ion i s cur rent ly

open on the I ASA website at

www.iasaedu.org/iasaedu and

should take place through the

district superintendent.

Dean Langdon,

IASB associate

executive

director

for Board

Development/

TAG, answers

the question for

in this issue of

the Journal.

Leadership Summit to focus on future of public educationBy Dean Langdon

A jointly sponsored event designed for district leadership teams: the SUPERINTENDENT, a SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, a BUSINESS

OFFICIAL and a BUILDING PRINCIPAL

February 17-18, 2015

Leading our schools in our communities

Hear from educational experts and political analystsDiscuss educational leadership issues

Engage in the legislative process

Join us in Springfield next February for the ALLIANCE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

SUPERINTENDENTS, ASSEMBLE YOUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TEAM AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

F E B R U A R Y 17-18 , 2 0 15

Alliance Leadership Summit 2015 PC.indd 1 12/9/2014 4:16:30 PM

NON-PROFIT PRST STANDARD

US POSTAGE PAIDILLINOIS

ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS

2921 Baker DriveSpringfield, Illinois 62703-5929

Address Service Requested

www.iasb.com

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Exploring School District Reorganization in Illinois:

Navigating Your Options

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Regular Price: $24.00IASB Member Price: $22.00

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misc internal ads.indd 1 12/9/2014 9:19:13 AM

The Illinois School Board Journal, January/February 2015

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Transcript of The Illinois School Board Journal, January/February 2015