"Charter schools proposal advances"
The Governor's Charter School legislation, S.B. 1716, sponsored by Senator Patrick O'Malley (R-Palos Park), advanced out of the Senate Education Committee on a 6-2-1 vote. It will receive a second reading in the Senate. The Illinois Chamber, with its fellow statewide business groups and the school management alliance, testified in support of the measure.
Statewide labor groups, including both statewide teachers' unions, registered opposition to the legislation, primarily on the basis that all of the personnel mandates embedded throughout the school code (notably collective bargaining, tenure, teacher certification) and curricular mandates would not be required for Charter Schools.
A previous Springfield Scene stated that Charter Schools should have maximum freedom to devise programs that allow their students to demonstrate the highest level of competencies in given topic areas. By reducing the number of state-mandated processes, the school board and the charter applicant can focus programs on performance.
The Illinois Chamber is working with Senator O'Malley and the Governor's office to draft an amendment that clarifies several provisions of the bill. This amendment will be considered by the Education Committee this spring.
Posted on March 3, 1995
URL: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/go/94-2scen.htm