Big week in Springfield coming up: Friday is the deadline for bills to get out of committee in the House and Senate. On Tuesday the 10th there are two education committee hearings in the House and one in the Senate. There’s a lot of education legislation on the docket, and this is a crucial time to register your opposition and support by filing witness slips.
In addition, two bills that Raise Your Hand Action is pushing need more co-sponsors. Please call your state rep and ask them to sign on as cosponsors to HB5481 and HB5721. If they want more information, you can email them RYH factsheets found here.
HB5481: Class Size Goals Requires districts to report data on class sizes to ISBE as well as sets targets for class sizes for K-12 classrooms. Read more here. Mobile friendly version here.
HB5721: Facilities and School Actions CPS continues to make decisions about opening and closing schools without adhering to a long-term facilities plan or engaging with communities. This bill requires public input and more transparency for capital spending. It reduces the need for school actions through increased supports for under enrolled schools. And it provides additional assistance to students and school communities subjected to school actions. Read more here. Mobile friendly version here.
(Here’s a quick tutorial on filling out a witness slip. Email us if you have questions.)
|
SUPPORT ("PROPONENT") |
OPPOSE ("OPPONENT") |
|
HB5481 (Class Size) |
SB3099 (College Board selling data) |
|
HB5721 (Facilities) |
HB4376 (Use Brightstart for K-12 private school. Subcommittee slip here.) |
|
HB3786 - LSC Empowerment Bill (more info here). Take position Proponent on Amendment HCA2 |
HB4563 (Donations to Friends-of type orgs will also be tax credit.Subcommittee slip here.) |
|
SB3514 (Special education staffing and funding for CPS) |
HB4227 (Non-registered private schools will count for tax scholarship credit program. Subcommittee slip here.) |
|
HB4205 (Behavioral health support for students. Subcommittee slip here.) |
SB3183 (LSC disempowerment bill - Restricts LSC powers for principal renewal) |
|
HB4777 (LSC disempowerment bill - House version) |
Unfortunately, one very important bill, the elected school board bill, can’t be found on any hearing list. After this bill passed both the House and Senate last year after a decade of public advocacy on the matter, it has not gone through what’s called concurrence, and it appears that the House and Senate leadership are about to let it die. There are two versions of this bill now, HB1774 (the old version) and SB3592 (a new version), but neither are moving. Call your state reps and senators to register your point of view about this!