ACTION ALERT: 2 Witness Slips Needed!

April 3, 2018

RYH Action is supporting a few good education bills that have hearings next Tuesday, April 10th, and we’ll be going to Springfield to advocate for them.  Want to help get these bills passed? Fill out a witness slip as a PROPONENT for each of them and make a phone call to ask your state rep to sign on as a co-sponsor of these bills. (Here’s a how-to for filling out a witness slip.)

• Class size goals – HB5481: Did you know that the majority of states have policies limiting class size for general education classrooms, but Illinois isn’t one of them? This bill would require school districts to report detailed data on class size, and it sets goals for class sizes by 2020.  This bill doesn't mandate lowering class size right now, but it would be an important first step in starting the conversation in our state about why children need smaller class sizes. As Illinois moves to implement a new funding system, we hope that it will be easier to implement class size changes.  Submit a witness slip to support here. And call and ask your state rep to sign on as a co-sponsor; find their contact info here.

• Demand that CPS improve long-term facilities planning – HB5721: Chicago Public Schools has failed to create and adhere to a facilities plan, opening and closing schools that aren’t part of their ten-year plan and making decisions behind closed doors. This bill requires better planning with stakeholders, more transparency, alternative use of space within school buildings and more supports for students who are impacted by closings. Sign on to support with proponent witness slip here. Then look up your state rep here and call to ask them to support HB5721 as a sponsor.

You can check out more on our legislative agenda this session here!

Interested in doing some in-person advocacy? Save the date, Wednesday May 9th, for our Springfield Lobby Day!  You can RSVP online.