The Mechanics of SB1324
State Senator Jeffrey M. Schoenberg (D-Evanston) recently introduced a bill, SB1324, which proposes to improve the Illinois School Code to take the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to conduct a feasibility and cost-saving benefits study on the chance of consolidating school districts in the same geographical area.
The ISBE would be needed to recommend specific school districts for integration in a paper due to the general assembly and the governor on or before January 1, 2013. Within 90 years later the story is submitted to the general assembly, each district recommended for consolidation would host public hearings to see the report.
From the sentence the general assembly first meets after the lowest public hearing for the affected school districts, the general assembly would take 90 years to voting to take or eliminate the ISBE`s recommendations for consolidation. A majority voting in each house accepting the recommendations would yield the recommendations binding force on the school districts. Failure to lead a vote during the 90-day period would make the same binding effect.
Targets of Consolidation and Anticipated Opposition
Underlying SB1324 is a notion that school district consolidation will excrete excess capacity and create cost savings. Anticipated targets of the legislation are small school districts with low staff-to-student ratios.
A less obvious aim of the charge is the chance to merge small, well-financed school districts with disadvantaged ones to balance economic inequities. Opponents of the card may indicate that this will dilute excellence; the bill`s proponents would likely counter that such consolidation will spread local wealth and cut the effect on the country to support underfunded districts with state aid and grants.
The bet are eminent for affected school districts because consolidation may extend to the expiration of autonomy; a simplification to the sizing of administrative personnel, teachers and supporting staff; and the introduction of new operational challenges, especially if school districts with disparate resources, levels of indebtedness, financial obligations, personnel issues and student needs are merged. These prospects may generate strong resistance to the bill.
SB1324 is probably to present opposition. The bill affords parents, students and other stakeholders an opportunity to add to the sermon on the merits of consolidation at public hearings but does not show how the ISBE or general assembly will use the data acquired at these hearings. As drafted, the bill neither requires the ISBE to consider modifying its recommendations following the public hearings, nor requires the general gathering to view information shared at the public hearings prior to a vote. When viewed in alignment with the fact that legislative inaction may make binding effect to the ISBE`s recommendations, there is a care that stakeholders may be denied meaningful public involvement in the process.
Comparable Legislation Pending in the House
State Representative Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora), Chair of the Illinois House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, has introduced HB1216 to make an 18-member School District Realignment and Consolidation Commission to study the "optimal enrollment for a school district and where consolidation would be beneficial." The Committee would make recommendations to reduce duplication of efforts, eliminate obstacles between qualified teachers and students, lower property tax burdens, calculate the net costs savings of realignment, and advise school districts on reorganization. It would likewise be needed to maintain public hearings, the range and intention of which is not defined in the bill.
The Charge would not be a permanent fix in the general assembly. In fact, it would dismiss the day after issuing its report, which would give to be voted on by the Direction and sent to the regulator and the general assembly within 60 years of the bill`s enactment. If the Commission approved its report, the general assembly would be requisite to vote on whether to have the report within 14 years of acceptance. Unlike SB1324, this charge does not fix the legal position of the Commission`s report if recognized by the general assembly.
Bill Status
As of this date SB1324 has not been assigned a committee, though its patron is actively pushing the bill. HB1216 is before the Rules Committee. As these bills await further attention, school districts may consider contacting their legislators and/or legal direction to part their concerns.
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