|
"You can't get ahead without a good
education," the governor said. "And you can't get a good education
if you're not learning what you need to know to compete in today's
economy. We can't keep telling ourselves that we shouldn't increase
our standards, simply because it costs more money or requires extra
effort. We can't keep telling ourselves things are good enough -- or
that they'd be good enough if we only had more money. They're not
good enough. Money alone won't make our schools better. We have to
set higher standards. "The
issue of high school reform is being discussed all across the
country. The National Governors Association has made it their focus.
And when you consider that Illinois' high school graduation
requirements are some of the weakest in the nation, improving
graduation standards should be our focus too. Simply put, we are not
preparing our students for college and for the work force the way we
need to.
"For years, the higher education
community in Illinois has been calling for stricter high school
graduation standards. The business community also has called for
higher graduation standards. They know that companies can only do
well in Illinois if the work force is up to the job. The future of
our children -- and the future of our economy -- depends on
improving our schools."
Illinois ranks 11th in the nation,
and the best in the Midwest, in increasing education funding over
the last three years. [See
chart.] In his first
two budgets, Gov. Blagojevich boosted school funding by more than $1
billion, increasing general state aid by 16 percent and funding for
the Chicago Block Grant by 17.7 percent. Increases for early
childhood education have enabled 17,000 more Illinois children to
attend preschool.
The "Higher Standards, Better
Schools" plan unveiled by the governor would provide for an increase
in general state aid by more than $240 per student, add $30 million
more for early childhood education and would fund new high school
curriculum requirements designed to better prepare Illinois students
for higher education and the work force.
Illinois students can currently
graduate from high school with only two years of math, only one year
of science and without taking a single writing-intensive course.
Illinois students can even graduate from high school without taking
algebra. If the Illinois General Assembly approves the governor's
plan, the state will implement a series of reforms critical to
better preparing students for life after high school.
1. Tougher standards, better
trained students
Earlier this year, the American
Diploma Project -- created by Achieve, The Education Trust and the
Thomas B. Fordham Foundation -- found that few of the nation's high
school students actually gain the knowledge and skills they need to
succeed in college and the work force. Nationwide, business leaders
spend billions of dollars each year providing their employees and
students with skills and knowledge they should have attained in high
school. Business leaders look for employees who can write,
communicate effectively, analyze information, conduct research and
solve problems. The quality of Illinois' work force is critical when
it competes with other states for businesses deciding where to
locate.
If students are graduating from
Illinois high schools unprepared for college and the work force,
businesses aren't going to want to locate here. That's why Illinois
must do its part to better position high school graduates for
success. Making sure students are better trained and equipped both
for college and to work in the modern-day economy will help them get
better jobs, and in turn, grow the economy.
To arm students with the skills and
knowledge they need after high school, the governor's "Higher
Standards, Better Schools" plan requires students to take an
additional year of math. Currently, Illinois students are required
to take only two years of math. Math skills are critical in today's
high-tech workplace. The governor's plan requires students to take a
third year of math and requires students to take algebra and
geometry to graduate. Right now, it's possible for a student to
graduate from an Illinois high school without ever taking algebra.
Moreover, Illinois students can currently graduate from high school
with only one year of science. The governor's plan requires students
to take an additional year of science.
Effective writing and communication
skills are also critical to being successful in college and the
workplace, but currently, Illinois students are not required to take
a single writing-intensive class. The governor's plan changes that
by requiring two writing-intensive courses, one being an English
course. It also adds an additional year of English to ensure
students take English in each year of high school. The governor's
plan also puts emphasis on schools offering more foreign language,
arts, music and agriculture education courses.
Just as schools should prepare
students for college, they should also recognize that some students
enter the work force after high school graduation. These students
need to be trained to get good jobs as soon as they finish high
school. As part of his plan, the governor is calling for improving
career and technical education services.
The "Higher Standards, Better
Schools" plan also helps college-bound high school students prepare
better for their work in higher education. The plan calls for
students to take more advanced placement courses. These courses, in
a wide range of subjects, give students exposure to college-level
material, giving them a jump-start on the competition when they
begin college. The plan also expands access to dual credit-dual
enrollment programs at community colleges. Thousands of high school
students are already taking community college courses, but other
high schools and community colleges need to encourage even more
students to participate.
[to top of second column in this article]
 |
In summary, the governor's plan would:
- Require at least two years of
science.
- Require at least three years of
math, including algebra and geometry.
- Require at least two
writing-intensive courses, one being an English course.
- Require English every year of
high school.
- Help schools offer more foreign
languages, arts and music.
- Provide more training
opportunities for vocational students.
- Help schools offer more advanced
placement classes.
- Give more high school students
access to community college courses.
2. Providing additional resources
to schools
The governor's "Higher Standards,
Better Schools" plan provides schools financial resources to train
and hire more teachers and buy more textbooks and materials. In
addition to the $140 million in new funding the governor proposed in
his fiscal 2006 budget, the governor is proposing an additional $300
million in new funding for education by authorizing an increase in
gaming positions at Illinois' existing riverboat casinos. This plan
would increase education funding without asking the hardworking
people of Illinois to shoulder the burden by paying more in sales
taxes or income taxes. The governor also explained that increasing
the number of gaming positions at existing casinos does not bring
gaming to places where it doesn't already exist.
Of the $440 million, $380 million
will be used to increase per-pupil spending by more than $240, $30
million will be used to expand early childhood education, and $30
million will cover the cost of new high school curriculum standards.
[See chart.]
"My approach is simple: Provide more
money, get kids reading as early as possible, and insist on higher
standards," said Gov. Blagojevich. "Money without good teachers is a
waste. Money without standards will be wasted. And standards and
teachers without the resources to run our schools won't work
either."
3. Start learning early
A portion of the new funding will go
toward sending even more children to preschool. Illinois has one of
the best early childhood education systems in the nation. Over the
past two years, Gov. Blagojevich has increased funding for early
childhood education by $30 million, enough funding for more than
17,000 additional children from at-risk communities to attend
preschool. In fiscal 2006, the governor proposed another $30 million
increase for preschool and proposed the first-ever recurring revenue
source for early childhood education. If the legislature approves
the governor's proposal, even more children will be given the
opportunity to go to preschool.
The earlier children begin to learn
and read, the better students they become. In fact, The Chicago
Longitudinal Study found that at-risk children who receive
high-quality early education are more likely to complete high
school, less likely to be arrested as a juvenile for a violent
offense, less likely to be neglected or abused, and less likely to
be placed in special education.
4. Building better learning
environments
The governor's fiscal 2006 budget
includes $550 million in annual funding to build new schools and
renovate existing schools. A survey conducted by the Capital
Development Board found that Illinois schools reported that they
need more than $6 billion in new construction. The state must help
schools eliminate overcrowding and give students and teachers better
environments to learn and teach in. In order to meet these needs and
fund the state's other capital needs, the governor proposed
increasing the cigarette tax by 75 cents to pay the debt service on
a capital program.
5. Allowing teachers and
administrators to focus on the classroom
Finally, the governor believes it's
critical that teachers and principals are afforded the time to focus
on their classrooms. The governor's plan calls for further reducing
the number of cumbersome rules and regulations that consume
teachers' and administrators' time and energy. The governor's new
appointees at the State Board of Education have already begun
reducing the number of burdensome rules and have overseen the
streamlining of the teacher certification process. This process will
continue to help schools stay focused on what matters most --
teaching children.
"This can be done," the governor
said. "And when it's done, our children will take tougher classes
and they'll learn more. They'll start reading at an earlier age.
They'll be better at math. They'll learn more science. They'll write
better. They'll think better. They'll be better prepared for
college, and they'll be better prepared for the workplace. That's
what I believe our schools need. And it's what we're going to fight
for."
[News release from the governor's
office]
Accompanying charts
 |
