Illinois School Board Journal, November/December 2021

Front Page

IIt will come as no surprise to the public education community that there is a teacher shortage. It’s ongoing, and the Journal’s coverage of it continues with this issue.

But, as 2021 draws to a close, that’s not all. Every day seems to present a new “shortage” challenge to school districts. The only thing there isn’t a shortage of is new challenges for school board members and the communities they serve.

Beyond the educator shortage, other positions are going unfilled in Illinois school districts. Notable is the shortage of bus drivers, a situation that has impacted many districts in Illinois and nationwide. Many schools had challenges hiring enough bus drivers before the coronavirus pandemic. It’s worse now, because pandemic-related concerns “drove” many into retirement. Plus, typically fewer students are allowed on the bus due to distancing rules. Many routes have been canceled, and some students have been stranded for hours.

In SD 308 in Oswego, junior high and high school students were in remote learning due to bus driver shortages. In Decatur SD 61, some routes have not run at all, and parents who can are driving their kids to school,

others resort to remote learning. Chicago Public Schools worked with ride-share companies and created carpools where none existed. Rural districts, with far fewer public options, stagger start times and juggle overflow during drop-off to get kids safely into the buildings.

School districts also face a shortage of substitute teachers, school nurses, support personnel, classroom aides, food service staff, and custodial employees. Not all the shortages are labor. School food service providers and cafeterias face supply-chain issues, as do facility operations and maintenance. Galesburg CUSD 205 high school students started the year in remote learning, not because of a COVID-19 outbreak but because of work and supply shortages that extended the construction time for the new high school. Effingham-area and Bloomington-area school districts (and others) report food service changes and a reduction in menu options due to supply issues. Some of these shortages can be explained by the coronavirus pandemic. Some workers are reluctant to return to work, as the delta variant confounds efforts to mitigate it. Others face a different challenge: potential employees

don’t want to work with mask, testing, or vaccine mandates. Substitutes are scarce anyway, and are in demand when people are advised to stay home due to symptoms, be they COVID or allergies.

These very real daily challenges continue, even as the long-term educator shortage is ongoing. As mentioned, the current and potential shortage of educators has become a mainstay of the public education discourse. In this issue, we present commentary from experts in the field, who have written on this topic for the Journal before. Many thanks to them for continuing to share thoughts on this important topic. The Journal also offers insight into trends in collective bargaining and changes in Illinois law relating to Erin’s Law for combating sexual abuse.

There is no shortage of challenges facing members of boards of education in Illinois. It’s hard, and it takes time. We understand that the work goes on, and hope you know that IASB supports you in it. Let us know if we can help.

Theresa Kelly Gegen is Editor of the Illinois School Board Journal and can be reached at tgegen@iasb.com.

COVER STORIES

13 Educator Shortage in 2021: Response and Recommendations

By Jim Rosborg

Efforts at all levels are underway to solve the ongoing administrative and teacher shortage in Illinois.

18 Illinois Teacher Shortage Crisis: Quick Fixes and Long-Range Solutions

By Hans A. Andrews and William A. Marzano

Can our present system prepare enough new educators to overcome Illinois teacher shortages? Are senior fouryear colleges and universities able to close this gap?

FEATURE ARTICLES

9 Combating Child Sexual Abuse: Changes to Erin’s Law are on the Way

By Maureen A. Lemon

Illinois’ Erin’s Law will require updates to school district policies on curriculum, training, educational information; resources for students affected by sexual abuse; and emotional and educational support.

26 Bargaining for Innovation

By Robert Bruno, Jill Gigstad, and Frank Manzo IV

An analysis of Illinois collective bargaining agreements provides an understanding of the state’s large and dynamic public education system.

REGULAR FEATURES

2 Front Page

4 Leadership Letter The Word of the Day

5 From the Field A Board Team Built on the Pillars of Trust

33 Practical PR Navigating Communications as a Board Member

38 Milestones

39 Insights

Kara Kienzler, Associate Executive Director

Theresa Kelly Gegen, Editor

Britni Beck, Advertising Manager

Jennifer Nelson, Copy Editor

Katie Grant, Design and Production

Jeff Armbruster, Typesetting

ILLINOIS SCHOOL BOARD JOUNAL (ISSN-0019-221X) is published every other month by the Illinois Association of School Boards, 2921 Baker Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703-5929 (217) 5289688. The IASB regional office is located at One Imperial Place, 1 East 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148-6120 (630) 629-3776.

The JOURNAL is supported by the dues of school boards holding active membership in the Illinois Association of School Boards. Copies are mailed to all school board members and the superintendent in each IASB member school district.

Non-member subscription rate: Domestic $18 per year. Foreign (including Canada and Mexico) $21 per year.

Publication Policy

IASB believes that the domestic process functions best through frank and open discussion. Material published in the JOURNAL, therefore, often presents divergent and controversial points of view which do not necessarily represent the views or policies of IASB.

Copyright © 2021 by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the JOURNAL is published six times a year and is distributed to its members and subscribers. Copyright in this publication, including all articles and editorial information contained in it is exclusively owned by IASB, and IASB reserves all rights to such information. IASB is a tax-exempt corporation organized in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Word of the Day

By Thomas E. Bertrand

WWhat has been the most overused word during the global pandemic? Is it “unprecedented”? Is it “pivot”? You can fill in the blank with your favorite overused word.

The word that I have been thinking about a lot the past several months is conflict. Many of us are experiencing what author Amanda Ripley refers to as “high conflict.” In her book, High Conflict, Ripley provides some historical context for the type of conflict that we are experiencing in our country today.

Ripley recounts the decade-long conflict between the Hatfields and McCoys — a feud that followed an incident involving the theft of a pig in 1878 in West Virginia — to draw a parallel to the destructive conflict we see playing out today across our state and country.

Conflict can be healthy when it helps us understand each other and allows us to work toward a solution to a problem. Conflict is also healthy when those involved in it remain open to the reality that none of us has all the answers and that we are all connected.

High conflict is what happens when conflict becomes a struggle between “good and evil,” or “us” versus “them.”

The parties involved in high conflict are convinced they are right

and often believe they are justified in their actions or behavior. Each encounter with the opposition involved in high conflict can grow more emotionally charged. People caught up in high conflict do not think of themselves as full of hate. They believe they are right.

I know that high conflict is now playing out at school board meetings across the country, leading some school leaders to question whether it’s all worth it. I know that it feels like we have been mired in this quicksand forever.

But we will get through this.

It is important to remember that in most cases, there is an “exhausted majority” made up of most of the people you serve. They may not attend your school board meetings, because they are leading their lives and juggling the challenges of work and home that have been exacerbated during this pandemic. They are worried about their children’s health. They are exhausted from the seemingly endless media coverage of the pandemic and the conflicts that have resulted from it. They are saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and behavior that are sometimes on full display at school board meetings.

That the exhausted majority is often detached from your board

work creates an opening for those who relish high conflict to have outsized influence or attention at school board meetings. And they seem to always show up.

Remember that, while it may not always feel like it, many of those people showing up at your board meetings and posting on social media don’t represent the majority — the silent majority — that elected you because they trusted you to lead. The silent majority understands that school leaders face agonizing decisions that are influenced by circumstances beyond the control of local boards of education.

It’s also important to remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself. Disconnect when you can. Turn off your social media channels. Breathe. You will get through this.

Your Association is here for you. As we have done throughout the pandemic we will continue to share your experiences and challenges with our elected leaders. We will continue to support your important work, service, and leadership on behalf of the nearly 2 million children attending Illinois’ public schools. 

Thomas E. Bertrand, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Illinois Association of School Boards.

A Board Team Built on the Pillars of Trust

By Lori Grant

WWe have a crisis of trust in our country. This breach of confidence has filtered to the local level, and school leaders report witnessing behaviors most have not seen in their lifetime. Now more than ever, building trust between school boards, school leaders, staff, and the community is crucial for growing lasting, high functioning working relationships. In school districts, it starts with the board of education.

Most people do not see trust as a competency to develop and practice. Thankfully, David Horsager, author of the book, The Trust Edge, did years of research to discover the leadership qualities of the most trusted companies and organizations in the world, and developed strategies to help teams build these qualities. Horsager’s research led to the development of the “Eight Pillars of Trust: Clarity, Compassion, Character, Competency, Contribution, Connection, Commitment, and Consistency.” Your board may already be strong in several of these pillars, but if just one pillar is shaky, trust may be wavering for even the highest functioning teams.

Building trust of the board must start by building trust

within the board. When applied, intentional focus on the eight pillars can quickly move a board from good to great, and from dysfunctional to productive, efficient, effective, and trusted. Let’s apply the pillars to board work.

CLARITY: People trust the clear and distrust the ambiguous. Clarity comes in two forms – communication clarity and strategic clarity.

Communication clarity: Start with your board and superintendent team of eight. Does every member on the team have shared meaning around their roles and responsibilities and on

the work of the board (the ends) vs. the work of the superintendent (the means)? High-functioning school boards have crystal-clear communication expectations and agreed-upon protocols for doing the work during meetings and between meetings.

Strategic clarity: Does your team have shared meaning around your mission, vision, policies, goals, and expectations for the district? Do the superintendent’s goals align with district goals? Strategic clarity is essential, and aligning goals and expectations from the board to

the superintendent, then to every level in the district, not only elevates productivity, it builds trust.

COMPASSION: People put faith in those who think beyond themselves. Do you recall the last time you thanked one of your colleagues for a great idea they shared, extra effort they put forth, or simply their time? Gratitude is a magnetic human trait. Showing appreciation for those around you is compassionate and builds trust. Take a moment to write a thank-you note or two. Showing compassion also means never disparaging a colleague, at the board table or away from it, publicly or privately. Gossip is destructive. Always remember that you are one of a team of eight. Your words and actions impact the team, which leads us to the next pillar, character.

CHARACTER: People notice those who do what is right over what is easy. How many times has your board had to make extremely difficult decisions? Though some may not agree with these decisions, your dedication to doing what is right over what is easy is a show of strong character. The two key elements of character — integrity and morality — must be present to build and maintain this pillar. People trust honesty. Hold each other accountable to integrity and to doing your best work. Stay true to what you know is right as a team.

COMPETENCY: People have confidence in those who stay fresh, relevant, and capable. You can have extraordinary clarity, compassion, and character, but if you are not able to articulate and have a true understanding of your governing role, trust is eroded. Individually, where do you need to gain a better understanding? Is it district finance? Your district policies? Perhaps you need a better understanding of hot topics in your community like new state standards or Critical Race Theory. There are endless opportunities to improve your input over short periods of time: reading an article, listening to podcasts during your commute, webinars, or simply asking for feedback will fill your bucket of knowledge to help you stay fresh and relevant.

COMMITMENT: People believe in those who stand through adversity. This pillar is often a school board’s strongest. It’s the most incredible to

me, especially through the past eighteen months. Despite the extreme challenges and public discourse faced, board members and school leaders keep showing up, month after month, to do this important work. Continue to make a commitment to good governance, to maintain your high-level, “out of the weeds” role as a board member and support of your one employee, the superintendent. Commit to engaging and hearing all voices of your community. Commit to supporting your board colleagues as they learn and grow. Commit to holding yourself and your colleagues accountable to doing your best work. Your commitment is building trust.

CONNECTION: People want to follow and be around friends. When I talk about connection, I often refer to my mother, a registered nurse for 40 years. I witnessed my mom, now long retired, give me a real lesson in asking open-ended questions during her recent hospital stay. As she was being checked into her room, she began asking the nurse’s aide a series of questions…”What inspired you to go into nursing? Where are you from? Tell me about your schooling…” In five minutes my 84-year-old mom knew more about this unsuspecting 20-yearold than I imagined possible. In turn, the aide responded with all kinds of non-medical questions for mom. The connection was instant, and you’d never know that 64 years separated these fast friends. The quickest way to build connection is asking good,

curious questions. How well do you know your board colleagues? Have you been intentional about reaching out and learning more about your newest board members? Consider sitting down with one member at a time over a cup of

members volunteer for this act of service because they want to make a difference and contribute to the greater good. By nature, board members are doers and givers, and appreciate bringing their experience and passion to the

Which pillar is the strongest for you personally? How about your board team? Which pillar do you believe is the greatest opportunity for growth...

coffee. Listen to understand, not to respond. Board work is complicated. Though you may not always agree, gaining a better understanding of your teammates and building connections can bridge the gaps between you. Connection builds trust.

CONTRIBUTION: People respond immediately to results. The vast majority of school board

school community. The struggle and frustration that many discover once seated at the table, however, is being able to contribute in meaningful ways while maintaining their high level governance role, so the following will hopefully be affirming for you and cannot be overstated: By learning your governance role, coming prepared to meetings, reading board packets

and asking your questions in advance, by listening to your community, respectfully engaging in discussion at the table and sharing your opinion, and by placing your vote, you are contributing to the work of the board.

CONSISTENCY: People love to see the little things done consistently. What you do consistently, good or bad, is what others trust you will do.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

— Aristotle

If you are consistently late to events, people trust that you will always be late. Of course, the opposite is also true. Every pillar discussed here is crucial, however it is practicing them consistently, again and again, that builds (or rebuilds) trust. Are you the same every time? Do you and the board team consistently speak with integrity, no matter what? Do you consistently welcome clarifying questions to ensure all have shared meaning around an issue? Trust is earned through actions, done consistently. Which pillar is the strongest for you personally? How about your board team? Which pillar do you believe is the greatest opportunity for growth for you and your team?

It takes time, energy and commitment to build and maintain these pillars. However, the result of that effort is a team built on trust, and is time well spent. 

Lori Grant is the Field Services Director for the South Cook, Three Rivers, and West Cook Divisions, and a Certified Trust Coach.

Combating Child Sexual Abuse: Changes to Erin’s Law are on the Way

By Maureen A. Lemon

TTen years ago, Illinois was the first state to pass Erin’s Law. The law is named after Erin Merryn, a child sexual abuse survivor, activist, and author whose life mission is to combat child sexual abuse.

Erin Merryn grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, where her school taught about “Stranger Danger.” Yet, her abuser wasn’t a stranger. Like 90% of child abuse victims, she knew the person who repeatedly abused her and warned her to keep the abuse a secret.

Merryn has successfully gotten a version of Erin’s Law passed in 37 states. The goal is to help children understand what is inappropriate when it comes to touching and relationships and to give children the resources necessary to report abuse. The Illinois law is found at 105 ILCS 5/10-23.13. It requires Illinois school districts to adopt and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse of children.

Until recently, Illinois’ Erin’s Law encouraged, but did not require, schools to include the following in policy: Age-appropriate curriculum for students in grades

Pre-K through fifth grade; training for school personnel on child sexual abuse; educational information for parents and guardians; available counseling and resources for students affected by sexual abuse; and emotional and educational support for a victim to be successful in school.

Since 2013, the Illinois Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act has required “age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education in grades pre-kindergarten through 12” to be part of each Illinois school district’s comprehensive health education program (105 ILCS 110/3). Similarly, there is a myriad of mandated training for school personnel on such topics as child abuse/child sexual abuse, educator ethics, domestic and sexual violence, and bullying prevention.

Despite these efforts, child sexual abuse continues to be a prevalent concern in our society. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019), about one in four girls and

one in 13 boys experience child sexual abuse, and 91% of child sexual abuse perpetrators are known by the child or the child’s family. Since its inception, many have felt that the Illinois Erin’s Law could be strengthened by providing schools more information about what curricula to use and which organizations to partner with to implement the law. Moreover, in its current format, Erin’s Law applies to students but doesn’t require specific training of adults.

Task Force Recommendations

In August 2019, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation that created the Make Sexual and Severe Physical Abuse Fully Extinct (Make S.A.F.E.) Task Force. Composed of 24 members from a variety of stakeholder groups, the task force was charged with recommending best practices for the prevention of sexual abuse of students in school settings or by school perpetrators, how to best respond to that abuse, and how to provide proper supports to student victims of such abuse.

The Task Force issued a comprehensive report in September 2020, with 21 recommendations in categories including best practice sexual harm prevention, school staff training, and the Criminal Code. As a result, two bills were introduced into the Illinois House of Representatives this past spring: HB 1975 and HB 3461. While both bills passed the House and were sent to the Senate, only HB 3461 made it to Governor Pritzker’s desk, where it became Public Act 102-610 on August 27, 2021. Advocates are continuing to work on HB 1975 and hope to make some progress on it this fall or in the 2022 legislative session.

Public Act 102-610

Public Act 102-610 amends Erin’s Law in several ways. First,

by July 1, 2022, each school district’s child sexual abuse policy shall (rather than “may”) include the components previously encouraged under Erin’s Law. Second, consistent with the Illinois Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act, the age-appropriate curriculum must now be in grades Pre-K through 12 (rather than until fifth grade). Third, Erin’s Law now requires that the curriculum for students, the training for staff, and the educational information made available to parents or guardians provided in the student handbook on the warning signs of child abuse each be “evidence-informed.”

While many educators are familiar with the term

“evidence-based,” they may not be as familiar with “evidence-informed.” Evidence-based practices have been shown to be successful through randomized controlled trials or rigorous testing published in peer-reviewed literature. By contrast, evidence-informed practices are created using components of evidence-based treatments or curricula. The reason for the use of evidence-informed rather than evidence-based in Erin’s Law is that it is challenging and expensive to label a prevention curriculum evidence-based, and researchers are still working to build up studies on prevention. Still, experts believe that implementation of these strengthened aspects of Erin’s Law will provide

students and staff the knowledge and means to “speak up” and stop child sexual abuse.

Policy Requirements

Beginning July 1, 2022, each school policy developed pursuant to Erin’s Law shall, for school personnel, students, and parents, include

• Increased awareness and knowledge of likely warning signs of child abuse;

• Increased awareness and knowledge of grooming behaviors and how to report those behaviors;

• Increased awareness of appropriate relationships between school personnel and students;

• How to prevent child abuse from happening;

• How to report child abuse to law enforcement authorities and to DCFS;

• How to report grooming behaviors;

• Information about children’s advocacy centers and sexual assault crisis centers and how to access the centers serving the school district.

Additionally, the policy will need to include evidence-informed training for school personnel on preventing, recognizing, reporting, and responding to child sexual abuse and grooming behavior. This includes grooming or abuse committed by a member of the school community, with a discussion of the applicable criminal statutes. This specific training must be provided no later than January 31 of each year. Districts are encouraged to

reach out to their local children’s advocacy center or rape crisis center for assistance with this training for school personnel.

‘Grooming’ Defined

An additional change to Erin’s Law is the new requirement that school board policies define prohibited “grooming” behaviors and boundary violations for school personnel and how to report them.

P.A. 102-610 uses the definition of grooming found in the Illinois Criminal Code, 720 ILCS 5/1125. That statute narrowly defines grooming as knowingly using electronic devices or engaging in online activities to (or attempt to) seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a

child under 17 years old to engage in unlawful sexual conduct. Yet, activists recognize that grooming is typically not limited to online behavior. Rather, grooming is a gradual process by which offenders gain the trust of their victims through ignoring natural and appropriate boundaries long before sexual abuse occurs.

Grooming typically starts with seemingly benign or subtle behaviors that can be easily mistaken as simply caring for the student. Driving a student home from school? The student missed their bus and it was raining. Bringing a student food or gifts? The student’s family is impoverished, and the student needed that new pair of

Air Jordans. Meeting with the student before or after school at a local coffee shop? The student needs to be tutored because they are behind in their studies. Because of the difficulty in spotting grooming until a student/school personnel relationship becomes romantic or sexual, experts recommend that schools clarify boundaries and boundary violations.

IASB PRESS Policy Revisions

In its upcoming November PRESS issue, IASB comprehensively addresses Erin’s Law. IASB has prepared a new Exhibit entitled “Expectations and Guidelines for Employee-Student Boundaries.” The document recognizes four

non-exclusive areas of employee-student boundaries: emotional, relationship/power, communication, and physical. The document is not prescriptive but provides a framework within which administrators and employees can have a conversation and customize local expectations given student ages, grade levels, and developmental levels.

In updating its sample policies to comply with Erin’s Law, IASB borrowed heavily from HB 1975. Although that bill failed to become law in the spring legislative session, the bill has been resurrected during the Illinois General Assembly’s Fall 2021 veto session. If passed, it will

provide additional meat to the bones of PA 102-610. For example, HB 1975 offers a robust definition of sexual misconduct that includes but is not limited to a sexual/romantic invitation; dating; meeting privately outside of the employee’s professional role; sexual/romantic dialog; and self-disclosure or physical exposure of a sexual, romantic, or erotic nature. HB 1975 would require schools to develop an employee code of professional conduct policy that incorporates the definition of sexual misconduct; identifies expectations for employee relationships with students; and establishes guidelines for transporting students, taking or possessing a photo or video of a student, and meeting with a student outside of the employee’s professional role.

Conclusion

To comply with PA 102-610, your school district needs to update its Erin’s Law policies and revamp its child sexual abuse curriculum, employee training, and parent information by July 1, 2022. If HB 1975 becomes law, the requirements will become more concrete. If it does not pass, the materials prepared by IASB can be used as a starting point to have necessary local discussions. From these discussions, your district can better combat child sexual abuse within your schools and community. 

Maureen A. Lemon is an attorney with Ottosen DiNolfo Hasenbalg & Castaldo, Ltd. and a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys.

Educator Shortage in 2021: Response and Recommendations

By Jim Rosborg

AA committed group of educators has worked for the past six years to research the changes in the state rules and regulations and their impact on the number of candidates going into education in the state of Illinois.

The group includes the author, along with the Illinois Council of Professors in Education Administration (ICPEA), the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), Centralia High School Superintendent Chuck Lane, and

University of Illinois Clinical Professor Patrick Rice.

For the first three years, we surveyed and received data from a cross-section of universities in the state of Illinois. The past three years, we have worked with Jason Helfer, Emily Fox, and the IT department at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to present data from ISBE Annual Reports along with teacher shortage efforts made by ISBE as reported in their September 2018 report, “Teach

Illinois: Strong Teachers, Strong Classrooms.” Teach Illinois provided ISBE’s policy solutions to alleviate teacher shortages in Illinois. I encourage you to read this and the 2020 ISBE Annual Report which gives data on educators entering the field including full-time teacher equivalents, teacher and administrator licenses, endorsements, and license tests.

The number-one positive effort by ISBE continues to be the decision to eliminate the Test of

Academic Proficiency, known as the TAP Test, in June 2019. Passage rates were between 17-24% for a seven-year period. This move removed a potential barrier and provided more opportunities for college students to enter the field of education. The move by ISBE was a huge step forward and should help the shortage in two to three years (individuals still have to achieve their degree before they can teach). Let us also hope that the pandemic is under control during this same period. We are losing many educators in all fields due to the stress caused by the virus.

Data indicate a decrease in content-area tests in the license areas of edTPA, special education, science, foreign language, history, art, vocational education, school support personnel, bi-lingual education, math and computer science, language proficiency, and administration. As stated at a February 2021 ISBE meeting, early childhood teacher numbers are also a concern. There is a decrease of around 7,500 educator licenses issued by evaluation, entitlement, and type. The data is showing the overall numbers are still declining and more action

needs to be taken to lessen the shortage.

According to ISBE’s unfilled position data, statewide, there are almost 4,500 positions that were not filled for the 2021-22 academic year by licensed teachers in the subjects being taught. To further back up this data, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendent of Schools (IARSS) has been steadfast in surveying school districts the past three years. The 2021 report includes these findings:

• 65% of the responders felt that the teacher shortage is getting worse.

• 23 administrative positions went unfilled.

• 257 classes were canceled because of the lack of teachers.

• 74% of the responders reported a major problem with substitutes.

The natural progression of educator shortage has reached the superintendent level. As we look at superintendent data before the pandemic hit, the research shows fewer people are taking the test to become certified as a superintendent. This follows the general trend of shortages of teachers and principals since 2012. The superintendent

licensure test at the state level was changed from the ILTS 187 to the ILTS 225 when new requirements were established for licensure in 2017. Only 96 educators took the Illinois Superintendent Licensure Test 225 from August 2019 to July 2020. As reported by the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA), there were 73 new superintendents this academic school year. This does not present a positive picture for having competition in the workforce for school district leaders.

Even though the educator shortage problem continues to handcuff school districts throughout the state of Illinois, there have been some other recent success stories over the last year. The Golden Apple Accelerators Program was initiated in FY21. It was developed to assist school districts by recruiting, preparing, and mentoring college seniors and non-educators with bachelor’s degrees looking for a career change. This program will choose individuals who will become lead teachers in special education and PE in year two of the program.

Another positive result came from some of the policy changes

Source: Educator Shortage Survey, February 2021, Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS).

contained in HB 2170, the Education Omnibus Bill passed in the lame-duck session this past January. The high points of the bill that have the potential to help the teacher shortage problem include the removal of state-required GPA entrance requirements that limited alternative program participation, as well as improved educator preparation course articulation and alignment between 2- and 4-year colleges. Now PA 101-0654, HB 2170 was signed by the governor in March 2021.

The Scaling Education Pathways Initiative (SEPI) was started this school year through a collaboration between the Illinois P20 Council, The Joyce Foundation, and the Education Systems Center through Northern Illinois University. This program helps create an educator pathway program to help solve the teacher shortage problem. In this education pathway, while still in high school, students take education courses that can lead to becoming a teacher. The assistance offered through this program includes assisting students through the College and Career Pathway Endorsement process as well. Centralia and Vandalia high schools are two southern Illinois school districts that were recipients of a grant to participate in SEPI.

Another initiative that was reported by Roosevelt University is the effort to transition full-time substitute teachers and paraprofessionals to full-time licensed teachers. The university is also setting up full-time one-year resident student-teacher programs to assist in this process.

Although there is still much work to do, these are some recent

positive examples of the work being done to alleviate the teacher shortage problem across our state.

In my opinion, the teacher shortage, principal shortage, and superintendent shortage crisis is still real and needs to be continually discussed and researched by State Superintendent Carmen Ayala, the board members of ISBE, and the Illinois legislature. I am encouraged by the work of Emily Fox of the ISBE staff as presented at the February 18, 2021 ISBE Board Meeting. What still needs to be done? ISBE has made a great start, but other issues that need to be addressed before we see the numbers increase of those individuals wishing to enter the classroom.

Recommendations

While I am not so naïve to say all ideas below should be implemented, let’s look at a few of the possibilities to explore.

Illinois must lower the retirement age from 67 to at least 62 for Tier 2 and Tier 3 teachers. Teachers in the field before 2011 can retire at the age of 55 (Tier 1). Teachers entering the field after 2011 (Tier 2) and in the future (Tier 3) must work until they are 67. This is too old, especially compared to neighboring states; Missouri allows full retirement as early as 53. Perceived poor pay, limited retirement incentives, working conditions, and teacher blaming continue to be issues. Now that the basic skills test has been eliminated, I feel the retirement rule is now the top impactor on young people leaving Illinois high schools for out-of-state universities in the field of education. Illinois is second only to New

Jersey in the number of high school seniors leaving their home states.

“Grow Your Own” programs offer incentives and opportunities for current high school graduates in the local community to come back and teach in their home district. A “Grow Your Own” plan should also include a pipeline for paraprofessionals to become certified teachers. This is a matter of lessening restrictions that currently force paraprofessionals to quit their jobs to student teach. This program would also help alleviate the serious problem we have filling teacher positions in rural communities and areas of economic distress. This initiative would also make the teaching field more diverse.

Start “Future Teachers of America” clubs in high schools. These programs were popular in the 1960s and worked to raise the interest in education as a career. Consider local and state FTA scholarships.

Offer tuition scholarships to teacher education candidates. In the past, these state scholarships provided individuals such as myself the ability to attend college. Though I had to make a five-year commitment to teach in the state, this scholarship changed my life. I know the Illinois Black Caucus is pushing for minority scholarships. I hope they are successful.

Provide hiring bonuses to high teacher shortage positions i.e. math, science, early childhood, industrial technology (CTE), special education, and English as a second language. Further, rural communities and schools experiencing high poverty should be placed in this consideration.

Lessen restrictions on middle school, industrial technology (CTE),

and elementary licensure. To be specific, middle school endorsement should return to the same requirement prior to January 31, 2018. If not, I anticipate we will see a shortage in 45 years. Kindergarten should be placed back with the elementary licensure, as this non-researched change has caused placement problems in many districts. Alternative certificates should be offered in industrial technology (Career and Technical Education) and other areas where there are great shortages without taking away the course rigor needed to be a skilled teacher.

Explore programs to assist in teacher retention. We will not be able to tackle the teacher shortage problem without addressing the current turnover trends in teacher career paths.

We are overregulated. Form a task force to study this with the goal to regulate for success, not failure. Establish achievable benchmarks. For example, ISBE set the meets/exceeds benchmark on the SAT state test 50 points higher than the benchmark established by the College Board of SAT, which set the benchmark on the college-ready student. The College Board based their decision on 50 years of research. Another example: the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) guidelines set up many schools in Illinois to be perceived as failures when many of these schools are excellent schools with fine instruction.

• In addition, the legislature, with ISBE support, should consider the following recommendations. Encourage universities to limit future increases in tuition to assist minority, low income,

and overall student enrollment. Open the door for the financially challenged student. Universities across the state have been raising tuition at approximately 7% a year. The higher the tuition, the fewer candidates we have. In economics, this is called the law of diminishing returns. Some universities have realized this and cut tuition and looked for alternatives for textbooks to lower student expenses. Most have not. This, along with the virus threat, could potentially be devastating to universities in the future.

• Set up university study commissions to evaluate general education classes offered at the freshman and sophomore levels. Too many students drop out because of the lack of interest in general education classes that are not imperative to the development of a good teacher. Lessening the general education requirements could assist in extending resident student teacher programs, so the candidate could have more experience in the classroom prior to having their own classroom.

• Continue to look at ways to raise teacher salaries and providing state funding for the additional costs placed on school districts. Currently, the new state law regarding future teacher salaries states that the minimum salary for all teachers will be at least $40,000 by the first day of school, 2023. This is good, as long as the state financially supports districts to make this change. Hopefully, this will help keep teachers in the field.

• Re-institute capital development funds. The Capital Development Program provided more jobs in Illinois and improved the building and grounds of the selected districts. I realize that this idea might have to be delayed because of the current negative impact on the economy from the coronavirus pandemic, but it must remain a goal for the future.

• Establish commissions at the ISBE level to look at changes to be made in policy that limits individuals in becoming licensed as teachers and administrators.

• Continue the support of mentoring and induction programs.

• Provide school districts and universities consistent guidelines and continual support to fight the impact of the pandemic.  While this is not a list of all possibilities, I do hope this discussion stimulates efforts at all levels to solve this major administrative and teacher shortage in our state. Now is the time to review past practices that worked and implement them to assist Illinois and truly help the students of the future. The present health crisis has to be the current focus, but we also have to be cognizant of the fact that the teacher shortage cannot be totally put on the back burner. 

Jim Rosborg, Ed.D., is a retired superintendent of Belleville CUSD 118 and semi-retired Director of the Masters in Education program at McKendree University. He is a frequent contributor to the Journal on the educator shortage topic and a past president of the Illinois Council of Professors in Education Administration.

Illinois Teacher Shortage Crisis: Quick Fixes and Long-Range Solutions

By Hans A. Andrews and William A. Marzano

TTeacher shortages are a continuing and growing crisis, in Illinois and most other states. This has been recognized for several years: There are decreasing numbers of students entering colleges and universities with the goal of entering the teaching field, and a higher number of teachers are leaving the profession and/or retiring early. With the goal of showing Illinois school board members that the best solutions to overcoming the Illinois teacher shortages are within each school board’s own district, this article

details some short-term fixes and offers ideas for the long term, to once again draw students into a career of teaching.

“We can’t just replace empty teaching positions with anyone and hope the quality will be the same. We must do what it takes to recruit the best into the profession and do what it takes to retain them.”

— Sharon Domine, Teacher by Passion Illinois school board members and their school administrators

have to wonder why the shortages of full-time teachers, substitute teachers, school support personnel, bus drivers, and others continue to exist and are leading the state education system into a crisis situation

There are two key questions for school board members to ponder relative to their teacher and staff shortages: Can our present system prepare enough new educators to overcome these shortages and prepare and provide the diverse education graduates that our P-12 schools across the state need? And, are the senior four-year

colleges and universities able to close this gap?

The answer to both questions is no. The present system is unable to meet these needs and has not been able to do so for a significant number of years. Without major changes in direction, the teacher shortages in Illinois will continue and grow.

Documenting the Problem

In 2020 over 6,000 teaching and support staff positions were reported unfilled in Illinois. Additionally, a late 2020 study by the Illinois Teacher Retirement System (TRS) showed a 50% increase in retirements over the previous year. A survey of Illinois teachers found 1/3 indicated they were considering leaving teaching. The three most reported reasons were “don’t want to be a teacher anymore,” “considering early-retirement and re-evaluating my career path,” and “… ‘burnout’ from having added work responsibilities and having to prepare for both in-class and remote learning lesson plans.”

The latest 2021 Illinois report of shortages was gathered through the 26 regional superintendents and identified 6,200 teacher, substitute teacher, and other staff shortage positions. This was up from the 4,800 in 2020.

Quick Fixes Proposed and Implemented

For the 2021-2022 school year, quick or short-term fixes have been proposed or are being utilized in Illinois to provide adequate numbers of teaching and support personnel at all levels. Among these are

• Bringing back retired teachers (under new legislation passed for the 2021-2022 school year);

• Current full-time teachers taking on more workload (six classes instead of five, for example)

• Employing visiting foreign teachers to fill immediate teacher shortages; and

• Using paraprofessionals and not-fully-credentialed substitute teachers

If the teacher shortages were isolated in Illinois, another solution would be to work to attract credentialed teachers from other states not

• With 1,561 vacancies in elementary education, 851 in special education, and 253 in early childhood, in Missouri vacancies were filled with less-than-fully-certified teachers.

• Wisconsin has loosened some restrictions, and teachers can teach in some subjects that they are not credentialed to teach. Rural schools, considered “shorthanded everywhere,” have staff members assuming additional roles, and

Can our present system prepare enough new educators to overcome these shortages and prepare and provide the diverse education graduates that our P-12 schools across the state need?

experiencing this condition. However, that option does not exist. A 2021 survey by the Frontline Education Company of nearly 1,200 school districts throughout the country reported shortages in 75% of urban districts, 65% of rural districts, and 60% in suburban districts. These high percentages document this as a national issue with a majority of states struggling to staff their classrooms properly. As in Illinois, other states are getting by with short-term solutions. Some short-term fixes being employed in bordering states:

• In Kentucky, retired teachers can be returned to the classroom full-time with a full-time salary and no deductions to their retirement pay. About 650 teachers will be hired in this program, which pays retiree salaries through the state’s pandemic relief money.

districts are trying to retain retirement-eligible teachers.

• In Indiana, administrators are trying to improve teacher pay and benefits, which lag behind neighboring states. Indiana also reports burnout due to heavier class loads, low pay, and lowered morale. Emergency permits to hire non-licensed teachers were applied for by 85% of the districts.

Low Salaries Persist

A research study published by Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the Learning Policy Institute, listed several major factors leading to the high attrition of teachers throughout the country:

• Inadequate compensation \ Poor teaching conditions

• Lack of administrative support

• Inadequate investments in preparation and mentoring

• Lack of respect and voice in school decision-making

• Inadequate opportunities for learning and collaboration

While the supply of new teachers is low, losing the retention battle, due to these above factors, contributes further to the growing shortages. How does low pay impact the ability to attract and retain individuals in the profession? A recent Chicago Tribune article reported that Amazon had announced plans to hire 125,000 more workers nationwide, with beginning pay of $15 an hour (and in some places, $18, which is $36,000/year for 2,000 hours worked). In the same article Kroger announced 20,000 positions needed to be filled and pay could go to $22.50 per hour for the new hires ($45,000/year). These pay announcements add to the challeng-

for full-time teachers in Illinois at $32,076 in FY2021, increasing to $40,000 in FY2024. Illinois teacher average pay in 2020-2021 was reported as $69,300. States offering the highest average salaries were: New York ($87,069); California ($84,531); and Massachusetts ($84,290). Those states with the lowest average salaries were: Mississippi ($46,843); South Dakota ($48,984); and Florida ($49,102).

In 2019-2020, starting teacher pay reviewed in nearly 12,000 public school districts averaged $41,163. The same study found in 6,100 districts, 800,000 teachers were not yet making a $40,000 starting salary. These salaries are losing ground against the ever-increasing wages offered in the private sector, in which many jobs require only high school level credentials. School districts must consider elevating salaries to attract and retain teachers as a component of a sustainable solution

and increasingly, non-credentialed individuals. However, only increasing the supply of new persons into the teacher preparation pipeline will solve the teacher shortage. What should be the key components in addressing teacher shortages over the foreseeable long term? These components should be much more sustainable in overcoming the teacher and staff shortages in the years ahead. They are:

• Expanding educational pipelines to attract more students into teaching careers;

• Changing existing higher education models to expand teacher preparation; and

• Expanding partnerships and pathways for educational agencies to work together.

Educational Pipelines —

es school boards have to overcome in addressing low pay for teachers in many Illinois school districts and other states throughout the nation.

In most states, the average salary for a teacher begins at just over $30,000. In Illinois, the current entry-level teacher salary ranges from $34,944 at the 10th percentile to $59,754 at the 90th percentile. Illinois Public Act 101-0443 establishes minimum salary levels

to the current teacher shortage.

In addition to inadequate compensation in today’s economy and job market and the other factors listed above, teachers report the emphasis on high-stakes testing as a detriment to their continued careers.

Long-Range Solutions Proposed

Many of the short-term solutions involve getting more mileage out of existing faculty, retired faculty,

More high school students need to receive counseling for choosing teacher preparation as a career option to help increase the number of new educators entering the profession. Educators Rising programs have proven to attract significant numbers of high school students to learn about and consider teaching as a career option. These programs can be established as an extracurricular activity or as a course about

... only increasing the supply of new persons into the teacher preparation pipeline will solve the teacher shortage.

the teaching profession. This could be offered as a dual-credit college course with the local secondary school or nearby community college or four-year university. Recently, Illinois approved Career and Technical Student Organization status for the Educators Rising program, providing for unlocking of the federal Perkins Act funding for schools to go the club/extracurricular route.

These programs succeed in creating pathways into teaching for a diverse student population. School districts that add Educators Rising programs open the door much wider for attracting future teachers with social-economic and ethnic backgrounds reflective of their communities. This program can encourage the district to help select students to help consider being educators and whom, in the near future, may wish to return to their school districts as fully credentialed teachers.

New Educational Models

— The present higher education system of Illinois has been in place since the mid-1960s. Community colleges were given the ability to grant two-year associate degrees and one-year career-oriented certificates, while four-year colleges were designated as bachelor’s degree-granting institutions.

Changes and needs of P-12 school districts have evolved greatly in recent years and now is the appropriate time to design and make the changes in the existing educational model. Changes need to be made quickly to accommodate and solve the challenges that currently exist. Teacher shortages have changed everything. The “how” and the “where” of the educational model on baccalaureate

degree preparation needs to be revised and expanded, giving consideration to utilizing the state community colleges to be part of the solution. Here is how one university is including community colleges throughout its efforts.

Eastern Illinois University (EIU) is underway in attacking teacher shortages through the Rural School Initiative. Working with 10 area high schools at first, EIU also partnered with regional offices of education and community colleges. The backbone of this program includes:

• Creating more dual-credit education courses — that transfer to teacher education — for high school students;

• Connecting high schools and community colleges in supporting high school students interested in teaching; and

• Providing monthly experiences for future teachers to visit schools and learn from P-12 educators.

This program has cohorts in the pipeline in special education and elementary education in Jasper and Vermilion counties respectively, and now has expanded this program into Champaign.

The present four-year colleges and universities are unable to attract and graduate adequate numbers of education majors needed by the state P-12 school districts. Strong consideration needs to be giving to expand the teaching and awarding of baccalaureate degrees in more institutions than are presently charged with recruiting and preparing certified teachers. Granting

community colleges the ability to now offer teacher baccalaureate degrees is a time that has come. Offering these programs at community colleges is presently available in a growing number of states; those states will more quickly catch up and close the growing teacher shortages gaps.

One of the first such baccalaureate degree-granting programs in community colleges was the baccalaureate of science degree in nursing (BSN). This has been helping fill the large gap that existed in preparing adequate numbers of BSN graduates throughout the country.

A hard-earned example of getting a baccalaureate degree program approved to be offered through community colleges in Illinois is the baccalaureate

program in Early Childhood Education, recently passed by Illinois legislators and an excellent example of what can be accomplished by someone determined to solve an existing problem. Baccalaureate degrees in Early Childhood Education can now be offered at Illinois community colleges and build upon the existing Associate Degree programs presently offered throughout the state by community colleges. State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas of Chicago introduced this option and then pushed at all levels of the state government to get it accepted. The diversity of teachers in early childhood teaching positions will show significantly higher growth in the next few years and help fill the large gap existing in having highly

educated personnel and teachers in early childhood school and agency programs throughout Illinois.

Partnerships and Pathways

— Another creative “grow your own” model has existing education components collaborating closely to create pathways for teacher education. In 2019, Southern Illinois University (SIU) piloted a program titled “Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois.” The program provided funding to eight communities for an initiative that streamlines career paths for prospective teachers. The program provides teaching career preparation in high schools, which can be extended to the post-secondary level, in order to enable a diverse group of students to more readily become the educators of tomorrow.

Essentially, the SIU partnership involves six area high schools, two community colleges, and the senior institution of SIU. While students are still in high school, they can take two of SIU’s required teacher education program core curriculum classes through the partner community colleges and earn dual credit. Students will also receive College and Career Pathway Endorsements with their high school diplomas. The next step in the pathway for the students is enrollment and completion of the associate degree at their community college. Students then transfer to SIU to complete their teacher education program. As part of their experience, students spend 60 hours observing and assisting teachers in classrooms, take part in parent and community engagement

activities, tutor students and engage in other projects that enable them to explore careers in teaching.

Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois (SEPI) is administered by the Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and supports more than a dozen similar partnerships/pathways throughout the state. Recently, a partnership engaging East Aurora USD 131, West Aurora USD 129, Waubonsee Community College (WCC), and NIU was launched with guidance and support from the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley. The districts commit to providing students with career counseling, mentoring by a teacher of similar demographic background, observation opportunities, and student teaching assignments. In return they look to these students to consider job opportunities at their schools upon completing their teacher education. Additionally, WCC and NIU have collaborated to streamline the curricular pathway and offer opportunities for community college students to connect with their university peers. The ultimate goal of this partnership is not only to increase the number of new teachers but to increase the diversity of the new faculty. Located in the Aurora area, WCC has successfully been hiring diverse teaching and administrative staffs that much more clearly reflect the diverse area population of their college district.

During Fall 2019, Elgin Community College (ECC), in partnership with NIU, launched its Elgin Community College Cohort 2+2 with 15 students. Having

completed the associate degree at ECC, students enrolled full-time in junior-level education classes taught by NIU faculty at the ECC campus. These students next worked towards a bachelor’s degree in elementary education along with a Bilingual/ESL Endorsement. This first cohort graduated from NIU in May 2021. A second cohort started this pathway in Fall 2020, and another is scheduled to start in Fall 2021. With the success of the partnership ECC is mapping a pathway for early childhood education and special education cohorts to be offered on their campus for either 2022 or 2023.

Dual-Credit as a Base Program Provided by Community Colleges

The first dual-credit program in Illinois first started between Illinois Valley Community College and Marquette Academy. This also became the first such program in the country between community colleges and secondary schools and paved the way for these most important cooperative efforts throughout Illinois and the rest of the country. Students have been able to earn enough community college credits to complete one semester,

one year, and most recently, an associate degree by the time they graduate from secondary school. Every community college brings in many students that reflect the social-economic and diversity of their service area communities. This is true as well in the dual-credit programs. Many secondary school students in Illinois now obtain one semester, one year, or up to two years of college credits by the time they graduate from their high schools. This provides a major portion of a baccalaureate degree. This is both a major time saver in terms of semesters and/or years for these students who may move into teacher education degrees such as outlined above with SIU.

These new educational models of higher education and partnership/pathways do much to address affordable and accessibility concerns and contribute greatly to creating a sustained pipeline for the preparing of future educators. These recently developed pathways should give incentives and direction for continued expansion throughout the state in a reasonably short time.

Call to Action

Illinois is a state rich in potential and resources, and capable of being a leader in addressing the teacher shortage. We challenge elected board members of our Illinois school districts to recognize and implement solutions that are available to them.

If not already present, establish an Educators Rising club. If access and affordability are barriers to growing a new crop of teachers,

partner with community colleges and neighboring universities to create pathways of teacher preparation. Doing so will draw upon a diverse student population which will not only increase the number of new teachers, but will also advance the diversity of the teaching ranks.

If additional funding is needed, districts can call on their banks, industries, businesses, and community foundations. Such funding can be used to develop scholarships to assist students on pathways to completing teacher preparation. School board members can, additionally, contact their state senators and house legislators to support and fund the creative new higher education paradigms and partnerships. Hopefully, the examples here can be emulated at a quicker pace

throughout the state. The need is now! The crisis of the teacher shortage continues to grow. Every school district in the state would benefit from board members, regional superintendents, and state legislators working together to implement sustainable solutions to the teacher shortage. It will be up to the school boards of Illinois to decide how to move forward. We, the authors hope to have convinced Illinois school board members that the best solutions to overcoming the teaching shortages are right within their own school districts.

Hans A. Andrews, Ed.D., is the Distinguished Fellow in Community College Leadership, Olney Central College, where he previously served as president. He held

leadership positions at Illinois Valley Community College and Kellogg Community College. He served as a business teacher and as a counselor at secondary school and college levels and is also an author on the dual-credit system. William A. “Bill” Marzano, Ed.D., completed his doctorate in postsecondary curriculum and instruction from Illinois State University. Now retired, he is a former instructor at Illinois Valley Community College, a key administrator at Waubonsee Community College, and a senior human resource manager in the private sector. Resources associated with this article, including more on the authors’ work and links to information on the proposed fixes for teacher shortages, are available at the Journal resources page at bit.ly/ND21Jres.

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Bargaining for Innovation

Collective Bargaining Agreements in Illinois Public School Districts

By Robert Bruno, Jill Gigstad, and Frank Manzo IV

Collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) are privately-negotiated contracts, between a school district and its teachers union, that determine the terms and conditions of employment. While labor agreements establish enforceable terms upon the employees and the school districts, they can also be flexible enough to provide opportunities for collaborative innovation.

An analysis of 543 collective bargaining agreements across Illinois – nearly two-thirds of all PK-12 school district CBAs – provides an understanding of Illinois’ large and dynamic public education system.

• Although school districts receive $18 billion per year from local property taxes, the average district has just 77% of the necessary funding.

• The average district’s spending on instruction is $6,725 per student.

• The new $40,000 minimum salary will boost earnings for nearly 10,000 public school teachers, helping to address the large and growing teacher shortage in the state.

School district CBAs contribute to a highly-educated,

professionalized teacher workforce in Illinois.

• 99% of all full-time public school teachers in Illinois have college degrees, including 58% who have earned master’s degrees.

• The average full-time public school teacher earns a salary of $64,485 per year, helping to attract and retain qualified professionals.

• 60% of CBAs establish professional development requirements for teachers and 55% pay teachers to meet their professional development goals.

CBAs determine the terms and conditions of employment, such as class size, salaries, and workplace flexibility. Collective bargaining agreements in Illinois’ public schools are dynamic, reflecting both the needs of teachers and the financial and strategic challenges faced by local school districts across the state.

Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees with a “community of interest” to reach a binding written contract. In public schools, the purpose of collective

bargaining is to establish a common standard under which all teachers are treated fairly and equally by school boards, district officials, principals, and the community. Collective bargaining is a method for formalizing labor-management relations, with workplace decisions made jointly by teachers and the district’s administration, rather than unilaterally by one party. This process places public schools among the most democratic workplaces in Illinois, with workers having a voice in decisions over working conditions and having the ability to elect representatives to bargain on their behalf. As a result, not all CBAs are the same. In fact, there is substantial variation in working conditions and academic flexibility across Illinois’ school districts.

The joint study excerpted here is by the Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI). The analysis provides an understanding of how the contents of teacher labor contracts contribute to innovation and collaboration within Illinois’ large public education system.

The study obtained the unique collective bargaining agreements for 543 school districts across Illinois. The Illinois Education Association and the Illinois Federation of Teachers provided a database of contracts. These complete documents contain the terms and conditions of employment for 86,685 teachers, 67% of all full-time equivalent public school teachers in Illinois, who collectively educate nearly 1.39 million students, 66% of all public school students in Illinois. The full report and

data are available via the resources link at the end of this article.

Teacher Salary Schedules

Most public school teachers in Illinois earn incomes in accordance with collectively-bargained salary schedules that include base pay and “step” and “lane” incremental payments. “Steps” are determined by the number of years of service as a teacher while the level of educational attainment and professional development defines “lanes.” Of the sampled collective bargaining agreements at Illinois’ public school districts, 94% have steps and 98% have lanes. Since salaries are typically dependent on this matrix-like system, most school districts have a minimum pay for newly hired teachers. A contractual minimum salary is established in 94% of school districts

In 2019, Illinois passed House Bill 2078 to gradually increase the minimum salary for public school teachers to $40,000 per year in 2024. Of the 511 districts that include minimum salary language in the CBA, only 140 paid a minimum salary of at least $40,000 under the current contracts. The remaining school districts (73%) had minimum annual salaries below $40,000, including as low as a $21,205.

Full-time teachers in Illinois must complete a probationary period to be eligible for tenure based on seniority. Under current law, teachers can achieve tenure after four consecutive school years if they receive “proficient” overall evaluation ratings in their most recent school years and in either their second or third years of service.

Approximately 80% of school district CBAs have seniority language which stipulate a “last in, first out” policy in which teachers with the least experience face layoffs first during budget shortfalls.

Teacher Characteristics and Salary Data

Based on data from ISBE (from the 2015-16 school year), there are approximately 120,000 full-time public school teachers in Illinois. Approximately 76% are women; 24% are men. About 84% are white, 6% are African American, 6% are Latinx, and 1% are Asian. The racial composition of the state’s teaching workforce does not reflect the demographics of the student population. According to the Illinois Report Card, African Americans made up 17% of student enrollment, Latinx students accounted for 26%, and white students comprised 48% of the student body at Illinois’ public schools. On average, full-time public school teachers in Illinois earned a salary of $64,485. Educational attainment is highly correlated with earnings. Teachers with bachelor’s degrees (41% of all full-time public school teachers) earned an average annual salary of $52,060 while those with master’s degrees (58%) earned $72,732. Less than 1% of teachers have doctorate degrees, they are earning an average salary of $87,377 over the year.

High school teachers earned higher salaries than their elementary school counterparts. The average salary of full-time teachers in Illinois’ public high schools was $70,105 during the 2015-16 school year. By contrast, the average salary

for full-time elementary school teachers was $62,490 annually. Public kindergarten and preschool teachers earned lower average salaries, $59,796 and $53,932 respectively, than both high school and elementary school teachers.

As of the 2015-16 school year, about 9% of full-time public school teachers earned less than $40,000 per year. The share of teachers earning less than $40,000 was much higher for those with only bachelor’s degrees (20%) than those with master’s degrees (2%). Fully 20% of pre-kindergarten teachers and 10% of kindergarten teachers also earned less than $40,000 per year. About 10% of white teachers, who were more likely to be employed in rural and downstate Illinois, earned less than $40,000 compared with just

Average Salaries

4% of African American and Latinx teachers, who were more likely to be employed in Chicago and its neighboring suburbs. In total, the data indicate that about 10,000 full-time public school teachers in Illinois will see pay increases due to the minimum salary hike to $40,000.

Teacher Fringe Benefits

Most Illinois public educators outside of the City of Chicago are covered by the Teacher Retirement System (TRS), funded by a combination of state and employee contributions with over 160,000 contributing members. The member contribution rate for both Tier I and Tier II members into the defined benefit pension plan (as of 2016) was 9%. As of June 2018, TRS had $52 billion in assets and

$127 billion in long-term obligations for a funded ratio of 4% – well below the goal of a 90%. While TRS has been underfunded for decades, it is important to note that teachers have never missed a payment. The system has a low funded ratio because the state has routinely failed to make adequate payments.

Tier I members who contributed to the TRS system prior to January 2011 can retire at age 60 with at least 10 years of service or at age 62 with at least five years of service.

Tier I members receive a retirement income that is based on the average of the teachers’ four highest consecutive salaries during their last 10 years of service. Tier II members who first contributed to the TRS system on or after January 1, 2011 can retire with full benefits at age

of Full-Time Public School Teachers in Illinois, by Group

Source: ISBE Educator Employment Information for the 2015-16 school year.

67 with 10 years of service or age 62 with annual incomes reduced 6% for each year under age 67. Tier II members have a cap on the salaries used to calculate retirement income, have longer vesting requirements, and have a limit on the cost-of-living adjustments. Tier I and Tier II public educators in Illinois do not receive Social Security.

In addition to pensions, Illinois’ public school teachers are typically covered by health insurance plans. On average, school districts in Illinois cover 89% of the premium costs for a single individual and 73% for a family. This is slightly better than the national average. In the available data teachers pay a percent of monthly premiums; 9% have contracts that require them to pay a percentage of their salaries to health insurance. The majority of CBAs did not specify the method of teacher contributions. Similar to changes nationally, health insurance costs have risen for Illinois teachers and premium contributions have reduced teacher take-home pay.

The Illinois School Code mandates that school districts grant fulltime teachers no less than 10 days of paid sick leave each academic year. Therefore, contractual language such as “paid sick leave,” “sick leave with full pay,” and “sick leave without loss of pay” was common in the CBAs. Agreements differed on how annual unused sick days were treated. According to the School Code, if a full-time teacher does not use the “full amount of annual leave thus allowed, the unused amount shall be allowed to accumulate to a minimum available leave of 180 days at full pay.”

Fully 37% of the school districts in the sample have unlimited paid sick leave for full-time teachers that accumulates based on years of service. Another 61% of contracts have accumulative paid sick leave with a maximum number of days. Agreements typically stated that “unused sick leave days may accumulate to a maximum of … days and years of experience in the school.” For these districts, the maximum number of sick days that can be banked over a career is 346 days on average.

Finally, many school districts in Illinois allow teachers to take paid leave to participate in union activities. Approximately 58% of school district CBAs provide some sort of association leave for teachers. While the number of days off for union leave varies in these districts, teachers are provided an average of six days of paid leave for union affairs.

Teacher Educational Attainment and Professional Development

Collectively among the best-educated in the nation, teachers in Illinois are also required to attain between 40 and 120 hours of “professional development” within a five-year cycle as a condition of license renewal. Teachers participate in professional development activities to learn new skills and apply modern techniques to improve their performance as educators. Research has found that teacher quality is an important factor in improving student achievement outcomes. For teachers and school districts to be effective, they must continually expand their knowledge and skills to implement the best educational practices.

Individual teacher professional development opportunities can come from jointly negotiated or union-provided sources. School administrations will usually approve teacher professional development activities offered by approved providers to advance staff members’ contribution to the district. Both the IEA and the IFT have professional development centers that provide their members with professional development opportunities.

In total, 60% of Illinois’ school district CBAs establish professional development requirements for teachers, and 55% reimburse teachers for the cost of training needed to meet these standards. Teachers and districts also use “institute days” and “school improvement days” to discuss and develop solutions to problems within schools and to participate in professional development activities on new curricula, technologies, and techniques in their specific areas.

About 59% of school district CBAs in Illinois included a clause dealing with institute days. The Illinois School Code permits “days of teachers’ institutes” to be included in a district’s school year calendar. With school board approval, the district’s administration typically sets the number of days and their content. On these days, students are not in classes; teachers are required to attend. Illinois law requires a minimum school term of at least 185 days in order to ensure at least “176 days of actual pupil attendance.” Scheduled institute days allow the districts to provide training while also meeting the minimum required teaching days.

A second platform for delivering scheduled in district-wide professional development are “school improvement days” (SIP). Like institute days, students are not in attendance while teachers come to school for training. The district customarily determines school improvement days, but depending on the labor-management relationship, the union may have a voice in negotiating the subject matter and number of school improvement days. School improvement day language appears in 20% of the CBAs reviewed.

Other opportunities for professional development are less common in Illinois CBAs. A sabbatical usually refers to extended leave or a career pause for a full-time employee, with the guarantee that one’s position will be open when

his or her leave is complete. For teachers, a sabbatical is often used to achieve educational attainment goals. About 30% of school district CBAs in Illinois provide sabbaticals to teachers; 12% of school districts provide some level of teacher pay during a sabbatical.

An additional negotiated mechanism for investing in the long-term quality of the teaching staff is a formal mentoring program; 37% of school district CBAs include a mentoring program for experienced teachers to support new teachers in years one through three.

Teacher Dependability and Performance

A low teacher retention rate can be costly for school districts, especially when there is a shortage

of quality teachers. In the 2017-18 school year approximately 87% of full-time teachers returned to the same school or school district, while 13% of teachers either left their positions and went to different school districts or left the profession entirely, lower than but statistically similar to the 14% national rate. The bottom one-quarter of Illinois school districts had teacher retention rates of 84% or below while the top quartile had teacher retention rates of 91% or above.

Teachers are evaluated on performance and effectiveness. Research has found that a well-designed teacher evaluation program can have direct and lasting effects on teacher performance and professional development. Under the Performance Evaluation Reform

Act (PERA) signed into Illinois law in 2010, both student growth and professional practice are measured and evaluated in school districts, with trained evaluators rating teachers as “excellent,” “proficient,” “needs improvement,” or “unsatisfactory” based on classroom observations and student academic data. Teachers without tenure must be evaluated every year, while teachers with tenure are evaluated every two years. Teachers may be evaluated more frequently if previously rated as “needs improvement” or “unsatisfactory.” In total, 98% of teachers were rated as either “proficient” or “excellent” in the 2017-18 school year. Many districts had perfect 100% proficiency ratings.

Workplace Innovation, Flexibility, and Collaboration in School Districts

Management consultant

Edward Deming famously lamented that the “failure to use the abilities of people was the greatest waste in America.” Education is a prime sector to measure Deming’s value of incorporating worker voice into human resource practices. The CBA is a very accommodating vehicle for creating inclusive and innovative approaches to educational decision-making that aligns a district’s strategic, tactical, and operational goals.

Each school district has expectations for full-time public school teachers laid out in CBAs. Teachers are expected to be at work at a certain time and work for a certain amount of days. The average length of the school day is 7.5 hours in Illinois, with most teachers arriving between 10 and 40 minutes prior

to the students. Illinois schools typically start between 7:45 and 8:30 a.m. and end between the hours of 3 to 4 p.m. Start and end times vary by elementary, middle, and high schools, but the average start time is 8:10 a.m. Teachers get an average of 32 minutes for a duty-free lunch break, with a median of 30 minutes. The average length of the school year is 182 days, with a median of 180 days. These days include both student attendance days as well as teacher institute and school improvement days.

There are also a number of contract provisions that enable creative and collaborative problem-solving. These contract elements address the teachers’ effectiveness in responding to student concerns. Summarized below are examples of nine such prominent features of teacher CBAs.

1. School Improvement Days: The district determines student improvement days, but the union may negotiate the subject matter and number of school improvement days. This language appears in 20% of the CBAs reviewed.

2. Planning Periods: Teachers and administrators negotiate planning periods — time during the school day in which teachers can prepare for instruction without students in the classroom — to promote a healthy school environment. Approximately 87% of Illinois’ school districts have planning period language written into the contract; 55% provided the number of daily minutes of plan time.

3. Professional Learning Committees: Some school

districts set aside time for collaboration with other teachers. These committees have different charges. Nearly half of Illinois’ school districts have professional learning committees in their CBAs for teachers to work collaboratively.

4. District Leadership Teams: In addition to PLC, school districts may utilize building leadership or district-wide leadership teams, consisting of bargaining unit members, district administration, and school staff. Only 3% of CBAs had language regarding joint district leadership teams. The leadership teams that exist vary significantly in purpose, makeup, and operations.

5. Class Size: Across Illinois, the average class size is 19 students per teacher. While some states have passed legislation to limit class sizes in public schools, Illinois has not. However, 48% of school districts have class size language in their collective bargaining agreements: 51% set maximums, a few set class size ranges, and 44% of CBAs with class size language leave it up to the school board, administration, or a committee.

6. Intra-District Reassignment: Most teacher transfers are voluntary, while some are involuntary due to decisions by the school board, superintendent, or principal, per their CBAs. About 73% of school districts in Illinois allow teachers the option to move in-district.

7. Academic Freedom: While all public school teachers

have some freedom to discuss controversial topics at their professional discretion, only academic freedom clauses in collective bargaining agreements can fully protect educators in expressing their opinions without being subject to discipline or termination. In Illinois, teachers in 16% of school districts have academic freedom clauses in their contracts.

8. Dealing with Parental Concerns: Only a third of CBAs include teachers in a process for responding to parental concerns. In most of these school districts, the complaint process involves administrators, the parent or community member, and the teacher meeting to discuss and resolve the issue, with no action taken without first attempting a parent-teacherprincipal conference.

9. Memoranda of Understanding: Many CBAs contain provision for waivers or memoranda of understanding (MOUs). The contract typically outlines the process by which a school,

the district, or the union can request waivers from the contract. Out of the 543 contracts reviewed, 175 had memoranda of understanding.

Innovation and Flexibility Index

How much workplace innovation and flexibility does a CBA permit and how does it contribute to creative joint responses to educational needs?

An index was created using the nine indicators of collectively bargained innovation and flexibility measures. The index looks at the 535 school district CBAs with complete information in Illinois. Each indicator is weighted equally, with a value of 1 if it is in the contract and a value of 0 if it is not. Only one of the districts had a perfect score of 9 on the workplace flexibility index for teachers and districts.

Another 11% of districts have high workplace flexibility (scores of 6-8) and 62% are moderate (3-5). The remaining 27% of districts have low workplace flexibility (0-2). The flexibility index demonstrates that there is substantial variation in collective bargaining agreements at Illinois’ public school districts. Not

CBA Innovation and Flexibility Index

all CBAs are the same, and many are not rigid in their rules. In fact, the majority of teachers in Illinois have at least some autonomy in their workplaces to make the best decisions for them and their students.

Conclusion

Public education is the primary way to develop children and train young adults for the skills they need to succeed. More than two million children attend over 3,800 public schools in local public school districts across Illinois. There is substantial variation in working conditions, innovation, and flexibility across Illinois’ school district collective bargaining agreements. Ultimately, this analysis finds that collective bargaining agreements in Illinois’ public schools are quite dynamic, reflecting both the needs of teachers and the administrative, financial, and strategic challenges faced by local school districts across the state.

Robert Bruno, Ph.D. is a professor at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign School of Labor and Employment Relations and is director of the Project for Middle Class Renewal. Jill Gigstad is a communications specialist with the Indiana, Illinois, Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting; at the time of publication was Gigstad was a researcher with the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. Frank Manzo IV, M.PP, is the Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. Excerpted with permission from the authors. The complete study, including data s and a look at school finance, is available via the Journal resources page at bit.ly/ND21Jres.

Source: Authors’ analysis of 543 collective bargaining agreements with school districts.

Navigating Communications as a Board Member What

to Say and Do (and

By Brett Clark

More Importantly What

Not to Say or Do)

OOne of the most confusing and difficult-to-manage aspects of being a school board member is communications. As elected officials, board members are expected to be in the know. However, when you get stopped in the produce aisle with a question about the negative budget article that just appeared in the newspaper, how should you respond? What should you do when you are scrolling through Facebook and someone attacks the school district or you as a board member? How do you navigate it when you are sitting in the stands at a soccer game and a group of angry parents brings up criticisms of a specific teacher?

These are not easy questions, but here is some guidance. I bring a unique perspective to these questions and situations, having served as a school district communications director for nearly 20 years, as well as having been elected to the school board by my community.

Make sure the district is communicating regularly with all stakeholders.

School districts should prioritize communicating with stakeholders on a regular basis. The school district needs to ensure a plan is in place to share key information with the community. While some districts have invested in hiring an individual dedicated to communications, or

have assistance from an outside communications firm, most districts in Illinois have not. That doesn’t mean communication is any less important there; it means someone else needs to carry the communications baton. That is typically the superintendent, in addition to all of their other responsibilities.

When a district is informing and engaging its stakeholders with key messages on a regular basis, there is less need for a board member to answer questions at the grocery store. It also makes board members’ work easier, because they can share that key information related to questions they receive, and then follow up with details about how more information can be found on the district website, on social media channels, in the community newsletter, or through other communication avenues.

Without a dedication to communication, a district is putting board members in a difficult position. The board’s duties are to hire and evaluate the superintendent, to ensure fiscal responsibility, and to approve policy and procedures. In order for

a board member to function at the 10,000-foot level recommended by the Illinois Association of School Boards (and not fall into the trap of being involved in the day-to-day operations), districts need to do their part in the area of communications. That includes ensuring effective communication channels for the community to gain the information they are looking for.

Establish standard operating procedures that govern board interactions and protocols.

It is important that school boards have written procedures that are reviewed annually to ensure all board members are on the same page on managing communications. During the review process, adjustments can be made if necessary. But having this in place is vitally important before a communications crisis arises, which can literally happen at any time.

One of the most important decisions is who speaks on behalf of the board of education in the event that becomes necessary. Typically that is the board president, but that is not always the case. This should be decided by the board in advance and followed by all board members no matter the situation. A few guidelines to be considered:

Columns are submitted by members of the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association

• Board members should direct concerns raised about a school or the district to the most

appropriate person (teacher, principal, superintendent) in order to resolve the concern. The superintendent should always be copied when information is forwarded along to the appropriate staff member.

• Individual board members do not have the authority to act or speak on behalf of the board without the consent of the board.

• Board members have the right to disagree with the decision of the board. However, that should be done in a respectful and honorable fashion. In addition, board members should support the board in its decisions by recognizing, and abiding by, the will of the majority of the board.

By establishing this in advance, operations of the board will be much smoother because all board members will know how to address communication questions.

Maintain the confidentiality and trust of closed session discussions and documents at all times.

As an elected member of the board, you are provided with information that must remain confidential. Being privy to sensitive information means you are being trusted by the community that elected you and the school district to keep that information private. It shouldn’t be shared with anyone — a best friend, a significant other, or anyone else.

When asked by a community member about discussions of the board that are confidential, the

best-practice response is something to the effect of: “I understand that you are interested in knowing more about that decision but I am bound by an oath of office which outlines that some information is not to be shared outside of the confidence of the board’s closed session meetings. I thank you for understanding that I can’t share the answer to your question but know that any decision we made as a board was discussed in depth and the decision was made in the best interests of the school district and its students.”

Refer media inquiries to the board president as the board’s spokesperson or the superintendent.

Media calls or emails in most cases should be passed along to the appropriate person in the district to handle; in other cases referred to the board president. When media members indicate they want an individual board member to answer the question, board members should inform the questioner that the board has a procedure that governs media requests. Ultimately, media members will appreciate getting answers, even if it is not from the person they originally contacted.

In the event you are being asked to speak as a board member on an issue, best practice and common courtesy is to share that request with the board president and superintendent, as well as to outline how you plan to respond. Superintendents and board presidents don’t like surprises. Be sure to alert them. They may also have information that might be important to know before you speak to a reporter. If you do speak to a reporter, be sure to

clarify that you are only one board member and cannot speak for the entire board. You are speaking as an individual board member. Ask the reporter to include that in the story or broadcast.

Stay away from social media as much as possible.

As a board member it can be easy to get drawn into public discussions on social media platforms. Realize social media posts are not typically a true representation of the opinions of your community. Those opinions usually represent a fraction of the stakeholders you represent. With that in mind, my simple advice is to stay off social media as a board member as much as possible. If you see social media posts, giving in to the temptation to respond and react can lead to major issues for you as an individual board member, challenges for your board, and problems for the school district.

If you can’t stay away from social media, the secondary advice is when you see something that is inaccurate about the school district, make sure the superintendent is aware so they can address it through the district’s social media or other communications channels. If something inflammatory is said about you or the board in general, alert the superintendent and board president so that a proper response can be created and shared through the right communications channel.

The advice above is easy to read but difficult to follow. It becomes hard to ignore it when someone is attacking your school district or you personally.

Continued on page 39

Milestones

In Memoriam

John Steve Adler, 82, has died. Born in Austria, he escaped the Holocaust to settle in the United States and was a past member of the Highland Park Board of Education.

James Bertolino, 88, died August 28, 2021. He had served on the Nokomis CUSD 22 school board.

Roland C. Block, 84, died August 15, 2021. He was a past member and president of the school board for McLean Co Unit District 5.

Richard E. Bruns, 79, died August 2, 2021. He had served on the New Lenox SD 122 Board of Education.

William Frank Buh, 87, died September 9, 2021. A tinkerer and inventor of toys, he served on the school board for Spaulding in Lake County.

Jerry D. Cottingham, 74, died September 5, 2021. He was a past member of the Greenview CUSD 200 board and the 2020 Greenview First Citizen.

Gary Downs, 70, died September 13, 2021. He was a past member of the board of education for Rhodes SD 84.5.

Gerald John Gorski died August 8, 2021. He was a member of the school board for Summit SD 104 and served for over 20 years.

Merwin B. “Brent” Gosteli, 66, died September 21, 2021. A 30-year employee of the USPS, he previously served on the board for Flanagan-Cornell Unit District 74.

Elmer Gene Greable, 80, died July 8, 2021. He served on the school board for Winnetka SD 36, including time as president.

Elmer A. Lange, 81, died August 7, 2021. He was a past member of the Freeburg CHSD 77 school board and a retired IHSA baseball and softball umpire.

Wayne T. Linker, 85, died September 12, 2021. He had served on the Chadwick High School Board in Carroll County.

Richard A. McCallister has died. He served the board for Deerfield SD 109. He was a distinguished leader in the business community and a celebrated track and field athlete and coach.

Rex Olson, 76, died August 28, 2021. He served on the Perry Grade and High School Boards in Pike County, including time as president.

Roger Keith Pauley, 83, died August 1, 2021. He was a past member of the Tower Hill School Board in Shelby County.

Lisa Pemberton, 61, died September 25, 2021. She was an Effingham CUSD 40 school board member for eight years, serving as president for one year.

Robert E. Plotner, 86, died August 15, 2021. He was a past member of the Bradford CUSD 1 Board of Education.

Charles V. “Chuck” Poettker, 69, died July 17, 2021. He was the founder of IASB Service Associate firm Poettker Construction.

Michael Edward Quigley, 79, died September 27, 2021. He was a past member of the school board for Wilmington CUSD 209U.

Dawn Ratzburg, 72, died September 29, 2021. She served on the Moline-Coal Valley SD 40 Board of Education.

Jack Redell, 64, died September 21, 2021. He had served on the school board for Riverdale CUSD 100.

Charles W. Ring, 78, died September 11, 2021. He was a past member of the Virginia CUSD 64 Board of Education.

Harold Arthur Schroeder, 96, died September 23, 2021. He had served on the board for Bellflower School in McLean County.

Donald J. Sproul, 89, died August 7, 2021. He was a past member of the United THSD 30 school board and served on the IASB Board of Directors representing the Blackhawk Division.

Larry R. Straight, 71, died September 19, 2021. He had served on the Hanover school board in Jo Daviess County .

Susan Lynn Taylor, 67, died August 3, 2021. She was a past member of the board of education for Woodland CUSD 5.

Nancy Trickett , 74, died September 7, 2021. A onetime school secretary, she was a past member of the board for Lawrence Co. CUSD 20.

Robert L. Vormezeele, 88, died August 26, 2021. He previously served on the school board for Durand CUSD 322.

Rosemary C. Walker, 93, died August 28, 2021. She was a longtime substitute teacher and Streator THSD 40 school board member.

Charles R. Williamson, 98, died September 29, 2021. He was a past member of the Bourbonnais SD 53 school board. 

“Changes in school enrollment patterns varied substantially by students’ grade, family income and race…. drops in kindergarten enrollment were largest among low-income and Black students. However, the smaller enrollment declines in other grades were disproportionately among higher-income and white students. These patterns highlight important

Practical PR

Continued from page 34

differences in how families make schooling decisions. Black and lower-income families appear to be more likely to enroll in alternative sectors at the time of initial public school enrollment … white and higher-income families appear more open to alternative options after their child has already been enrolled in the public school system. … But given the

However, remember that your superintendent can help you with this challenge and as a team (superintendent, board president, communications director/ advisor, and legal counsel) there is a greater chance an appropriate response is crafted than if you as a single board member react in real time. Much like on the football field, the referees don’t usually flag the instigator of a confrontation. They issue a penalty to the player that reacts to the instigator. Same goes when board members react on social media. Wise advice to remember is that in a mudslinging fight, everyone gets dirty.

Being a board member is not easy at any time, especially now. Following the advice above will help you

disproportionate economic, health and social effects that the pandemic has already had on historically disadvantaged communities, these enrollment trends may widen existing achievement gaps in years to come.”

— “4 trends in public school enrollment due to COVID-19,” by Tareena Musaddiq and Andrew Bacher-Hicks as featured in The Conversation, October 6, 2021.

navigate communications challenges throughout your board tenure. If you have specific communications questions, please feel free to contact me at bclark@ maine207.org (and be sure to copy your superintendent and/or board president on the email). 

Brett Clark, APR, is the Communications Director for Maine Township High School District 207, former board of education member in Itasca School District 10, former president of the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA), and former board member of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).