This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Teachers' Tenure Up for Grabs

The Illinois House of Representatives look over education reform Senate Bill 7, which passed the Senate uncontested April 14.

Illinois schools are bracing for change in the way teachers are hired, fired and promoted after Illinois Senate Bill 7 swept the Illinois Senate April 14. The bill could shift the long-held practice of tenure into a system of performance-based qualifiers when it comes to schools’ personnel decisions. 

The bill passed 59-0, leaving no doubt Illinois lawmakers support change in how educators are employed in the public school system. The bill awaits a vote in the Illinois House of Representatives, where it risks changes that may send it back to the Senate. 

Highlights of the bill emphasize performance over seniority in decisions including transfers, tenure, dismissals and layoffs; utilizing statewide teacher and student surveys to evaluate school conditions; and changes in striking provisions that could change the playing field when it comes to collective bargaining. 

Find out what's happening in Crystal Lake-Carywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Layoffs in suburban schools would no longer be based entirely on seniority; dismissal of a tenured teacher could take place in a shorter period of time and only teachers with positive evaluations for two of three years during the four-year probation period would be offered tenure. 

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) who developed the legislation in collaboration with a coalition of heavy-hitters including the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Illinois Education Association and the Chicago Teacher’s Union among others. 

Find out what's happening in Crystal Lake-Carywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It received backing from Gov. Pat Quinn, who commended Lightford’s efforts promoting the reform. Quinn’s support of education reform is evident by the number of legislation education reforms he’s signed into law within the past two years. 

“The governor is urging legislators to support Illinois students by supporting this bill,” in the House, said Quinn spokeswoman Annie Thompson. “This piece of legislation continues a comprehensive reform effort in Illinois.” 

Sen. Pam Althoff (R-McHenry) and Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Dist. 64) are likewise supportive of the bill, commending the effort of a variety of administrators, legislators and educational groups agreeing on a bill that could change the landscape of education in the state. 

While it’s anyone’s guess how the House will vote, Tryon suspects there may be some debate particularly concerning tenured teachers, which now requires those on strike be rehired despite the outcome at the bargaining table. 

“Teachers shouldn’t be exempt from the risk of possibly losing their jobs,” he said. 

He’d prefer to see striking provisions similar to the private sector, where in the case of an impasse during negotiations the employer has the right to hire new employees. 

“I think if you don’t show up for work and you have a plethora of teachers looking for jobs, you ought to be able to hire new teachers,” he said. 

Tryon pointed out that the bill is a step in the right direction, particularly by its requirement that bargaining be done in public in the event mediation fails. 

“The public then understands what is going on in the way of benefits and costs that will also bring an element into the negotiation where teachers unions will get to hear what the public thinks of it,” he said. 

Illinois is 48th in the nation when it comes to state funding, he said, but small school districts in suburban areas only get about 20 percent in state funds. 

“The amount of money being spent on education isn’t generating the result that we need it to generate,” he said. “Illinois is 38th in some scholastic testing that takes place, but we’re spending the highest tax in what we budget per student in the country.”

Those numbers put Illinois at the bottom half of the country in terms of student achievement, said Mary McClellan of Stand for Children, a grassroots organization that participated in the coalition’s negotiation of the legislation. 

“When you look at some of the economics that are facing our state and about who should stay in the classroom, it should be based on performance,” she said. “It should be the best teachers staying in the classroom, not necessarily the teachers that have seniority.” 

Also participating in the negotiations was Advance Illinois, which promotes quality education in the state’s schools. 

“The substance of the bill is very, very significant and has very far-reaching implications and positive impacts on schools,” said Robin Steans, Advance Illinois’ executive director. 

She believes the fact that due to the collective work went into the legislation, it may have a better chance of being implemented in a strong and high-impact way.

“It puts Illinois as the national leader in how different interests can come together for a common goal that’s actually good for kids,” she said.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?