Luechtefeld: Education reform ‘adds accountability'

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Illinois students will benefit from an educational reform package being signed into law on June 13, but the changes will take time to implement, according to State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld (R-Okawville).

"A partial step forward is being taken with Senate Bill 7, but I must stress that it may be a while before we see the results in the classroom," Luechtefeld said. "This legislation is not the final solution to all of our educational problems; however, it adds accountability."

Luechtefeld was a key negotiator on SB 7, legislation to pave the way for meaningful education reform that respects students, parents and other stake holders. The bill provides a classification of performance-based initiatives that holds educators and school management responsible for better results.

Key provisions of the bill include:

· A survey of each institutional environment will occur biannually;

· Bringing teachers back from RIFs, will be done not by seniority but by teachers with the highest ratings;

· Streamlined process for terminating non-proficient teachers;

· Accelerated tenure and tenure portability are created;

· All elected school board members must complete a minimum of 4 hours of professional development leadership training.

"We hope this package will translate into better teachers in the classroom," Luechtefeld concluded. "After 30 years as an educator, I always come back to the fact that ultimately good parents and teachers are the biggest factors enabling students to succeed."

Senate Bill 7 became law upon the Governor's signature.