State School Superintendent Warns of Massive Teacher Cuts if Education Budget is Cut (IL)

[FBaggins]

Democrats say it's wrong, and Republicans think it's a scare tactic. The Illinois Senate Thursday continued its hearings into 10 percent budget cuts, and what those cuts would do to various parts of state government.

With the subject being schools, state school superintendent Chris Koch (COOK) spoke about what's ahead for his budget, which includes between 13,000-17,000 layoffs. His proposal, which calls for about $26 billion in state and federal money, assumes that state government can't pump in any new money, and that the federal government won't kick in any more stimulus money. He says he's asked school to run the numbers, and with 75 percent of schools reporting, public schools would see 13,384 layoffs to teachers and other school staff.

His estimate does not include cuts for this fiscal year. Although Democrats are likely asking about 10 percent budget cuts because that's what's proposed by Republican governor candidate Bill Brady wants, Kock says schools can't lay anyone off this late in the school year. He explains that if someone were to cut, local districts would have to borrow or pass referenda to make up the costs. Republicans wonder if Democrats are simply trying to gain support for a tax hike by talking about cuts and layoffs.



http://www.wgil.com/localnews.php?xnewsaction=fullnews&newsarch=032010&newsid=62

[Hannah Bell]

1. IL = phase 1 finalist for rttt

[FBaggins]

2. I was thinking the same thing.

Of course..: they had something of a head start, didn't they?

OTOH, I find it hard to believe that a 10% statewide budget cut would result in so many teachers being fired (or that teachers would make up such a high proportion of total cuts)

They do appear to be the target du jour though... Don't they?

Oh well... Who needs teachers anyway? We'll just buy a bunch of computers and use e-learning for all education.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. Its a poison pill PR move. Lots of other places to cut

Not saying there is fat and waste, but targeting education to that level is clearly a poison pill

[maryf]

4. NY too

18 (maybe 10%) of our teachers may be cut this week (I'm not safe)...more in other districts...and NY is a phase 1 finalist despite the fact that the law doesn't allow merit pay, hmmmm....

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. They might be calling it something else

They do that in our business. Change the name and make it look like a brand new idea :)