By ISN
Springfield, IL – Illinois lawmakers, teachers, and education reformers may have to stay after school a little while longer to deal with the latest recommendations on education reform.
State Senator Kimberly Lightford has been spearheading discussions on education reform since January. She says major disputes over collective bargaining remain unresolved.
"For me, (it's about) what's best for the student and the classroom," says Lightford. "If we're all focused on getting the best results for the students, I'm pretty sure we can come up as education stakeholders and adults and professionals in the room with the process in which to get there."
But Lightford is not saying anything about an outcome of Thursday's meeting, which could come down to a fight over teacher strikes.
Discussions on education reform were spurred by "Race to the Top" legislation last fall, where Illinois failed to secure millions of dollars in federal funds.
Illinois Education Association executive director Audrey Soglin says she has been fighting against collective bargaining reforms from the beginning.
"We have a strong stance that the collective bargaining in our state works," says Soglin. "We do not believe they need to be changed. We do not offer any compromises or any other solutions to any of the issues that they raised."
The Illinois Education Association has been working with a coalition of teachers to advance ideas they've dubbed "Accountability for All," a proposal that calls for increased professional development and outlines procedures for obtaining tenure and filling of vacant positions.
