October 15, 2018
Your daily synopsis of education news
Education an area with clear differences between Rauner, Pritzker
Gatehouse Media reports on the differences between Bruce Rauner and JB Pritzker on education. From the story:

There’s the ultra-political. Should Chicago have an elected school board? Pritzker says yes. Rauner says no.

Then, there’s the highly controversial. Should a private school tax credit scholarship program that most public education supporters oppose be expanded? Rauner says yes. Pritzker says no.

The candidates veer back into the same lane when it comes to investing more in public education and addressing widespread funding inequities in school districts across the state. But even then, education leaders say, they speak different languages when it comes to how that will happen.

“This election is going to have a big impact on public education in Illinois,” said Brian Harris, president of the state’s Large Unit District Association. “Both Pritzker and Rauner — they both say they want to be the education governor, but they have a different perspective on it.”

District 87's Reilly: Teacher licensing, bad rap contributing to shortage
GLT Public Radio out of Illinois State University spoke to District 87's Barry Reilly to get his thoughts on Illinois' teacher shortage. From the story:

Reilly said the basic skills exam is unnecessarily difficult and turns away prospective teachers.

“I would argue that absolutely that the basic skills test doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in terms of how rigorous if is,” Reilly said. “It’s not that we are against rigor because that’s important.”

Reilly also suggested the bad rap teachers get isn't helping the shortage. 

“In this country as a nation for at least recent history there’s been a ton of bashing of teachers across this country,” Reilly said. “That has to stop.”

What is dyslexia? Not what you think, experts say
The Daily Herald spoke to an expert on the definition of dyslexia. From the story:

Dyslexia may be among the most common learning disabilities -- it affects 10 percent to 20 percent of the population -- but it's also among the least understood, say parents in an advocacy group working with suburban school districts for greater awareness.

Schools are required by a state law updated in 2016 to screen students they suspect of having dyslexia, but the parent group wants that testing to be conducted for all to more quickly identify the condition that can cause ongoing reading struggles.

Dyslexia does not mean flipping numbers, reading backward or accidentally transposing letters, experts who counsel people with the condition say. By definition, it means "trouble with reading" or "trouble with words."

Julie Kraemer on why she became a SRO
In this episode, Dr. Rich Voltz, IASA Associate Director, speaks to Hutsonville CUSD # 1 Superintendent Julie Kraemer, on why she went through nine months of training to become a certified police officer, giving her the ability to carry a gun in school and help keep students safe in the event of a school shooting.
Education is on the ballot this November
The Center for American Progress looks at ballot questions in November concerning education. From the story:

November ballots will include more than just choices between elected officials; in at least 35 states, voters will also have to decide whether to accept or reject roughly 150 policy and funding questions in the form of ballot measures.

In 15 states across the country, there are 20 confirmed ballot measures that could generate more than $2 billion in revenue for public education and represent public referendums on important education policy issues, such as private school vouchers.*