Eye On Illinois: All-day K on the way for the last 20% of state’s school districts

Proceed with caution.

Aside from being good advice for the sophomores starting driver education this month, it’s a mantra hopefully echoing among the many lawmakers who supported House Bill 2396, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law Wednesday.

The “Full-Day Kindergarten” law dictates that every public district must offer full-day kindergarten classes starting in the fall of the 2027 school year. The House approved the measure 87-23 in March, a vote that came on the heels of Pritzker pushing plans to spend $70 million in each of the next three years to let 170 school districts accounting for 80% of all unfilled positions apply for Teacher Pipeline Grants.

The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools’ annual study on teacher shortages (iarss.org/2022-educator-shortage) indicated 79% of districts have a shortage, 93% of those say the problem is as bad or worse as the prior year, 92% can’t get enough substitutes and so on.

The current kindergarten timetable is ambitious to say the least, if the idea is to solve the statewide teacher shortage problem before adding more responsibilities to local districts.

Beyond staffing concerns – 80% of districts already offer a full-day option – Illinois Association of School Administrators are concerned about districts finding money to expand to meet the new mandate. In March, IASA Chief of Staff Emily Warnecke told Capitol News Illinois “the vast majority” of the 20% lack space.

So where does the caution enter? Beyond the 2027 implementation, the law gives districts that can demonstrate need two additional waiver years. It also creates a task force that will undergo a statewide audit during the current school year with an interim report due in November 2024.

That document should specifically address capital and staffing needs, perhaps showing my concerns are overstated. Still, as we tell young drivers, better safe than sorry.

PORK & PIGSKINS ROUND THREE: In 2021, the Illinois High School Association and the Illinois Pork Producers Association launched the Pork & Pigskins Championship, a contest blending online voting and in-person judging to determine the best concession stand pork chop sandwich at almost 80 high school football fields. Hall High School in Spring Valley seeks to defend its 2022 crown, but this year’s contest is open to any pork product, meaning bacon, bratwurst and other sausages are in the mix.

The winner gets $500 off its 2024 pork purchase, a banner and a golden spatula. Schools can start entering the contest Aug. 14, but more important to readers is the chance to be a guest judge for the Savory 16. Self nominations opened Thursday through a simple online form (tinyurl.com/PorkContest23).

In the meantime, please email your favorite school concession items to help fellow readers plan their culinary conquests during the coming months.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Media. Follow him on Twitter @sth749. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.