The key dates lawmakers should be available in their home districts include: February 13-17, March 12-16, April 2-6 and 9-13.

More information on Back Home Lobbying

Dropout age hike is good move for all  Herald & Review Editorial – Quinn’s support of the idea, announced last week, follows a similar endorsement by President Barack Obama during his State of the Union message.  Increasing the dropout age is a good idea, although it does come with a few issues that need to be addressed. 

Union, 109 discuss Special Education
Trib-local Deerfield – A proposal to create a new committee to deal with special education issues was part of a written offer made by the Deerfield Public Schools District 109 negotiating team to the Deerfield Education Association teacher’s union at their mediation session Jan. 31.

Chuck Sweeny: Lottery goes to schools, it just doesn’t go far  Rockford Register Star – At Tuesday’s legislative candidates’ forum on education funding, 68th House District candidate John Cabello, a Republican, suggested it is not being used to fund education, as originally intended. “That’s what we were supposed to do with it in the … 

Political News 

Kadner: Shifting teacher pensions to our property tax bills
SouthtownStar – House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) recently said he doesn’t understand why the state is paying pensions for people who are not state employees. He was talking about schoolteachers, primarily suburban schoolteachers. Chicago pays for the pensions of teachers in its school system

Madigan: Let school districts pay for teacher pensions
Springfield Illinois Times – Needless to say, if all three Democratic leaders are talking about it, you can probably expect some action this year. However, there will be strong pushback from suburban and downstate legislators who’ll undoubtedly fear a voter backlash over potentially massive local tax increases to pay for the idea.

Quinn Tepid On Having School Districts Pay Teacher Pensions
Progress Illinois – Kelly Kraft, deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, said Tuesday that the idea of the state transferring teacher pension payments it makes to individual school districts and universities is a just a “concept” right now. This throws cold water on a proposal that gained momentum over the last week: that

Shifting pension burden to schools rankles official
Galesburg Register Mail – Guy Cahill is angry. District 205’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations is not alone, as Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to propose shifting the burden of funding teachers’ pensions from the state to local school districts. Cahill said Wednesday the state paid $5.6 million to District 205 for teachers’ pensions two years ago,

Text of Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State address Feb. 1, 2012
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader –  Laws that improve school report cards so that parents have more information about the schools that educate their kids. Laws that set clear benchmarks for teacher evaluation and put performance above tenure. And laws that lay the groundwork for a longer school day and a longer school year. Our education reforms put the children of Illinois first.

Continue to think big’ – Quinn pushes for government expansion in speech  Despite a pile of unpaid bills that could top $34 billion in five years, Gov. Pat Quinn outlined a plan Wednesday to boost spending on a number of new programs in the coming year.

State of the State Highlights
Chicago Sun Times – Launching a new construction program for schools and clean-water initiatives. Raising the age high-school students must stay in school to 18 and making a “major investment” in early childhood education.

Quinn proposes tax breaks for veterans, child care and natural gas  Hinz – Declaring that he has “made Illinois a better state,” Gov. Pat Quinn today proposed new tax breaks for hiring veterans and raising children,  and asked lawmakers to abolish the state’s natural gas utility tax.

Quinn Glosses Over Unpaid Bills
Chicago WMAQ (NBC) 5 – speech that called for a bigger investment in early childhood education and state MAP scholarships for college students. Quinn said he wants to improve school report cards, set benchmarks for teacher evaluations and — though he didn’t mention Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — lay the groundwork for a longer school day.

Illinois governor urges pension, Medicaid changes
Chicago Tribune – (Reuters) – Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on Wednesday said the state must make changes to its pension system and to Medicaid this year, while also insisting that spending cuts alone will not fix the state’s budget.

Quinn shoves aside state’s budget woes
Chicago Tribune – technology in classrooms, though he did not say how much money he wanted to set aside for the programs or where he would get the additional funding. Some school districts have struggled to pay teachers and provide services following years of payment delays from the state. “The governor has figured out some ways to pay for this that are not necessarily part of anything on the table

Local lawmakers: Speech fails to inspire
Danville Commercial-News –  Quinn, speaking for almost 40 minutes, outlined goals pushing for the creation of jobs and stressing the need for more education funding. The reactions were bipartisan, as both Democratic state Sen. Michael Frerichs of Champaign and Republican state Rep. Chad Hays of Catlin were looking for more from the governor.

Business Reaction To State of the State Address
Champaign WCIA (CBS) 3 – One of Governor Quinn’s key points in his State of the State address was job growth.  “We’ve created good paying jobs, while laying the foundation for future growth,” Governor Quinn said.

Editorial: State of Illinois? Broke, broken
Jacksonville Journal Courier –  It has expired and gone to meet its maker. It is an ex-horse. Stuffing it full of borrowed cash and costly incentives will do nothing to make the horse rise again. Quinn talked about the need to reform government pensions and Medicaid. And offered no ideas on how to do it. He touted work done to improve roads and bridges.

Lawmakers say Quinn’s speech ignores economic reality
Rockford Register Star – “That’s what we have to do going forward. We created the template a year ago, now let’s use this to stop this runaway train. “I do have a lot of respect for Governor Quinn, but we have to work together to incentivize businesses in Illinois.” Rep. Dave Winters, R-Shirland (69th:) “He painted everything in a bright light.

State Lawmakers Set Light Schedule
Chicago News Cooperative – The speech gave him a chance to tout his accomplishments, including reforming workers’ compensation, tightening teacher tenure processes and legalizing civil unions between same-sex couples. Quinn announced a $2.3 million investment in a new technology center at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart

National News

Education: States should do more to reach students  Peoria Journal – In its initial review of No Child Left Behind waiver requests, the US Education Department highlighted a similar weakness in nearly every application: States did not do enough to ensure schools would be held accountable for the …

Fla. senator booted off panel over privatization  The Florida Education Association and Florida AFL-CIO, which represents many public workers, were swift in firing off press releases criticizing the move as …

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Inside Facebook’s IPO: How the Social Web Will Reshape the Economy

Facebook’s IPO — the largest in Internet history — is a once-in-a-generation milestone in the evolution of the web

Egypt’s Soccer Tragedy: How the Shocktroops of the Revolution May Be Used to Strengthen the Generals’ Grip

The defiance and bluster among Egypt’s militant soccer fans following the death of 73 people in a stadium in Port Said betrayed a sense of foreboding

Pacquiao vs. Mayweather: The Fight of the Century Ain’t Gonna Happen Again

After weeks of taunts and teasing, the world’s two best active boxers are once again disappointing their fans

Obama’s New Housing Plan: More About Politics than Solving Problems?

Class War 2012: Why Both Parties Are Flying the Anti-Wall Street Banner

Gingrich ended his campaign against Romney in Florida with the same message strategy that Romney’s senior advisers had used in another Republican primary two years earlier: Attack Goldman Sachs. There was a good reason

The Washington Post

For Romney and Paul, a strategic alliance between establishment and outsider

RENO, NEV. — The remaining candidates in the winnowed Republican presidential field are attacking one another with abandon, each day bringing fresh headlines of accusations and outrage.

But Mitt Romney and Ron Paul haven’t laid a hand on each other.

Read full article >>
(Amy Gardner)

Panetta: U.S., NATO will seek to end Afghan combat mission next year

BRUSSELS — The United States hopes to end its combat mission in Afghanistan by the middle of next year, more than a year earlier than scheduled, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Wednesday.

Read full article >>
(Craig Whitlock, Karen DeYoung)

Facebook files for IPO, plans to raise $5 billion with stock sale

Facebook filed for a much-anticipated stock offering Wednesday that put a dollar figure on the world’s addiction to sharing, commenting and evaluating life with their online friends and family.

Read full article >>
(Cecilia Kang, Hayley Tsukayama)

Editorial Board: Encouraging a degree of saving in higher ed

HIGHER EDUCATION IS both crucial to America’s economic competitiveness and hard for many students and their families to afford. Annual tuition and fees rose $1,800 over the past five years at public four-year institutions and $3,730 at private schools, according to the College Board. Net tuition, after factoring in financial aid, held steady over that period, but that shows only that rising costs ate up most of the additional federal, state and private scholarships.

Read full article >>
(Editorial Board)

Virginia Senate passes bill requiring women to undergo ultrasound before abortion

RICHMOND — The Virginia Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would require women to have an ultrasound before an abortion, the first of several legislative measures this year that are expected to dramatically alter abortion law in the state.

Read full article >>
(Anita Kumar)

Word of the Day for Thursday, February 2, 2012

peroration \per-uh-REY-shuhn\, noun:

1. A long speech characterized by lofty and often pompous language.
2. Rhetoric. The concluding part of a speech or discourse, in which the speaker or writer recapitulates the principal points and urges them with greater earnestness and force.

Next move in contract negotiations up to Rockford teachers
Rockford Register Star – with another offer or schedule more dates to meet and negotiate a labor agreement. According to interim Superintendent Robert Willis, collective bargaining teams for the district and the Rockford Education Association met Tuesday morning with a federal mediator, although union officials said they needed more time to prepare a response to the district’s offer from last week

Dropout age hike is good move for all

Herald & Review Editorial – Quinn’s support of the idea, announced last week, follows a similar endorsement by President Barack Obama during his State of the Union message.

Increasing the dropout age is a good idea, although it does come with a few issues that need to be addressed.

Union, 109 discuss Special Education
Trib-local Deerfield – A proposal to create a new committee to deal with special education issues was part of a written offer made by the Deerfield Public Schools District 109 negotiating team to the Deerfield Education Association teacher’s union at their mediation session Jan. 31.

Chuck Sweeny: Lottery goes to schools, it just doesn’t go far

Rockford Register Star – At Tuesday’s legislative candidates’ forum on education funding, 68th House District candidate John Cabello, a Republican, suggested it is not being used to fund education, as originally intended. “That’s what we were supposed to do with it in the …

Political News

Kadner: Shifting teacher pensions to our property tax bills
SouthtownStar – House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) recently said he doesn’t understand why the state is paying pensions for people who are not state employees. He was talking about schoolteachers, primarily suburban schoolteachers. Chicago pays for the pensions of teachers in its school system

Madigan: Let school districts pay for teacher pensions
Springfield Illinois Times – Needless to say, if all three Democratic leaders are talking about it, you can probably expect some action this year. However, there will be strong pushback from suburban and downstate legislators who’ll undoubtedly fear a voter backlash over potentially massive local tax increases to pay for the idea.

Quinn Tepid On Having School Districts Pay Teacher Pensions
Progress Illinois – Kelly Kraft, deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, said Tuesday that the idea of the state transferring teacher pension payments it makes to individual school districts and universities is a just a “concept” right now. This throws cold water on a proposal that gained momentum over the last week: that

Shifting pension burden to schools rankles official
Galesburg Register Mail – Guy Cahill is angry. District 205’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations is not alone, as Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to propose shifting the burden of funding teachers’ pensions from the state to local school districts. Cahill said Wednesday the state paid $5.6 million to District 205 for teachers’ pensions two years ago,

Text of Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State address Feb. 1, 2012
Quad Cities Dispatch Argus Leader –  Laws that improve school report cards so that parents have more information about the schools that educate their kids. Laws that set clear benchmarks for teacher evaluation and put performance above tenure. And laws that lay the groundwork for a longer school day and a longer school year. Our education reforms put the children of Illinois first.

Continue to think big’ – Quinn pushes for government expansion in speech

Despite a pile of unpaid bills that could top $34 billion in five years, Gov. Pat Quinn outlined a plan Wednesday to boost spending on a number of new programs in the coming year.

State of the State Highlights
Chicago Sun Times – Launching a new construction program for schools and clean-water initiatives. Raising the age high-school students must stay in school to 18 and making a “major investment” in early childhood education.

Quinn proposes tax breaks for veterans, child care and natural gas

Hinz – Declaring that he has “made Illinois a better state,” Gov. Pat Quinn today proposed new tax breaks for hiring veterans and raising children, and asked lawmakers to abolish the state’s natural gas utility tax.

Quinn Glosses Over Unpaid Bills
Chicago WMAQ (NBC) 5 – speech that called for a bigger investment in early childhood education and state MAP scholarships for college students. Quinn said he wants to improve school report cards, set benchmarks for teacher evaluations and — though he didn’t mention Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — lay the groundwork for a longer school day.

Illinois governor urges pension, Medicaid changes
(Chicago Tribune – (Reuters) – Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on Wednesday said the state must make changes to its pension system and to Medicaid this year, while also insisting that spending cuts alone will not fix the state’s budget.

Quinn shoves aside state’s budget woes
Chicago Tribune – technology in classrooms, though he did not say how much money he wanted to set aside for the programs or where he would get the additional funding. Some school districts have struggled to pay teachers and provide services following years of payment delays from the state. “The governor has figured out some ways to pay for this that are not necessarily part of anything on the table

Local lawmakers: Speech fails to inspire
Danville Commercial-News –  Quinn, speaking for almost 40 minutes, outlined goals pushing for the creation of jobs and stressing the need for more education funding. The reactions were bipartisan, as both Democratic state Sen. Michael Frerichs of Champaign and Republican state Rep. Chad Hays of Catlin were looking for more from the governor.

Business Reaction To State of the State Address
Champaign WCIA (CBS) 3 – One of Governor Quinn’s key points in his State of the State address was job growth.  “We’ve created good paying jobs, while laying the foundation for future growth,” Governor Quinn said.

Editorial: State of Illinois? Broke, broken
Jacksonville Journal Courier –  It has expired and gone to meet its maker. It is an ex-horse. Stuffing it full of borrowed cash and costly incentives will do nothing to make the horse rise again. Quinn talked about the need to reform government pensions and Medicaid. And offered no ideas on how to do it. He touted work done to improve roads and bridges.

Lawmakers say Quinn’s speech ignores economic reality
Rockford Register Star – “That’s what we have to do going forward. We created the template a year ago, now let’s use this to stop this runaway train. “I do have a lot of respect for Governor Quinn, but we have to work together to incentivize businesses in Illinois.” Rep. Dave Winters, R-Shirland (69th:) “He painted everything in a bright light.

State Lawmakers Set Light Schedule
Chicago News Cooperative – The speech gave him a chance to tout his accomplishments, including reforming workers’ compensation, tightening teacher tenure processes and legalizing civil unions between same-sex couples. Quinn announced a $2.3 million investment in a new technology center at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart

National News

Education: States should do more to reach students

Peoria Journal – In its initial review of No Child Left Behind waiver requests, the US Education Department highlighted a similar weakness in nearly every application: States did not do enough to ensure schools would be held accountable for the …

Fla. senator booted off panel over privatization

The Florida Education Association and Florida AFL-CIO, which represents many public workers, were swift in firing off press releases criticizing the move as …

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Inside Facebook’s IPO: How the Social Web Will Reshape the Economy

Facebook’s IPO — the largest in Internet history — is a once-in-a-generation milestone in the evolution of the web

Egypt’s Soccer Tragedy: How the Shocktroops of the Revolution May Be Used to Strengthen the Generals’ Grip

The defiance and bluster among Egypt’s militant soccer fans following the death of 73 people in a stadium in Port Said betrayed a sense of foreboding

Pacquiao vs. Mayweather: The Fight of the Century Ain’t Gonna Happen Again

After weeks of taunts and teasing, the world’s two best active boxers are once again disappointing their fans

Obama’s New Housing Plan: More About Politics than Solving Problems?

Class War 2012: Why Both Parties Are Flying the Anti-Wall Street Banner

Gingrich ended his campaign against Romney in Florida with the same message strategy that Romney’s senior advisers had used in another Republican primary two years earlier: Attack Goldman Sachs. There was a good reason

The Washington Post

For Romney and Paul, a strategic alliance between establishment and outsider

RENO, NEV. — The remaining candidates in the winnowed Republican presidential field are attacking one another with abandon, each day bringing fresh headlines of accusations and outrage.

But Mitt Romney and Ron Paul haven’t laid a hand on each other.

Read full article >>
(Amy Gardner)

Panetta: U.S., NATO will seek to end Afghan combat mission next year

BRUSSELS — The United States hopes to end its combat mission in Afghanistan by the middle of next year, more than a year earlier than scheduled, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Wednesday.

Read full article >>
(Craig Whitlock, Karen DeYoung)

Facebook files for IPO, plans to raise $5 billion with stock sale

Facebook filed for a much-anticipated stock offering Wednesday that put a dollar figure on the world’s addiction to sharing, commenting and evaluating life with their online friends and family.

Read full article >>
(Cecilia Kang, Hayley Tsukayama)

Editorial Board: Encouraging a degree of saving in higher ed

HIGHER EDUCATION IS both crucial to America’s economic competitiveness and hard for many students and their families to afford. Annual tuition and fees rose $1,800 over the past five years at public four-year institutions and $3,730 at private schools, according to the College Board. Net tuition, after factoring in financial aid, held steady over that period, but that shows only that rising costs ate up most of the additional federal, state and private scholarships.

Read full article >>
(Editorial Board)

Virginia Senate passes bill requiring women to undergo ultrasound before abortion

RICHMOND — The Virginia Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would require women to have an ultrasound before an abortion, the first of several legislative measures this year that are expected to dramatically alter abortion law in the state.

Read full article >>
(Anita Kumar)

Word of the Day for Thursday, February 2, 2012

peroration \per-uh-REY-shuhn\, noun:

1. A long speech characterized by lofty and often pompous language.
2. Rhetoric. The concluding part of a speech or discourse, in which the speaker or writer recapitulates the principal points and urges them with greater earnestness and force.

In Wednesday’s State of the State address, Gov. Quinn restated his belief that the Illinois pension problem, which, along with Medicaid, is having a major impact on the state budget, needs to be addressed in 2012. The key legislative leaders are echoing that belief.

Illinois Labor Pension Coalition

The unions representing the government employees who pay into the state pension systems intend to actively participate in the pension discussion.

IEA, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, AFSCME, SEIU and the Illinois AFL-CIO have coalesced around the belief that it is in the best interests of our organizations’ members to be engaged with policymakers whenever and wherever changes in pension policy are being discussed. To that end, the labor pension coalition has been meeting with key players in the state pension discussion. Click here to read more.

Be part of the process

More than 70 IEA members attended candidate recommendation hearings  Jan. 28 in the suburban Chicago area. These meetings help to ensure education-friendly candidates are elected to vote for legislation affecting you and your students. Visit the IEA website to watch a video on how IPACE recommendation hearings are conducted and be sure to attend those held in your area.

IEA UniServ Intern program

All active IEA members, associate staff, and administrative assistants interested in securing professional staff positions are eligible to experience UniServ professional staff work. IEA is actively seeking minorities and women to apply. Visit the IEA website for more information and to download an application.

Give your valentine a gift that sparkles

Shop for jewelry or that next vacation package with NEA Member Benefits Click & Save program. You’ll save money and make your someone special very happy.

Visit the NEA MB website to register or sign in to find all the values that your membership allows.

You could win tickets to see the Chicago Symphony

Send us an email message with “Symphony” in the subject line and you’ll be entered to win two tickets to the April 5 performance at the Symphony Center.

The RA preview Advocate is coming your way

Look for this important issue of the Advocate containing the tentative RA schedule, NEA Director candidate statements, proposed by-law changes and find out which of your colleagues have obtained National Board Certification.

The IEA Store is back, featuring your old favorites, new items and a new way to order!

With IEA Store items, you can:

• Show your pride in being a member of the Illinois Education Association-NEA
• Provide incentive gifts for meeting attendance
• Thank your members who volunteer
• And more…

All with items available to you at cost featuring the IEA logo.

Proposal To Shift Teacher Pension Contributions
WSIL TV – Governor Quinn, the House Speaker and the Senate President all support legislation that would require local school districts to pay more into the Teacher Retirement System. “It would lead to worsened labor relations, and it would lead to potential job losses in the local communities,” says Jim Clark, an Illinois Education Association representative. Local school districts and teachers’ unions are not taking the pension proposal lightly. Clark says the state is reneging on its obligations. 

Quinn budget office walks back pension funding shift stories  The Capitol Fax Blog (blog) – Pat Quinn and his staff have been saying that he believes more of the burden for pension funding ought to be paid by local school districts. 

Educators say funding key to reducing dropouts
Chicago Tribune – Raising the state’s dropout age, a pitch that will be a part of Quinn’s State of the State address Wednesday, creates vexing problems for school districts already burdened by soaring numbers of truancy cases, officials said.

How To Close $9.6 Million Gap?
Rosemont Journal – Cutting up to 49 teachers is one of several means being considered by Palatine Township Elementary School Dist. 15 to reduce a projected $9.6 million deficit.

D53 union leader: Teachers want to go back to bargaining table
Trib-local Oak Brook –  willing to continue contract negotiations despite the school board’s announcement this week that the two sides reached an impasse. Andrew Griffith, a representative of the Oak Brook Education Association, which represents 48 teachers, said the board declared the impasse and that teachers want to keep working until they reach an agreement.

Nomination process starts for top teacher
Dixon Telegraph – If you can read this editorial, thank a teacher. A great way to offer thanks and recognition to teachers is for local school districts to submit nominees for Illinois Teacher of the Year. Those Who Excel nomination forms and general information are now available at www.isbe.net/those who_excel.htm, the Illinois State Board of Education’s website. The nomination deadline is June 8, which means superintendents and administrators have more than 4 months to complete this assignment. That’s plenty of time, we’d say.

Staff Editorial: State charging too much for Basic Skills Test
Charleston Daily Eastern News – Eastern News recently reported the price for the Basic Skills Test, now known as the Test of Academic Proficiency, has increased from a burdensome $86 to a truly ridiculous $125. The State Board of education raised the standards of the test last year, requiring prospective educators to receive at least an 80 percent final score (they can take the test up to 5 times). 

Enrollment drops 5 percent at JALC  SIU Carbondale was not the only institution taking a dip in spring enrollment as John A. Logan …

SIU enrollment has some increases, but drops overall
Southern Illinoisan – On-campus international enrollment has taken a 6.4 percent increase with 77 new students. Total off-campus enrollment has increased by seven students to 2,072 with 349 students enrolling in distance education, compared to 313 in 2011. Colleges showing increases include the College of Science with an 83-student increase

Teachers Union Mad Over Rahm’s Charter School Video
Chicago WMAQ (NBC) 5 – Things didn’t get any better last week when Emanuel appeared in a pro-Charter school video produced by the education Action Group and narrated by Fox News Correspondent Juan Williams. EAG is the same group that released footage of Lewis giving an unsavory speech about education Secretary Arne Duncan’s

‘Give leadership a chance’
Parents and teachers argued that the leadership of Casals and Piccolo schools need more time to improve the school, while CPS officials said the schools have not shown enough progress and need a complete overhaul.

Youth advocates want more data on school arrests
Black students are almost twice as likely to be arrested at school compared to their peers. Youth advocates want a new policy requiring the district to disclose school-based arrests at every school on a quarterly basis.

Website gives details on arts education
A new online map shows which schools have outside partners who provide arts programs, and reveals that schools on the South and Near West sides are the least likely to have such partnerships.

School actions ‘not done deal’
Board member and former principal Mahalia Hines tells opponents of school actions that the board is not “a cookie cutter” and that final approval of closings and turnarounds is not a sure thing.

Political News

Governor to deliver State of the State address at noon
WUIS 91.9 PBR (Springfield) – Gov. Pat Quinn will give his first major speech of the year today. Both chambers of the General Assembly will gather at noon for his State of the State address.

IL lawmakers want more than job talk from Gov. Quinn
Chicago Press Release Service -  Illinois lawmakers say they want to hear more from Gov. Pat Quinn than just talk about jobs — they want a plan. Quinn is expected to make employment a cornerstone of his State of the State address at noon Wednesday. “Gov. Quinn will lay out an ambitious agenda for creating jobs and paving the way to

Gov. Quinn: State of State will focus on jobs  Gov. Pat Quinn plans to stress jobs and economic growth, including a bigger tax break for businesses that hire veterans, when he delivers a State of the State address today that will also touch on the difficult budget decisions ahead for Illinois.

Our View: Quinn’s State of the State comes as fiscal crisis looms
Rockford Register Star – Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn will give his State of the State speech Wednesday amid reports that Illinois’ finances are shakier than ever.

IL lawmakers want more than job talk from Gov. Quinn  Illinois Statehouse News – Pat Quinn than just talk about jobs — they want a plan. Quinn is expected to make employment a cornerstone of his State of the State address at noon

Quinn seeks bigger tax break for hiring Ill. vets  Bloomington Pantagraph – Pat Quinn plans to use his State of the State address to propose a bigger tax break for businesses that hire military veterans. A person familiar with the

Op-Ed: AFSCME Debunks Business Lobbys State Budget Report
Progress Illinois – The following is a statment from AFSCME on the Civic Federation’s new report on the state budget. The patient, state government, is ailing. Symptoms include chronic failure to adequately fund basic services or pay bills, forcing harmful cuts. But this report fails to diagnose the cause, while the bitter medicine it prescribes offers no cure.

Quinn mocks Indiana’s “right to work” bill  The Capitol Fax Blog (blog) –  Pat Quinn derided Indiana’s so-called “right to work” proposal yesterday as a “right to work for less” idea and defended union rights…

Quinn has a Rahm problem  Chicago Sun-Times – Including, last session, a gaming package that Quinn refused to swallow whole. Still, Emanuel has won glowing press for most of his initiatives, most of the time.

Social media use climbing among Illinois legislators
McDonough Voice – When it comes to his Facebook and Twitter pages, state Sen. Sam McCann says he tries not to bicker with disagreeable constituents. “I will accept a friend request from almost anyone,”

Candidates for Illinois House, Senate back school funding shift
Rockford Register Star –  Candidates also said they opposed the idea of shifting the burden from the state and asking local taxpayers to fully fund teacher pensions. They also oppose consolidating school districts, an idea that could be more costly than initially thought.

National News

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Romney Crushes Gingrich in Florida, Takes Control of GOP Race  Even before the polls closed, it was clear Romney had reduced Gingrich to a thin, bitter pile of moon dust 

Could Syria Become the Next Libya? At the United Nations, a Race to Convince Russia to Act  Vowing to avoid “another Libya,” the U.S. and its allies challenged Russia on Tuesday to overcome its opposition to a U.N. draft resolution demanding that Syrian President Bashar Assad yield power and end the violence that has killed thousands 

A Telescope as Sharp as Hubble — But On the Ground  A new system provides all the clarity of stargazing from space and none of the challenges

Why Morning Routines Are Creativity Killers  Everything about the way we wake up and start our day runs counter to the best conditions for thinking creatively 

Is Google In Danger of Being Shut Out of the Changing Internet? 

The Washington Post

Gingrich: Nomination will go on for ‘probably six months’  ORLANDO — Is a third resurrection possible for Newt Gingrich?  The former House speaker, who has charted the most topsy-turvy course of any of the up-again-down-again candidates during this presidential election cycle, insisted Tuesday night that he would revive his campaign once more.  Read full article >>
(Amy Gardner)
Can Mitt Romney be stopped in Nevada?  RENO, Nev. — The Republican presidential field heads west to Nevada this week facing a single dominant question: Can anything or anyone block Mitt Romney’s path to the GOP presidential nomination, particularly given his resounding win here four years ago?  Read full article >>
(Amy Gardner)

Super PACs helping Republican candidates close in on Obama  Conservative super PACs and other outside groups are helping Republicans close a yawning fundraising gap with President Obama, giving the eventual GOP presidential nominee a better chance at winning the money race by November, according to new disclosures Tuesday.  Read full article >>
(Dan Eggen, T.W. Farnam)

Doing the math on Obama’s deficits  The campaign trail can be a lonely place, so Mitt Romney frequently invites friends to accompany him. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is an occasional companion. So is Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. But more often, Romney brings a large clock. Read full article >>
(Ezra Klein)

Word of the Day for Wednesday, February 1, 2012

doyenne \doi-EN\, noun:

A woman who is the senior member of a group, class, or profession.

State wants school districts to contribute more to teacher pensions  A proposal to shift a greater portion of downstate and suburban teacher retirement costs from the state to local school districts is essentially a “burden transfer” that would hurt Southern Illinois schools and could add to the load already carried by local taxpayers, some school official…   

Chicago Tribune: Your money supports, count ‘em, 868 school districts  About a year ago, in his budget address, Gov. Pat Quinn took a political risk and said Illinois should greatly reduce the number of school districts in the state. Illinois has 868 school districts, more than almost any other state. That creates a lot of unnecessary expense through duplication of services. We’re long overdue for a downsizing.

Decades of school funding debate fly right out the window  The Capitol Fax Blog (blog) Pat Quinn, responding to a dire new report on state finances Monday, said more clearly … A statement from Quinn’s budget office said the practice of state 

School districts say proposed state aid hikes not enough
Elgin Courier News – The Illinois State Board of Education is recommending a $265.2 million, or 3.9 percent, increase in state education funding. It comes ahead of Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State budget address scheduled for Wednesday. And it’s still about $426 million less than the funding Illinois schools received

Yes, classrooms first
Chicago Tribune Editorial – About a year ago, in his budget address, Gov. Pat Quinn took a political risk and said Illinois should greatly reduce the number of school districts in the state. Illinois has 868 school districts, more than almost any other state. That creates a lot of unnecessary expense through duplication of services. We’re long overdue for a downsizing.

Dist. 15 discussing layoffs, program cuts to reduce deficit
Chicago Daily Herald – Thompson said District 15 employs more than most surrounding districts. Though program assistants who help with reading difficulties are protected in the teachers union contract, the district could cut some who work with bilingual and special needs students. Band and orchestra programs in the elementary schools also could be eliminated

D53, teachers at odds over salaries
Trib-local Oak Brook – the school board announced Monday. As required by law, final contract offers by the board and the Oak Brook Education Association, which represents the district’s teachers, were submitted earlier this month to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, school district officials said.

OPRF teachers ratify new contract with limited pay raises
River Forest Leaves – Oak Park-River Forest High School teachers agreed to a new two-year employment contract on Monday afternoon that includes no pay increase next year. The District 200 School Board is scheduled to vote on the contract

District 109 to propose teacher evaluation plan
PioneerLocal.com – It’s a win-win for everyone,” said Steve Schwartz, a board member on the negotiating team. Dennis Jensen, president of the Deerfield Education Association, said he found the board’s statement on the district website encouraging. “Our negotiating team will need to see the actual proposal before I can comment further.

State House, Senate candidates to talk about local education
Rockford Register Star – The event is focused on education, and presenters include Auburn High School English teacher Paul Goddard, Belvidere Schools Superintendent Michael Houselog, Rockford School Board Vice President Jude Makulec and Robert King, board president of the Booker Washington Community Center.

Regional Superintendents Still Fighting For Their Jobs  PEORIA – Illinois regional superintendents are still fighting for their jobs after continued pressure from Governor Quinn to cut the positions. 

Adjunxploitation in Chicago and Beyond
Chicago Gapers Block – Called a “stalling tactic” by the union activists, there couldn’t be an election until the charge was thrown out. Long-time organizer at the Illinois Education Association, Tom Suhrbur, clarified the risk of such a “frivolous ULP,” which could come with financial consequences for the University. 

The plan to save College Illinois: Form a committee
Crains Chicago Business – It’s drifted,” he said. Kevin Huber, a newly appointed ISAC commissioner who holds a College Illinois contract on behalf of his child and is the executive director of the Chicago teachers’ Pension Fund, said Friday that the commission should press lawmakers right away to guarantee future contracts if the fund runs dry

Emanuel’s Appearance in Pro-Charter School Video Irks Teachers Union
Chicago News Cooperative – “We want to make sure parents have a say in what’s happening,” she said. In 2010, Stand for Children created a political committee that made donations to state lawmakers, and it was a driving force in winning approval for legislation that will extend the school day in Chicago

Political News

Quinn focuses on teacher pensions as address nears
Chicago Daily Herald – Gov. Pat Quinn, responding to a dire new report on state finances Monday, said more clearly than ever that he wants schools and universities to help pay for their employees’ retirement costs.

Our Opinion: Fiscal doomsday drawing ever closer  One especially telling aspect of Illinois’ financial mess is the fact that, no matter how much doom you see in it, no one will call you Chicken Little. The latest case in point comes courtesy of the Civic Federation, a nonpartisan, Chicago-based budget watchdog group that for years has warned that the state’s fiscal sky is falling — or is in grave danger of doing so — under the weight of ever-growing public pension and healthcare demands.  

Little dispute over report that Illinois soon to be $35 billion in hock
Crains Chicago Business –  There are growing signs that Springfield’s ruling Democrats want to solve part of the problem by requiring local school districts to pick up at least part of the cost of teacher pensions, which now are funded by the state. But that could easily translate into big property-tax hikes, a political nonstarter. Or the firing of thousands of teachers, also problematic.

Nationwide cutback in government jobs; Illinois down for years  Chicago Sun-Times –  Pat Quinn has threatened to cut even more through various state facility closures. … But facing resistance from lawmakers and AFSCME, the Quinn

The budget is about people  The Capitol Fax Blog (blog) – Governor Quinn and the GA are going to have to decide how to apportion the pain that … (June will be the end of the first 18 months of Quinn’s new term.)

Illinois bond rating ranked lowest in US  Daily Eastern News – Pat Quinn, the backlog could increase to about $34.8 billion by fiscal year 2017. Treasurer Paul McCann said public institutions that receive appropriated

Gov. Quinn Defends CME Tax Break On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”  Pat Quinn appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” yesterday, and host Joe Scarborough asked Quinn why he gave tax breaks to Sears, the Chicago Board of Exchange …

Senator Kirk’s health  Chicago Tribune The Republicans will do everything possible to assist him in remaining in the Senate and not allowing Governor Quinn to replace him with a Democrat

National News

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Bracing for a Loss in Florida, Gingrich Reinvents Himself as a Grassroots Insurgent

When you throw a party only to show up an hour and forty-five minutes late, the least you can do is feed your guests.

On the Ground in Afghanistan, a Taliban Whose Momentum Seems Anything but Broken

A fighting unit’s experiences in Kunar province poses doubts on President Obama’s claim that the Afghan insurgency has been rocked back on its heels

A Poet’s Legacy: As Neo-Fascists Claim Ezra Pound, His Family Says, ‘Hands Off’

In Italy, neo-fascists have seized on the American writer name and wartime activity to burnish their own ambitions. His survivors are suing to stop it

What Happens to the Kids When Charter Schools Fail?

States are closing sub-par charter schools, but shuttling students back to mediocre public schools may be doing kids more harm than good

Erin Brockovich Behind Investigation Into Teen Tic Outbreak

The Washington Post
European leaders adopt treaty pledging debt reduction

BRUSSELS — European leaders adopted a groundbreaking new treaty Monday that binds them to imposing caps on deficits and government debts to combat the painful financial crisis that has sabotaged prosperity across the continent and left it slipping toward recession.

Read full article >>
(Edward Cody)

Romney and Gingrich policy ideas mirror their personalities: Pragmatic vs. epic

If he were elected president, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney says, he would cut companies’ tax bills. But former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) would cut them more than twice as much.

Read full article >>
(David A. Fahrenthold)

Daughter’s illness is quandary for Santorum

BOCA RATON, Fla. — GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, campaigning under the banner “faith, family and freedom,” has made his life story central to his political identity. He often mentions his seven kids — one of whom is gravely ill — a son who died hours after birth, and his wife of two decades as proof that he not only preaches conservative values but lives by them in his daily life.

Read full article >>
(Nia-Malika Henderson, Rosalind S. Helderman)

Editorial Board: Saving Syria requires Russia’s cooperation

ARAB AND WESTERN governments plan to mount a major diplomatic offensive at the United Nations on Tuesday in the hope of breaking a deadlock in the Security Council on Syria. Nabil ­el-Araby, secretary general of the Arab League, will present a plan to end the swelling violence by calling for dictator Bashar al-Assad to step down and be replaced by a coalition government that would organize elections.

Read full article >>
(Editorial Board)

In Florida Everglades, pythons and anacondas dominate food chain

Every child learns this sad and basic truth about nature: The snake eats the rabbit.

But in the southernmost part of the Florida Everglades, things have taken a really wild turn. Pythons and anacondas are eating everything. The most common animals in Everglades National Park — rabbits, raccoons, opposums and bobcats — are almost gone, according to a study released Monday.

Read full article >>
(Darryl Fears)

Word of the Day for Tuesday, January 31, 2012

idoneous \ahy-DOH-nee-uhs\, adjective:

Appropriate; fit; suitable; apt.

Illinois dropout age could rise to 18  SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ high school dropout age would rise to 18 under a plan that could …

Wisconsin keeps students in school until 18
WREX (NBC) 13 Rockford – Educators say changing the exit age or graduation rate can only do so much – programs and support are needed to keep teens interested. The National Center for education Statistics says 30 states, including Minnesota and Iowa, allow students to drop out before 18.

‘Final’ offer from Rockford School District in teachers’ hands
Rockford Register Star – Contract negotiations between the Rockford School District and its teachers union might have reached a turning point this week, with district leaders giving what they call a final contract offer to the union Thursday morning. REA members will meet Saturday morning

REA Rejects District 205 Contract
WIFR (CBS) 23 Rockford – ROCKFORD (WIFR) — The Rockford Education Association has overwhelmingly voted against a final contract submitted by District 205. Hundreds of teachers gathered with ballots at Guilford High School

REA votes to reject latest offer from Rockford School District
Rockford Register Star –  The Rockford Education Association voted today to reject the most recent contract offer from the Rockford School District and return to the bargaining table to try to reach a labor agreement. REA President Kar

Rockford teacher’s union turns down contract offer, no strike
WREX (NBC) 13 Rockford – Rockford teachers say no to District 205′s latest contract offer in a nearly unanimous vote. The Rockford Education Association held a special meeting Saturday at Guilford High School to review what was presented to them as the district’s final offer.  Out of 1,000 plus union members,

IEMA asking schools, organizations to hold earthquake preparedness drills
Southern Illinoisan – The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is asking schools and organizations in Illinois and throughout the region to hold earthquake preparedness drills at exactly 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, both to mark the 200th anniversary of the earthquake near New Madrid, Mo., and to focus attention to the need for preparedness.

Schools takes steps to protect children with food allergies  As the National School Boards Association announces publication of a policy guide to help schools protect students with life-threatening food allergies, some Southern Illinois school districts say they have been addressing the issue of allergies

Officials: Athletic facilities to take back seat in city schools  Improved athletic facilities and gymnasiums in Springfield schools will have to take a back seat to budget woes and the construction of two elementary schools, according to Springfield School District officials.

UI President should meet with union leader
Daily Illini – The Association of Academic Professionals (AAP) and the Illinois Education Association (IEA), our affiliated union, is frustrated with President Mike Hogan who has twice cancelled a meeting with IEA President Cinda Klickna and AAP officers.

Ill. tuition plan at $560 million deficit
ISU Daily Vidette – Durkin said he has a lot of confidence in Hubbard, as well as in the appointment of Kevin B. Huber, executive director and chief investment officer of the Chicago teachers’ Pension and Retirement Fund. “[Huber] is a large public pension holder and contract holder and it’s important to have someone with experience in public funds and investments.

Political News

Budget crisis overshadows all other items for Illinois Legislature
Quincy Herald-Whig – major talking point after Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, told an audience at Elmhurst College there has been talk of Illinois school districts paying the employer contribution for teachers. The state has made those contributions for decades. This year, teacher pension system obligations accounted for about half of the $4 billion state pension payment. Pension obligations are ex

Governor faces hurdles as session looms
Southern Illinoisan – he will make it a priority to solve Illinois’ $85 billion unfunded state pension plan. In his address Wednesday and then his budget, he may propose reducing Medicaid, forcing schools to pay more for teacher retirements, cutting state jobs and trimming spending in other areas. But lawmakers will be skittish about doing anything controversial

‘Jobs, jobs, jobs’ to be focus of State of State  Pension burden Quinn has repeatedly telegraphed his intention to push for pension changes.  He wants to shift the financial burden of paying for university and downstate teachers pensions to universities and local school districts.  His argument is that teachers and university employees are not state employees, so it shouldn’t be solely the state’s

Illinois’ woes show why we can’t afford public unions
Chicago Sun Times – To see the problem with government employee collective bargaining, look at Illinois. What’s happening here is happening to varying degrees in most states. One year ago, Illinois lawmakers raised the state’s corporate tax an astonishing 46 percent and the personal income tax a more astonishing 67 percent. The result? Earlier this month, the Moody’s rating agency downgraded the state’s credit rating, giving Illinois the lowest credit rating in the nation.

Suburbs have sway on governor’s pension team
Chicago Daily Herald –  But the issue is contentious, and whether anything substantial happens in an election year remains to be seen. Meanwhile, payments to cover the pensions of teachers, university employees and state workers hamper the state’s spending plans at the expense of schools and social services.

Madigan assesses 3 decades of Illinois governors
Springfield State Journal Register – That wasn’t in the cards. Blagojevich, he had a different agenda. It was all related to what he was going to do later in life, that type of stuff.”  Gov. Pat Quinn (2009-present):  “Very well-intentioned. You may remember he was a gadfly. You may remember that, maybe you don’t.

National News

Finish school or else
Chicago Tribune – If you’re headed in the wrong direction, it doesn’t help to keep going. Why Obama floated the idea, with minimal explanation, is an open question. But the National Education Association, the country’s biggest teachers union, has been pushing it. If you were cynical, you might think the union likes the proposal because it would mean more kids in school,

College presidents wary of Obama tuition plan
WBEZ 91.5 (Chicago) – He is proposing to increase that amount to $10 billion and change how it is distributed to reward schools that hold down costs and ensure that more poor students complete their education. The bulk of the more than $140 billion in federal grants and loans goes directly to students and would not be affected.

Protesters march through Super Bowl Village
Quad City Times – Speakers at the rally included two state representatives, a state senator and several union workers. Indianapolis Education Association President Ann Wilkins told the crowd of about 75 protesters to remember which legislators voted for the right-to-work bill and vote them out in the November elections.

The Washington Post

Navy wants commando ‘mothership’ in Middle East  The Pentagon is rushing to send a large floating base for commando teams to the Middle East as tensions rise with Iran, al-Qaeda in Yemen and Somali pirates, among other threats.

Read full article >>
(Craig Whitlock)
The GOP empire strikes back at Gingrich

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The revenge of the Republican establishment is a sight to behold. From one corner to another, those who have tangled with Newt Gingrich, who feel aggrieved toward Newt Gingrich or who fear Newt Gingrich have amassed to stop him. They know how much harder it will be to do so if the former House speaker wins Florida on Tuesday.

Read full article >>
(Dan Balz)
Paul pursued strategy of publishing controversial newsletters, associates say

Ron Paul, well known as a physician, congressman and libertarian , has also been a businessman who pursued a marketing strategy that included publishing provocative, racially charged newsletters to make money and spread his ideas, said three people with direct knowledge of Paul’s businesses.

Read full article >>
(Jerry Markon, Alice Crites)
U.S. GDP grew at fastest pace in 1.5 years in fourth quarter

The economy is growing at a decent clip. Corporate profits are at record highs. And the nation’s automakers, whose near collapse in 2007 heralded the downturn, are humming along.

Read full article >>
(Peter Whoriskey)
Editorial Board: President Obama’s hybrid approach to taxing manufacturers

AUTOMAKERS DON’T offer brand-new versions of each model every year; instead, they add a feature or two and call it a “refresh.” Similarly, President Obama’s ”blueprint” for U.S.-based manufacturing, unveiled in his State of the Union address, updated arguments he has offered before. Was this version persuasive?

Read full article >>
(Editorial Board)
Gingrich professes shock at Romney’s ‘dishonest’ debate performance

MIAMI — Former House speaker Newt Gingrich spent Friday struggling to fend off the perception that his presidential campaign has stalled after a flat debate performance on Thursday and fresh polling data showing his support slipping in Florida.

Read full article >>
(Amy Gardner, Philip Rucker)

Romney gains momentum in Florida; Cain endorses Gingrich

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — The stakes are high, but Mitt Romney isn’t showing much concern as he caravans across Florida this weekend with a sudden swagger and the newfound looseness of a front-runner who thinks he’s cleared the obstacles in his path.

Read full article >>
(Philip Rucker, Amy Gardner)
New bridge in Mexico loaded with big dreams

BALUARTE GORGE, Mexico — High in the wicked folds of the western Sierra Madre, Mexican transportation officials have launched one of the most ambitious road-building projects in history — an experiment in social engineering as much as a structural one.

Read full article >>
(Nick Miroff)
Town struggles to survive close of prison

When things got tough, the people of this Southside hamlet made a hard decision. They welcomed into their midst the Mecklenburg Correctional Center, a sallow-trimmed building filled with murderers and rapists that promised to pump jobs and revenue back into the ailing economy.

Read full article >>
(Justin Jouvenal)
Some doctors try to squelch online reviews

Fuming about a billing dispute with his dentist, Robert Allen Lee posted his complaints on two consumer review Web sites, triggering a legal battle over a technique designed to snuff out negative online commentary.

Read full article >>
(Dina ElBoghdady)

Gingrich delivers on ‘wild and woolly’ vow

SARASOTA, Fla. — In a cavernous airplane hangar, an emcee warmed up a restless crowd. “If you’re going to take on the establishment, you can’t be namby-pamby . . . !” he began as people cheered and waved little American flags.

Read full article >>
(Stephanie McCrummen)
Romney adviser goes all out to rally Hispanics in Florida

She was scheduled to deliver a speech across town in 30 minutes, but she did not know where to go, or how to get there, or exactly what she would say if she managed to arrive on time. Bertica Cabrera Morris revved the engine in her Jaguar and an alarm on the dashboard warned that she was almost out of gas. She grabbed her cellphone to make a call and watched the battery die and the screen go black.

Read full article >>
(Eli Saslow)
Editorial Board: Trillions in tax cuts

THE REPUBLICAN presidential candidates claim to abhor debt, yet propose tax cuts that would add trillions more. Yes, trillions.  The case for continuing the George W. Bush tax cuts, at a cost of $3.7 trillion over 10 years (including interest), is shaky enough. The cuts for the wealthy alone, which President Obama would end, would cost with interest about $1 trillion over the next decade. But the GOP candidates want to continue all those cuts — and add many more, the vast bulk of which would again go to the wealthiest taxpayers.

Read full article >>
(Editorial Board)
D.C. housing deal shows much spent but less accomplished

The deal was forged in 2008 when a fledgling nonprofit group with political connections promised to turn distressed apartment complexes into badly needed homes for troubled young men.

Read full article >>
(Debbie Cenziper, Nikita Stewart)

Syrian uprising reaches the edge of Damascus

DAMASCUS, Syria — The upheaval that has roiled much of Syria for the past 10 months is seeping its way into the heart of the country’s capital, puncturing the sense of invulnerability that had until recently sustained confidence in the government’s ability to survive the revolt.

Read full article >>
 

TIME.com’s Top Stories

Pictures of the Week: The Best Photos from Around the World

From the State of the Union to backstage fashion, TIME’s photo editors pick the best images of the week

Davos: The 5 Things Everyone Was Talking about at the WEF This Year

The topics and tropes fall faster than snowflakes here in Davos, where several thousand of the world’s leading business people, politicians and policy makers gather once a year for an annual think-fest

The Importance of Introverts: Why the World Needs Strong Silent Types, Too

Society rewards extroverts, but quiet types have a hidden strength all their own

How Veterans Scored Obama’s State of the Union

When President Obama delivered the State of the Union address, Paul Rieckhoff, the founder and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America was in the gallery.

Cowboy Frogs and Crayola Crickets: 46 New Species Found in Suriname

Embedded in the forests of the South American country of Suriname, they are among 46 species discovered by scientists on a three-week expedition in 2010.

Egyptians Gather Together (But Not United) in Tahrir Square

Thousands gather in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of the 2011 uprising in Egypt, but they are not unified on the status of the revolution

With Gingrich on the Trail in Florida, Romney Surrogates Are Never Far Behind

Newt Gingrich’s rallies have taken on certain characteristics as he crisscrosses Florida

Sarkozy Unexpectedly Calls Earlier French Troop Exit From Afghanistan

So it turns out France is indeed leaving Afghanistan earlier than planned, and will seek to bring the last of its current 3,900 troops home by the end of 2013

The Dealer

Why Sheldon Adelson is staking millions on Newt Gingrich

Can Computers Replace Teachers?

Until we figure out how to best use technology in the classroom, the bells and whistles are often a distraction

Out-Stumped and Out-Spent, Newt Gingrich Flounders in Florida

Newt Gingrich, the indignant insurgent who shook up the Republican presidential primary by storming to victory in South Carolina, has been missing in Florida for much of the past week

Is It ‘Mission Accomplished’ in Libya? Not So Fast

Libya’s power struggle is far from done and dusted

Davos: Are Companies More Powerful Than Countries?

30 Must-See Tumblr Blogs

It’s barely five years old, but the micro-blogging platform Tumblr already rakes in 15 billion pageviews every month. With all that buzz, we thought we’d showcase the best accounts out there

West Bank Economy Struggles Under Pressure From U.S. Congress

Word of the Day for Monday, January 30, 2012

neoterism \nee-OT-uh-riz-uhm\, noun:

1. An innovation in language, as a new word, term, or expression.
2. The use of new words, terms, or expressions.

State Board of Education Approves Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Recommendation   WJBD Online – The Illinois State Board of Education approved a Fiscal Year 2013 State General Funds budget recommendation of nearly $265.2 million more than the previous year, bringing the total budget to $6.9 billion. This is a 3.9-percent increase over the current … 

Ill. board of education seeks more money in FY13   Chicago Tribune – CHICAGO— The Illinois State Board of Education is asking for $265 million more in state funding next year. The board approved its budget recommendation Thursday. The $6.9 billion being sought for fiscal year 2013 is a 3.9 percent increase over the … 

Report card changes don’t impress official
Galesburg Register-Mail – The proof will be in the pudding. The committee that developed the new report card conducted nearly 60 focus groups with administrators and principals, teachers, families and committee members. Ninety percent of participants said they will likely use the new report cards, while 80 to 90 percent found it easy to understand. Groups involved in the development of the new report cards were many, including Chicago Public Schools, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois PTA, Illinois Community Colleges Board, Voices for Illinois Children, business officials and many more. 

Rockford teachers union to meet Saturday
WREX (NBC) 13 Rockford – The Rockford Education Association has called a special meeting for all teachers on Saturday to discuss ongoing contract talks with the district. Teachers in Rockford School District 205 have been working without  

Minooka Grade Schools resume own special education program  Chicago Sun – Thirty special education teachers and support professionals got their jobs back Wednesday night, bringing a round of applause for the school board. 

How To Close $9.6M Gap?
Des Plaines Journal – Cutting up to 49 teachers is one of several means being considered by Palatine Township Elementary School Dist. 15 to reduce a projected $9.6 million deficit.  

District 95 to get its share of back payments  CARBONDALE – Carbondale Elementary School District 95 got some welcome news Thursday

A little less ouch: SIU funding slightly improved, but still uncertain   State funding looks a bit better for SIU in fiscal year 2012 but there are still uncertainties regarding the university’s financial future, President Glenn Poshard said. 

Don’t protect failing schools  Legislators should not interfere with Chicago’s school closings – Chicago Tribune Editorial – Grumbling about the longer school day is nothing compared to what lawmakers are up to. State Rep. Cynthia Soto, a Chicago Democrat, says she’ll push a bill this year to stop the Chicago Board of Education from closing or overhauling a handful of its failing public schools for a year.  Yes, she wants to stop school reform cold. 

Church groups with city contracts back Emanuel’s school agenda  Chicago Tribune – Many of the same church leaders who supported Daley’s education initiatives professed early support for Emanuel, who campaigned on a pledge to improve … 

Political News

Quinn supports raising dropout age to 18  Quinn on Friday announced that he supports increasing the minimum attendance age to 18. Currently, the state’s minimum dropout age is 17. The governor’s office says that makes Illinois one of 29 states that allow students to drop out of school before they turn 18. 

Governor Quinn Taking a Long Look at State’s Pension System  WJBD Online – Governor Quinn says he and lawmakers are taking a long, hard look at the state’s pension system this year. He says employers may have to … 

State pension assets, earnings grew in 2010  Chicago Tribune – (Reuters) – Bucking criticism about their financial performance, state retirement systems’ assets grew in 2010, with investment earnings rising for the …   

The horror  The Capitol Fax Blog (blog) - According to the new report, Illinois is in the middle of the pack, at 28th place. That’s down from 16th the previous year, but the tax hike is done so Illinois won’t plummet much more unless the Christie/Walker biumverate actually does something about their states’ absolutely horrible business tax climates. The Tax Foundation also noted this… 

Luechtefeld expects talk of budget, pensions and transparency in spring session
Southern Illinoisan – On pension reform: “Speaker Michael Madigan is beginning to float a proposal which would require local school districts and universities to pick up the pension liabilities for professors, teachers and other district employees. Just based on the current budget outlook, the increased pension payments will be an additional $1 billion for next fiscal year, the Speaker and Senate President 

Madigan shows lighter side, still guarded  WBEZ – The state has more than $4 billion in unpaid bills, according to the Illinois comptroller’s office, and a pension liability of about $85 billion, … 

Illinois panel suggests $1 increase in license plate fee
Chicago Daily Herald – The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reported that the recommendation is included in a report forwarded to members of the Illinois General Assembly and Gov. Pat Quinn by the state’s Electric Vehicle Advisory Council. The panel suggests the money raised be used to help pay for rebates and grants for alternative fuel vehicles.

National News 

The Worst States for Kids  Oh, children. When will they learn? Never, it turns out, if they happen to live in one of the states in the U.S. with a poor record of quality of life for kids. In the Foundation for Child Development’s latest Child and Youth Well-Being Index,

Bold Remake Proposed for Indianapolis Schools  A report calls for putting the district under mayoral control, shrinking its central office, and giving principals more say. 

Returning Character Education to Schools  Schools must restore the place of character education in learning, Joseph Gauld writes.  

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

What You Missed While Not Watching The Last Florida GOP Debate

“Only one thing is certain,” CNN’s opening montage declares. “Expect the unexpected.” That hits the spot. We need false hope at a time like this. It’s the 19th Republican debate.

Shy and Powerful: Why Society Should Recognize the Strengths of Introverts

Society rewards extroverts, but quiet types have a hidden strength all their own

The Human Cost of Apple’s Success

There’s never been a better time to ask whether chasing the dream of growth has already turned into a nightmare

Two Minute Video: Getting Started with Facebook Timeline

Syria: Are Captured Iranians Military Men or Engineers?

The revolt against President Assad has long alleged that Iran has sent soldiers to prop up the regime. Their latest proof, however, may not quite satisfy doubts about the claim

The Washington Post
Pentagon budget set to shrink next year

The Pentagon budget will shrink slightly next year for the first time since 1998, the Obama administration said Thurs­day, in an attempt to chip away at the federal deficit while reorienting the armed forces toward Asia.

Read full article >>
(Craig Whitlock)

Is Newt Gingrich’s space plan science fiction?

Cocoa, Fla. — The moon, a thin crescent, hovered in the western sky like a crystal bowl ready to catch a falling star. Cheers filled the air as Newt Gingrich’s campaign bus eased out of the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express. He had just made an astonishing vow: By the end of his second term as president, the U.S. flag would once again be planted on the moon. America, he said, would have a permanent lunar base.

Read full article >>
(Joel Achenbach)

Editorial Board: E-mails renew questions about Jim Graham’s role in lottery contract

ON MAY 29, 2008, D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) met with representatives of a District business who were pressing their bid for the city’s lottery contract. Allegations have emerged, most recently in a report by D.C. Inspector General Charles J. Willoughby, that the council member offered to drop his opposition to the group’s bid if one of its members would agree to withdraw from a separate real estate deal with Metro, on whose board Mr. Graham sat. As this page reported Wednesday, Mr. Graham flatly denied that he ever made such an offer.

Read full article >>
(Editorial Board)

Obama exchange with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer reveals his testy side

AURORA, Colo. — President Obama’s raw exchange with the governor of Arizona on an airport tarmac this week did more than overshadow his carefully stage-managed road trip to trumpet his State of the Union goals.

Read full article >>
(David Nakamura, Rachel Weiner)

D.C.: Rude, busy or both?

What? Huh? Are you talking to me?

Can’t you see that I’m in the middle of a very important e-mail on my BlackBerry?

If you stand to the RIGHT side of the escalator, I might pull my earbuds out and roll my eyes while you ask me where the Hope Diamond is. But, sorry, I don’t have time to show you how to use your Metro Farecard.

Read full article >>
(Petula Dvorak)

Word of the Day for Friday, January 27, 2012

conciliate \kuhn-SIL-ee-eyt\, verb:

1. To overcome the distrust or hostility of; placate; win over.
2. To win or gain (goodwill, regard, or favor).
3. To make compatible; reconcile.
4. To become agreeable or reconciled.

Shirland school board, parents, and teachers hear plan to save money
WREX (NBC) 13 Rockford – bit higher level and be around some kids that are at the same level and as they challenge and encourage each other so I think that could be a real good thing,” said parent Brad Brown. Shirland Education Association President Carol Pankratz worries cutting teachers will put more stress on instructors and give them less time to prepare for larger classes.

Shirland teachers to School Board: Don’t rush multigrade decision
Rockford Register Star – “We don’t want to drastically impact the education of our students if there are other viable alternatives,” said Carole Pankratz, co-president of the Shirland Education Association. “We’re concerned with bigger class sizes. We’re concerned about the amount of space in classrooms, about less teacher-to-student interaction.

Parents make plea on Unit 5 busing options
WJBC AM 1230 Bloomington – those in grades 6 through 12 – and better integrate technology into everyday curriculum. The district will have to buy the devices, which Niehaus stressed would not come from dollars earmarked for teacher salaries or benefits. He said Unit 5 could use some leftover referendum dollars to expand Wi-Fi Internet capacity in buildings districtwide.

12 percent increase in state higher education funding goes to pensions
Rockford Rock River Times – spending on public pensions, including SURS. Quinn said earlier this month that one possible solution would be shifting the cost of the pensions. He highlighted shifting costs of elementary school teachers’ pensions to their local districts, a move that also could be applied to the collegiate retirement system. Cost shifting could push student tuition even higher.

U of I students: Leaders’ ethics lacking  Student leaders at the University of Illinois have passed a resolution calling for more ethical leadership following the resignation of the university president’s chief of staff.

Supporters of 6 1/2-hour school day submit petitions at CPS Board of Education …  Chicago – Chicago parents supporting a longer school day – but one that’s an hour shorter than the one planned for all Chicago Public Schools next fall – submitted petitions with more than 1450 signatures to the Board of Education on Wednesday.

Lunch Ladies Protest Chicago Public Schools Food, Release Report Detailing …   Huffington Post – A union representing 3200 lunchroom cafeteria workers in Chicago Public Schools staged a demonstration Tuesday night, where advocates and self-described “lunch ladies” voiced their concerns about recent changes to Chicago school menus

Political News

Should schools pay for teachers’ retirements?  Chicago Daily Herald (blog) – One of the several points to come out of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s speech in Elmhurst yesterday was a suggestion he might support a plan to shift the retirement costs of teachers from the state to local districts.

Biz begins to open its wallet in state pension reform battle
Crains Chicago Business – say the goal is to emulate what school reform forces did in the last election — putting hundreds of thousands of dollars behind legislative candidates who promised to be independent of the teachers union. That strategy worked when the unions came to the table and agreed to things such as a longer school day and year. Mr. Fahner doesn’t want to give any details,

Madigan: School Districts Should Start Contributing To Teacher Pensions
WBBM TV CBS 2 Chicago –  Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan says local school districts haven’t been paying into their teachers’ retirement systems, and he thinks it may be high time that they did. WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports that Madigan told an audience at Elmhurst College on Tuesday th

Quinn: Make schools put more into pensions?
WJBC AM 1230 Bloomington – Quinn and other Democratic leaders are also looking at asking school district and universities to play a bigger role in funding their teachers’ retirement plans. “I think it’s always best when you have employees, that you not be able to shift cost of those employees to someone else, such as state government,” Quinn said.

Municipal pensions eat more, but they’re still hungry  Illinois Times – By Bruce Rushton Whether the city of Springfield is facing a pension crisis in police and firefighter retirement systems depends on who’s doing the talking.

Ex-state Rep. Stephens declared bankruptcy before quitting
Springfield State Journal Register – When Republican state Rep. Ron Stephens announced last year he was leaving the Illinois House, he would only say he was doing so for personal reasons. The Belleville News-Democrat reports Stephens filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection before leaving office. Stephens said Wednesday the bankruptcy filing was a contributing factor in his decision to resign.

National News

Analysis: Pension shortfalls a stark corporate challenge  Chicago Tribune – NEW YORK (Reuters) – With worries about the debt crisis in Europe and high unemployment in the United States drawing the public’s attention, the sliding value of corporate pension funds has largely gone unnoticed. The problem came into stark relief on …

Redefining Instruction With Technology: Five Essential Steps  One teacher learned the hard way that just bringing iPads into the classroom won’t truly change things—you have to redefine your practice.

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Apple’s $100 Billion Question: What to Do With Its Mountain of Cash?  The company is now sitting on $97.6 billion in cash. So what will the tech juggernaut do with all of that money?

Obama’s Buffett Rule: Inside the Numbers and the Politics

Happy Birthday Opportunity! The Mars Rover Turns Eight  Since 2004, the interplanetary car has been trundling across the Martian surface

Why Florida Matters: Welcome to the GOP Primary Big Leagues

Security contractors see prospects in Mexico  After years of lucrative work in the Middle East and Central Asia, where their presence has been occasionally marred by incidents of misconduct, contractors and private security firms are being drawn into a battle closer to home.

Son of Secretary Ray LaHood, other Americans barred from leaving Egypt  Egyptian military’s ongoing crackdown after a raid on non-profit groups has outraged the United States.

Why so many presidential debates?  Debates were Perry’s undoing and a resurrection for Gingrich — but are there too many?

Four remaining candidates spar in Tampa

Philippines may allow greater U.S. military presence in reaction to China  EXCLUSIVE | Although negotiations are in early stages, officials say they are favorably inclined toward deal.

Obama’s dust-up in the desert  David Nakamura  Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and the president spar over her immigration book on tarmac in Phoenix.

Word of the Day for Thursday, January 26, 2012

mettle \MET-l\, noun:

1. Courage and fortitude.
2. Disposition or temperament.

When it comes to lobbying state legislators, where the contact occurs doesn’t matter as long as the member is well prepared for the meeting and will encourage support from the representative or senator.

IEA members are urged to participate in “Back Home Lobby Days” by meeting with the lawmakers in their home districts when the legislature is not in Springfield.

Legislators are not in session until the first week of February and are back home several weeks prior to the March Primary. Anytime legislators are not scheduled to be in Springfield is a good time to schedule a meeting in the home district with the people who make the laws that control teaching and learning conditions.

IEA will be making announcements throughout the 2012 legislative session about home district lobbying opportunities. Keep checking the IEA website  for details on Back Home Lobby Days!

Budget open hearings begin Monday

Meetings to discuss the 2012-13 budget will be held Jan. 30-Feb. 2. Specifics are posted on the IEA website . This is your opportunity to offer budget input. The 2012 IEA Representative Assembly will approve a new budget in March.

‘My Profile’ winners are …

Thank you for visiting “My Profile” on the IEA website Our winners are: Brina T., Taylorville; Carrie C., Galesburg; Tracy L., Roselle; Alysia J., Glen Ellyn; Jody H., St. Charles; and Matthew L., Vernon Hills. Look for your gift cards/guest passes in the mail.

All you need to do to be entered for future prizes is make sure we have your correct personal information and you will be entered to win.

Give your valentine a gift that sparkles

Shop for jewelry or that next vacation package with NEA Member Benefits Click & Save program. You’ll save money and make your someone special very happy.

Visit the NEA MB website to register or sign in to find all the values that your membership allows.

Spring election nomination forms due Feb. 22

Nomination forms for all spring mail ballot elections are due Feb. 22. Please submit your nomination forms as soon as possible. Nomination forms are in the January 2012 issue of the Advocate. Additional information available by calling 800/252-8076, ext. 2272. Ask for the Elections Committee.

Chicago Rush offers IEA special deal

Chicago Rush Arena Football is pleased to invite members and families of the IEA to games March 10 and April 21, to celebrate School Appreciation Days. Stay after the games to meet your favorite Rush players and Adrenaline Rush Dancers.

To order tickets call Shannon Allen at 219/628-2079, email Shannon, or fax your completed form to 224.567.8952. You can also mail your order to the Rush front office, 2340 S. River Rd., Suite 402, Des Plaines, IL 60018.

Website of the Week

Our Website of the Week is back by popular demand!

This week we are featuring the Kids In Need Foundation, working to  ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies nationally to students most in need.

Grant Opportunity Applications will be available Feb. 14 for the Elmer’s Teacher Tool Kit grants. Before then, you can view the projects available for replication on the Kids In Need website. The Elmer’s Teacher Tool Kit grants are given to teachers who want to replicate already proven projects in their own classrooms. These grant awards are based on financial need.

Illinois makes big changes to school reporting system  Schools and school districts now have to do a better job of sharing performance reports with parents and the rest of the community. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a law Tuesday making the changes effective immediately.

“Safe Routes to School” Sees Green
Champaign WCIA (CBS) 3 –  Tuesday, Governor Pat Quinn announced nearly $22 million in grants for “Safe Routes to School.” The program supports safety instruction, infrastructure development and encourages alternative modes of transportation.  

Rockford School Board OKs $10M transfer to start repair fund
Rockford Register Star – education fund reserves to start a capital fund — money that could be used to repair schools or build new ones. The education fund pays for the district’s daily education expenses such as teacher and administrator salaries and textbooks. “We’re going to put our money where our mouth is,” said board President Harmon Mitchell.

Unit 2 board hears from public  MARION – Parents and teachers in the Marion Unit 2 School District voiced their concerns and suggested alternative action during a public forum Tuesday. 

 District 220 forecasts costs, revenue before budget cuts
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – This year, the budgetary uncertainties are compounded by the pending negotiation of a new multiyear teachers contract. Board members went into closed session near the end of Tuesday’s meeting to begin discussing their assumptions about the level of teacher salary increases in the next few years

Channahon Dist. 17 board sets school fees for next year
Morris Daily – coach for a salary of $2,701, and accepting the resignations of Cassie Cipriani and Kirk Lange, both assistant track coaches; Deni Stapay, fourth-grade aide; and Carrie VanDuyne, junior high Spanish teacher. Superintendent Dr. Karin Evans assured the board the same number of coaches per students would remain in the track program, as specified in the collective bargaining agreement.

Eaton: School choice long overdue in Illinois
SouthtownStar – One reason why Meeks and Joyce failed is that the Illinois Education Association’s political action committee (IPACE) dumped thousands of dollars into the …

Failing institutions  Letter to the Editor – Ric Stephenson  – Education reform doctoral fellows Michael Q. McShane and James V. Shul, authors of “A to-do list for legislators,” (Jan. 19), may need to retake Public Education 101. While there is agreement that “all children deserve a world-class education,” the route they suggest is full of potholes. 

Chicago Public Schools To Begin Stocking Epipens
Chicago WBBM 780 Radio – Public Schools plan to begin keeping medication on hand to treat allergic reactions that could prove deadly to students. As WBBM Newsradio’s Bob Conway reports, under a state law signed by Gov. Pat Quinn in August of last year, Illinois school districts are permitted to stock Epipens and administer shots of the hormone epinephrine to any student suffering a severe allergic reaction without worry

Bronzeville group meets with mayor’s staff
A group from Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization met with staff from Mayor Emanuel’s office to ask that the city back down from plans to close Price Elementary and Dyett High and instead turn four schools into schools with specialties such as math and science.

Tensions rife at school closing hearings
Hundreds of parents and community members braved a snowstorm to attend hearings on proposed school closings and facility-sharing arrangements. Tensions erupted when some activists and parents clashed with closings supporters, who admitted that they were paid to show up.

Contract talks gear up
Teachers say working conditions could become critical points in contract talks, and some schools hold “practice” strike votes.

Political News

Madigan: School Districts Should Start Contributing To Teacher Pensions
Chicago WBBM 780 Radio – Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan says local school districts haven’t been paying into their teachers’ retirement systems, and he thinks it may be high time that they did. WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports that Madigan told an audience at Elmhurst College on Tuesday

Speaker Madigan spreads blame for state budget
WBEZ 91.5 (Chicago) – who could tell me why the state of Illinois stepped up one day and said, ‘OK, school districts, we’ll just pick up all your pension costs,’” he said. If the state made schools pay for their retired teachers, it would likely shift the cost to property taxes. It’s an idea that Senate President John Cullerton and Governor Pat Quinn have talked about, too, which means it could become

Speaker Madigan discusses Illinois budget deficit  School districts don’t pay into teachers’ pension systems like other employers do, leaving that obligation to the state — accounting for half of the $4 billion the state pays into five pension systems annually, he complained. He said later that it would be reasonable to ask them to pay, but would not say whether anyone was planning to introduce legislation to force them to do so.

Higher ed increases going to pensions
Southern Illinoisan – Quinn said earlier this month that one possible solution would be shifting the cost of the pensions. He highlighted shifting costs of elementary school teachers’ pensions to their local districts, a move that also could be applied to the collegiate retirement system.

Editorial: Why we will no longer endorse in elections Seventy-one years ago, Mar­shall Field III founded this newspaper to create a bully pulpit, on the editorial page, for America’s entry into the war in Europe and for President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s domestic agenda, the New Deal. Somebody in the Midwest, Field believed, had to …

Tribune: Why we endorse  In an editorial Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times explained why it will no longer make candidate endorsements. Readers are capable of making up their own minds, it said, particularly with such a multitude of information available. The Sun-Times editorial page says it will focus instead on important issues, from improving public schools to reducing crime.

Judge denies new trial for powerbroker William Cellini
Chicago Tribune – She also did not tell the court about a felony DUI conviction in 2008 or an assault arrest in 1994. The jury convicted Cellini of using his considerable power at an Illinois teachers pension board to help put the squeeze on a Hollywood producer who wanted to continue to do lucrative investment business with the state.

Kirk’s stroke could have political ramifications
Medill News Service – Doctors treating U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who suffered a stroke to the right side of his brain yesterday, say he already is asking for his BlackBerry, eager to get back to work. 

Kirk’s Family “Overwhelmed” by Support
Chicago WMAQ (NBC) 5 – “We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support we’ve received over the last couple of days — from President Obama, Leader McConnell, Senator Durbin, Governor Quinn, Mayor Emanuel, the Illinois delegation and so many others across the state, the nation and beyond,” he family said in a written statement. 

Illinois Pols React to State of the Union
Chicago WMAQ (NBC) 5 – Obama delivered his third State of the Union address Tuesday night. Gov. Pat Quinn “We in Illinois applaud President Obama for the vision he laid out in tonight’s State of the Union. The President put forth a blueprint for a growing economy that gives all American

Text of Obamas State of the Union address
Chicago Daily Herald –  These reforms will help people get jobs that are open today. But to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier. For less than one percent of what our nation spends on education each year, we’ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards for teaching and 

Obama: An Economy ‘Built to Last’ Must Work for All Americans  NEA Today – “President Obama’s bold vision offers both hope and help to Americans,” said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. “He has an ambitious plan to lead the country and provide more hope for middle class families.” 

NEA president praises President Obama’s bold vision for America January 24, 2012

Obama’s State of the Union: An Optimistic President Talks to a Pessimistic Nation  TIME –  Bristling with optimism and a can-do pep, President Obama asked for his pessimistic nation’s attention on Tuesday night to announce he would not stand the naysayers any longer.

Obama’s tax deform agenda   Christian Science Monitor – In his State of the Union address, President Obama offered a laundry list of new tax subsidies but said almost nothing about a top-to-bottom rewrite of the Tax Code.

National News 

AP Exclusive: States weaken teacher tenure rights
Quad City Times – based on seniority. Coming up, Missouri legislators appear poised to take up the contentious topic of teacher tenure. In Connecticut, the Connecticut Education Association launched a TV advertising campaign after Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and legislative leaders said education reform – and possibly tenure – will be the major focus

School lunches to have more veggies, whole grains

Schoolchildren’s favorite lunch – the ubiquitous frozen pizza – is about to get healthier. First lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack are expected to announce Wednesday that most school meals, including pizza, will have less sodium, more whole grains and more fruits and vegetables as sides. The popular pizzas will still be on school lunch lines but made with healthier ingredients.

Morgan Stanley settles with Indiana over ISTA fund
Chicago Daily Herald – settlement with Morgan Stanley resolving issues of excessive compensation by the banker. Claims by ISTA against other parties are pending. The 50,000-member ISTA was taken over by the National Education Association in 2009 after the Indiana Department of Insurance said the trust had a net worth of negative $67 million. ISTA subsequently sued former officials and financial advisers,

TIME.com Today’s Top Stories

Obama’s State of the Union: An Optimistic President Talks to a Pessimistic Nation

Egyptians Mark Their Revolution’s Anniversary with Mixed Feelings

A year after the rebellion that ousted President Hosni Mubarak began, many of those who took part say the revolution is far from over

As $6 Billion Is Drained from Higher Education, Students Brace for Soaring Tuition

As state’s cut funding for higher education students are hit three times: higher tuition, lower financial aid and less bang for their buck

Fiona Apple Returns: New Record on the Way

Apple, who hasn’t released any music since her 2005 album Extraordinary Machine, has been rumored to have an album’s worth of new material for quite sometime.

Big Questions Await Finance Leaders at Davos: How Do We Save Capitalism?

As the global economic crisis enters its fourth excruciating year, just about everybody who can be blamed for the downturn has been blamed

Word of the Day for Wednesday, January 25, 2012

bleb \bleb\, noun:

1. A bubble.
2. Medicine/Medical. A blister or vesicle.