Education

News in Brief: A State Capitals Roundup

June 16, 1999 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Illinois Governor Signs Bill Allowing Tuition Tax Credits

Parents in Illinois who pay tuition to send their children to private, religious, and out-of-district public schools will be able to receive a state tax break of up to $500, under a measure Gov. George Ryan signed into law this month.

The plan, which was approved by the legislature in May, will provide a state income-tax credit directly linked to educational expenses and comes with an estimated price tag of $150 million a year. The credit is redeemable for 25 percent of the cost of tuition and other educational expenses, with a maximum credit of $500. (“Ill. Lawmakers OK Tax Credit for Tuition, Private School Costs,” May 19, 1999.)

Critics contend that the plan will mainly help middle- and upper-class families and direct money away from the low-income families who most need help. But Mr. Ryan, a Republican, said in a recent statement that “fairness and opportunity means extending a hand to all children in private and public schools.”

--Jessica L. Sandham

Gay-Bias Ban Fails in California

A proposal that would have barred discrimination against gay and lesbian students in California’s publicly funded schools fell one vote shy of passing the state Assembly this month.

Barely missing the 41 votes required for passage, the legislature’s lower chamber voted 40-38 in the bill’s favor on June 4, with two lawmakers abstaining. The measure won support from 39 Democrats and one Green Party member, but failed to win a simple majority in the 80-member body as a whole; 30 Republicans and eight Democrats opposed it.

The Dignity for All Students Act, introduced by Democratic Assemblywoman Sheila James Kuehl, would have amended the state education code to add “sexual orientation” to the list of protections against discrimination. The code now forbids bias based on race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, and economic status. The bill, which would have barred anti-gay bias in public schools and nonpublic schools receiving state funding, contained an exemption for religiously affiliated schools.

Religious conservatives rallied against the bill and placed newspaper and radio advertisements opposing it. Ms. Kuehl, who has sought twice before in recent years to win passage of her bill, is expected to reintroduce it next year.

--Erik W. Robelen

Ky. Changes School Rating System

The Kentucky board of education has approved a plan that changes the rating system used to gauge student achievement at individual schools.

The new system, which becomes effective in the 2001-02 school year, changes accountability provisions of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act. Last year, lawmakers ordered the state board to revise the school accountability system to address structural flaws in it, according to Jim Parks, the spokesman for the state education department. For instance, high-performing schools that failed to post achievement gains have in the past been penalized by the state.

Under the new system, which will assign schools ratings of zero to 140 based on their students’ performance on standardized tests, schools will be expected to reach a “100" rating by 2014. However, as long as a school shows some improvement or progression in student achievement, it will still be able to receive cash rewards from the state.

But if a school falls below its original rating, it will undergo a scholastic audit, the state board said. The system also will require high schools to meet dropout-rate standards before they can qualify for cash rewards.

--Karen L. Abercrombie

A version of this article appeared in the June 16, 1999 edition of Education Week as News in Brief: A State Capitals Roundup

Events

Ed-Tech Policy Webinar Artificial Intelligence in Practice: Building a Roadmap for AI Use in Schools
AI in education: game-changer or classroom chaos? Join our webinar & learn how to navigate this evolving tech responsibly.
Education Webinar Developing and Executing Impactful Research Campaigns to Fuel Your Ed Marketing Strategy 
Develop impactful research campaigns to fuel your marketing. Join the EdWeek Research Center for a webinar with actionable take-aways for companies who sell to K-12 districts.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Privacy & Security Webinar
Navigating Cybersecurity: Securing District Documents and Data
Learn how K-12 districts are addressing the challenges of maintaining a secure tech environment, managing documents and data, automating critical processes, and doing it all with limited resources.
Content provided by Softdocs

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: March 13, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 7, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: January 31, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read