Education

Emphasizes education, teacher training as keys to ending sexual abuse of children

SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16th) secured passage today of a measure designed to prevent child sexual abuse by educating elementary school students and training school personnel to respond to signs and reports of abuse. She partnered with former sexual abuse victim Erin Merryn, an Illinois native and Western Illinois University graduate who has advocated for similar laws in other states and in Congress. Glamour Magazine featured Erin as 2012 Woman of the Year for her efforts to help other children avoid or escape the kind of abuse she suffered as a young child.

Joliet –State Senator Pat McGuire (D-Joliet) visited the Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) in nearby Aurora this week. McGuire wanted to see IMSA first-hand because IMSA receives state funding and is open to students from all of Illinois’ public schools.

“IMSA gives Illinois teenagers the opportunity to spend grades 10-12 on a residential campus with cutting edge instruction in math, science, and the liberal arts,” Mcguire said. “Choice in education is important to families. I know from experience. My daughter attended a magnet school in Joliet.”

A Weekly Update on Issues with Illinois State Senator Gary Forby

Last week, the governor’s office released $623 million for school construction projects from the state’s capital construction budget.  Nearly 10 percent of that money is coming right here to our district.  In fact Marion Community Unit School District 2 received the most money of any school district outside of Chicago, worth $56.62 million.  According to the local superintendent, Marion has more than $60 million in local money, so the school district will be able to put lots of people to work on construction projects improving our local schools.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Senator John Sullivan (D-Rushville) is keeping a promise he made during last fall’s veto session to make sure a panel studying the role of Regional Offices of Education submits its findings in time to affect next year’s budget. SB 2566, passed unanimously today by the Senate, will require the panel to make its report four months earlier – by April 1, instead of by August 1.

“I made a promise last fall to local units of government and to my colleagues to move the date forward,” Sullivan said. “We need all the facts sooner rather than later – and in time to incorporate them into the budget discussions. We cannot continue to burden local governments with the cost of running the ROEs.”

BENTON, IL – Illinois State Senator Gary Forby (D-Benton) and State Representative Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg) are proud to announce that the governor's office has released more than $200,000 to help make it safer for children to get to Metropolis Elementary School.

"I'm happy that we can help make sure that the kids in Metropolis get to school safe," Forby said. "Parents shouldn't have to worry when their kids walk or ride bikes to school."

SPRINGFIELD, IL –Senator Mike Jacobs (D-Moline) is proud to announce that the Governor's Office has finally released funding dollars for the "Safe Routes to School" program.

Governor Pat Quinn traveled to Western Illinois University’s Quad Cities campus in Moline today to sign State Senator Ed Maloney’s (D-Chicago) bill establishing performance-based measures to determine funding for public universities, community colleges and other state education agencies. Metrics such as student success in degree and certificate completion will be developed to influence a portion of state funding for higher education institutions.