For over three decades, the system for funding public schools in Illinois has made winners of some children and losers of others, all based on where those students live.  IEA has taken an official position in favor of changing that system and is committed to executing a plan that will accomplish that goal. 

A very important way that you can help is by spreading the word and educating other members about this crucial initiative.  Your Invest in Excellence team, along with the IEA Communications Department produced a DVD that we have made available to every 35 members in the organization. 

The DVD is less than five minutes long and features IEA President Ken Swanson who welcomes IEA members back to school and gives them a brief introduction to the IEA’s quest for fair school funding.  This video is brief, relevant and easy to understand.  Your Invest in Excellence team has included starter questions with the video as well.  The questions are intended to guide a brief discussion after the video. (DVD’s and discussion guides are available at the IEA office if you’d like to show a copy in your building)

A new initiative of the Invest in Excellence campaign is sponsoring house meetings.  Would you like the opportunity to host an informational social gathering for ten to twelve friends, neighbors, and IEA members in order to spread the fair funding message?

Your Invest in Excellence team will be with you and support you every step of the way.  We’ll help with the guest list; provide the invitations, the speaker, theme and refreshments.  If you are interested in opening your home to help educate others about the broken funding system in Illinois, or if you need further information about the Invest in Excellence campaign, please contact kathy.vigardt@ieanea.org.

President Ken Swanson gives the most recent updates from Springfield regarding the Legislative Session.

President Swanson updates IEA members regarding the latest developments from this Legislative Session, including a call to action in support of HB 174.

President Swanson provides the most recent update from Springfield:

Watch and listen as IEA President Ken Swanson updates members on Statehouse matters.

This is a repost from the IEA website (http://www.ieanea.org/page319703931.aspx)

IEA MEMBER “TO DO” LIST

1) Circle May 29th May 31st, the General Assembly’s adjournment date, on the calendar.
By midnight on May 31st, it is expected the legislature will make key decisions that will affect IEA members, including whether to offer future members inferior benefits.

2) Go to the IEA Website and click on “My IEA Profile” and make sure your Association has the proper information on you, including the email address you check most often.
There could be a last moment “call to action” in which members are asked to contact their senators and representatives.  In that case, you would receive an email with an alert and talking points.

3) Circle May 23 and 24 on your calendar. On those days, your local legislators will be in their home districts participating in Memorial Day public events in your community.  They might also have home district office hours.  Call their offices, find out where they will be on Saturday and Sunday. Get a group of your colleagues together and plan to meet with your legislators to talk to them about your issues and how you expect them to vote.

Specifically, tell them to:

• Oppose any proposal that would reduce benefits for future education employees.  Education employees didn’t cause the problem and the current benefits are reasonable and comparable to those in other states.
• Oppose any proposal to under fund the state pension systems.
• Support an income tax increase that will provide adequate funding to all public schools at all levels, preK through higher education.

4)  Make a mental note to keep checking the IEA Website.
It will be updated regularly as new developments occur.

The following video contains an important message from IEA President Ken Swanson and Interim Executive Director Patti Hodges, recorded May 16, 2009.