HR0253 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0253 LRB098 11683 NHT 44638 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, A fundamental goal of the People of this State is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities, this State shall provide for an efficient system of high quality, public educational institutions and services, education in public schools through the secondary level shall be free, there may be such other free education as the General Assembly provides by law, and this State has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education; and

WHEREAS, It is the intent and policy of the State of Illinois that every student, regardless of the economic or social circumstances and regardless of the school to which the student is assigned, has the right to the same level of educational services as every other student in this State, to the extent allowed by State funds; and

WHEREAS, Twenty-nine percent of students in the Chicago Public School system (CPS) did not meet State testing standards in reading and 21% of students in CPS did not meet State testing standards in mathematics in 2012; and

WHEREAS, Only 68% of CPS students graduate high school, and 30% of students are chronically truant; and

WHEREAS, CPS has reported a plan to close 54 schools in the district; and

WHEREAS, Students who are at least 2 grade levels behind in reading or mathematics, based on an assessment of the student's reading and mathematics skills, would benefit from being placed in a basic skills class when the student is in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades until he or she completes 6th grade or attains reading or mathematics skills that are at or above the 6th grade level, whichever occurs first; and

WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the State Board of Education to take action against CPS for the failure to adequately educate its students; and

WHEREAS, CPS has the opportunity to help failing students by developing a plan that would address the issues students within the district face; and

WHEREAS, CPS can help students by developing such a plan to help build a foundation that helps students excel academically; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the State Board of Education to withhold State funding from the Chicago Public School system until the school district has developed a plan to aid students within the district in becoming academically successful and further evaluated the impact of school closings to students and the community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the State Board of Education and City of Chicago School District 299.