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April 2023 LeadershipMatters

Virtual

School Safety Day of Learning: April 12, 2023

Response

Recovery

Prevention

Security

Legal Corner: Contract Renewals and Extension FAQ

Preparing FY 24 EBF Spending Plan

School Safety

SCHOOL SAFETY DAY OF LEARNING IASA is proud to partner with leading school safety experts to offer members a virtual Day of Learning on April 12. This free event is the perfect opportunity to learn the latest news, top practices and advice from school safety officials and school administrators without having to leave your district.

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28 18 Members On The Move

SAFE Moon Scholarship 2022–23 Winners IASA FY 24 Membership Drive Keep Illinois Learning with Renaissance IASA Annual Conference: Keynotes Announced; Submit Breakout Proposal IASA News in Brief

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Elevating Education Highlights Dr. Charles Johns, Curt Nettles

Education Elevat g

Legal Corner: Contract Renewals and Extensions FAQ

20 IASBO: Preparing FY 24 EBF Spending Plan

Volume 11, Issue 4 April 2023 LeadershipMatters 23053 Jason Nevel Director of Social Media and Publications jnevel@iasaedu.org

2648 Beechler Court Springfield, IL 62703-7305 217.753.2213 800 Woodfield Road, Ste. F109 Schaumburg, IL 60173-4717 847.466.5075

Marjorie Gladish Graphic Designer mgladish@iasaedu.org

1200 West Main Street Marion, IL 62959-1138 618.364.0501

www.iasaedu.org

Scan here with your phone’s QR code reader to get the IASA APP— Don’t have a QR reader? Go to or and search for IllinoisASA.

Message From the Executive Director Learn Best Practices at IASA’s Virtual School Safety Day of Learning on April 12

Dr. Brent Clark

In the wake of the horrific school shooting in Nashville, school administrators everywhere have been re-reviewing safety protocols and procedures. Superintendents are asking important questions about hardening facilities, streamlining communications, conducting threat assessments, improving emergency preparedness and identifying preventative measures. IASA is proud to help educators answer some of those hard questions with a virtual Day of Learning on April 12 dedicated to school safety. This free event is the perfect opportunity to learn the latest news, top practices and advice from school safety experts and school administrators. Sessions will focus on accelerating response times to an active shooter situation, reunification best practices, benefits of indoor location and asset management and behavioral threat assessments. The presenters include CrisisGo, Siyata Mobile, ZeroEyes AI (Camera Gun Detection), Positive Proof, Rise Vision and IASA members. Click here to learn more and register. Speaking of politics, this legislative session has been extremely hectic. At one point, IASA was tracking around 600 bills that would impact public education. The good news is IASA, with the help of other school management groups, has been successful in beating back potentially massive unfunded mandates on school districts. For example, a proposal that would have created a new minimum wage of $20 per hour for all school district and joint agreement employees (e.g. custodial staff, classroom assistants, transportation employees) was never called for a vote on the House floor. Potential mandates for electric

school buses and dyslexia screening were not called for a vote either. The proposal to mandate full-day kindergarten across Illinois in the 2023–24 school year was amended, with the start date being pushed back to the 2027–2028 school year. IASA continues to negotiate with the bill sponsor and push for a solution that would be more manageable. I am extremely proud of our team, particularly the advocacy efforts of Madeline McCune, IASA’s Director of Governmental Relations, and Emily Warnecke, IASA’s chief of staff. They have been in meetings nonstop with legislators and other stakeholders advocating on behalf of IASA members. Of course, this legislative session is far from over. IASA is still tracking around 100 bills that impact public education, including a number of proposals that are concerning—curriculum mandates, modifying the teacher tenure process and a 24-hour notification requirement for bullying. It remains critical that superintendents continue to make our voices heard on these matters. Be on the lookout for Capitol Watch updates and Calls to Action to fill out witness slips. We know our advocacy efforts are always more successful when superintendents make their voices heard directly to legislators. To close, have a great two months to end the school year. I hope you continue to reinforce the message to students and staff that everyday matters. Our students deserve our best effort.

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Response

Recovery

IASA is proud to partner with leading school safety experts to offer members a virtual Day of Learning on April 12. This free event is the perfect opportunity to learn the latest news, top practices and advice from school safety officials and school administrators without having to leave your district. School Safety Virtual Day of Learning April 12, 2023 Security Prevention

Prevention

Security

Choose from one or any of the four sessions offered throughout the day. Each session will be focused on a different school safety issue. Topics include: Accelerating the Response to an Active Shooter; Reunification Best Practices; Indoor Location and Asset Management; and Threat Assessments and Behavioral Health.

Accelerating Response to Active Shooter 9–10 a.m. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Reunification Best Practices 10:30–11:30 a.m. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Benefits of Indoor Location and Asset Management Noon–1 p.m. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to improve all facets of school safety in your buildings by learning fr 4 LM April 2023

y Response Recovery Prevention Security

Reasons to Attend

IASA’s Virtual Day of Learning on School Safety:

1 2 3 4 5 6

Learn top practices for prioritizing school safety.

See the latest emergency alert devices to empower all staff. Better understand how to accelerate response times andmaintain secure school environments. Watch a demonstration of the benefits of indoormapping and indoor location services. Hear guidance on developing an effective reunification plan and

Target Audience: Superintendents, administrative teams, school safety teams and other building leaders are welcome to register for one or multiple sessions. Feel free to share Leadership Matters with anyone in your district who would benefit from these sessions.

automating the process. Explore howschools are

implementing threat assessment teams andmanaging reporting through casemanagement systems.

Beyond Lockdowns: Threat Assessments and Behavioral Health 2–3 p.m. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

rom industry experts and school administrators who have implemented best practices in their districts. 5 LM April 2023

Benefitsof ReplacingTwo-WayRadios withHandsetsonCellular Networks

Submitted by Siyata Mobile

For every school district in the US and internationally, the importance of getting school safety right has never been higher. Ensuring that students and staff are safe is every bit the priority that educating our students needs to be, whenever students and staff are on school property, and when students are in a school transportation vehicle such as our iconic yellow school buses. Siyata Mobile believes that technology has advanced significantly in recent years allowing school districts to identify and respond appropriately to safety threats of all kinds such as intruders on the property, or natural disasters, or medical emergencies. For more than 50 years, some of the earliest technology that helped schools respond to safety threats was the school’s intercom system, which could quickly broadcast a one-way voice message from the office to every classroom, to auxiliary buildings and to the schoolyard. Teachers also had a two-way intercom solution at a fixed location in each classroom to speak directly with the office. Over the years, schools often supplemented this with portable handheld two-way radios carried by selected teachers or staff to alert the office or other staff to any safety threat, and to request assistance. Using Push-to-Talk or “PTT” technology, these portable radios would work generally throughout the school property, and as well, mobile two-way radios could be installed in school buses to contact their bus dispatcher regarding any safety threats. The shortcoming with portable and mobile radios was their high cost, and their limited coverage where the radios would work. When students were taken on school trips or sporting competitions away from the school in less familiar territory, often radios were out of range. Today, Siyata Mobile believes that affordable, compact, simple-to-use handsets like its new SD7 PTT Handset that work on nationwide cellular networks wherever there is cellular coverage are more reliable solutions for school districts. Siyata believes that a handset inside every classroom for each teacher to immediately request

assistance, or to communicate a safety threat wherever the teacher happens to be, will result in faster and more effective responses. In addition to using the SD7 PTT Handsets for voice conversations with the office, its red SOS Button can be enabled with emergency management response solutions such as CrisisGo, which alerts all required school administration about a safety threat, and the solution can even provide a direct voice link to local first responders. The solution provides a web interface for administration to track and resolve the safety threat, and it can provide 2D or even 3D mapping of the school building to identify precisely where the emergency message originated. Siyata Mobile and CrisisGo are committed to remain at the forefront of affordable new technology to make schools safer for every student, teacher, and staff person.

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Overcoming Obstacles and Navigating the Complexities of School Safety Submitted by CrisisGo

When it comes to school safety, the challenges school leaders face continue to evolve, often making it hard to achieve success. Some of the most common challenges we see today are equipping schools with the right technology to respond to critical events, safe reunification of students with parents and legal guardians, understanding the benefits of asset management and indoor location, and conducting successful behavioral health assessments. Schools face several challenges when it comes to active shooter events, including preparedness, communication, response, trauma and emotional support and navigating a challenging political climate. Preparing for such events requires significant planning and coordination in order to provide effective and constant communication during high stress situations. K–12 professionals must be prepared to respond quickly and make rapid decisions, while also providing emotional support and trauma-informed care to those affected. Reunifying students in emergency situations presents several challenges, including ensuring student safety, effective communication, logistical coordination, emotional support, and legal and policy considerations. Successful reunification requires careful planning, clear communication, and a focus on student well-being. Schools must work collaboratively with parents and other stakeholders to address these challenges and ensure a smooth reunification process. When it comes to discussing asset management and precise indoor location technologies in schools, there may be challenges related to cost, infrastructure, integration with

existing systems, and resistance from staff or parents who may be skeptical of their benefits. Furthermore, implementing these technologies may require significant planning and coordination, as well as specialized expertise, which may be difficult for some schools to obtain. In the midst of these challenges, first responders are advocating for technologies that can deliver precise indoor location information during critical situations, highlighting the urgency for such advancements. Schools face additional challenges when it comes to threat assessments and behavioral health. One major challenge is the complexity of conducting effective threat assessments, which involves gathering information from multiple sources, evaluating risk factors and determining appropriate interventions. There may also be a struggle with identifying and addressing students’ mental health needs, as well as providing adequate support and resources to students and families. CrisisGo has helped over 100 districts in Illinois enhance their school safety with best-in-class school safety solutions. That’s why we’ve partnered with industry-leading experts Siyata Mobile, PositiveProof, ZeroEyes AI, Rise Vision, and IASA members for IASA’s Day of Learning on April 12th. This virtual event will tackle these challenges head-on and help your school enhance its overall safety. We are proud to be a part of IASA’s 4 workshops, with our experts providing insights on how we can help make schools safer for your staff and students. Don’t miss out on this informative learning opportunity. Sign up now!

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Condon

Cushing

Gibson

Hartmann

Raffel

Smith

Stauder

SAFE Board Selects Seven Illinois Educators for Moon Scholarship Awards

Seven Illinois educators have been selected to receive monetary awards as recipients of the 2022–2023 James V. and Dorothy B. Moon Scholarships. Each scholarship is a minimum of $2,500. Those selected by the School Administrators Foundation for Education (SAFE) Board of Trustees include: • Matt Condon, Principal, Morton Grove SD #70 • Ingrid Cushing, Principal, La Salle-Peru Twp HSD #120 • Christopher Gibson, Associate Principal for Teaching & Learning, La Salle-Peru Twp HSD #120 • Jennifer Hartmann, Assistant Principal, Lansing SD #158 • David Raffel, Jr., Principal, Morris SD #54 • Erin Smith, Principal, Iroquois West CUSD #10 • Kent Stauder, Superintendent, Okaw Valley CUSD #302 this program is designed to help produce people who are well-prepared to become superintendents and tackle the challenges facing public education in Illinois.” The Moon Scholarship was established by the late Dr. James V. Moon, a distinguished educator and superintendent in Illinois. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide grants to assist individuals in the pursuit of graduate study leading to improved competency in the superintendency. To qualify, an applicant must be a resident of and a practicing school administrator in Illinois, be a graduate of “Dr. Moon’s vision was to help up and-coming educators in Illinois by assisting them in pursuing graduate studies.” said Dr. Roger Alvey, President of SAFE. “Ultimately,

an accredited college or university, hold an administrative certificate in Illinois, be of good character, and be enrolled in an advanced degree program at an accredited college or university. The application process includes, among other things, a response to a practicum question, three letters of reference, a statement concerning involvement in professional development programs, and a statement indicating a commitment to superintendency. Applications were judged based on good scholarship, evidence of strong communication skills, abilities and

strengths as indicated by the letters of support, potential for contributing to the quality of K–12 public education in Illinois through the superintendency, and demonstrated participation in professional development programs. Recipients are required to contribute to the further development of the superintendency in Illinois for a period of two years following completion of their degree program in which they accepted payment of tuition, fees and/ or textbook expenses on their behalf. Information and applications for the 2023–2024 Moon Scholarships will be available in the fall on the IASA

this program is designed to help

produce people who are well-prepared to become superintendents and tackle the challenges facing public education in Illinois.

Website at https://www.iasaedu.org/Page/120. Questions can be directed to Jodi Gillespie at 217–753–2213 or at jgillespie@iasaedu.org. Anyone wishing to contribute $25 or more to the SAFE scholarship fund can do so by sending a personal check made payable to SAFE to the IASA office at 2648 Beechler Court, Springfield, IL, 62703–7305.

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Membership Drive FY2024

ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

TOALL SUPERINTENDENTS:

Have you changed your email address? @

Will you be retiring this year?

Are you a new superintendent?

Will you be changing districts this year?

Please let us know your status change immediately. We don’t want you to miss any important IASA news or information!

TOALL IASAMEMBERS:

IASA

Want to be in the October membership directory?

We must have all your 2024 member information before Sept. 1, 2023 to include you in the directory.

If you plan to be a paid IASA member for FY2023, contact Misti Murphy at 217–753–2213, or mmurphy@iasaedu.org by September 1, 2023

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Education Elevat g We continue our series highlighting tremendous educators across Illinois who have given their time and energy to ele vating the superintendency and public education as a whole. Each month, we will feature two educators who are going the extra mile and truly making a difference beyond their school districts and local communities. While we are aware of many of the contributions administrators are making, we are open to any suggestions for someone to feature next month. To make a recommendation, contact Jason Nevel, IASA Director of Social Media and Publications, at jnevel@iasaedu.org or by calling 217–753–2213. Curt Nettles Clinton CUSD#15 Dr. Charles Johns Glenbrook High School District 225

Who: Curt Nettles, superintendent

Who: Dr. Charles Johns, superintendent What: Presented at conferences on how superintendents can improve organizational structure as well as systems for continuous improvement of teaching and learning; Consulted and presented on MTSS; Leading an in-depth Climate and Culture study at

What: Longtime ISAL Coach; Transformational Leadership Academy Coach; Advocate and consultant for the CEO Program; Strengthened vocational programing at Clinton High School; Presented on Teen Mental Health First Aid

Glenbrook High School District 225; Adopted a social emotional screener tool that helps monitor the social emotional health of students Where: Glenbrook High School District 225, Cook North When: Superintendent of Glenbrook High School District 225 since 2019; Superintendent of West Chicago ESD #33 from 2014–2019 Why: Throughout his career in education, Dr. Charles Johns has prioritized creating systems that provide a strong framework for success. When he interviewed for the job of superintendent at Glenbrook High School District 225 in 2019—a high achieving district in Chicago’s north suburbs—it was clear that teaching students soft skills was a greater need than revamping the district’s approach to math and reading.

Where: Clinton CUSD #15, Abe Lincoln When: Superintendent of Clinton CUSD #15 since 2015; Superintendent of Lexington CUSD #7 from 2007–2015 Why: Curt Nettles didn’t know what to expect when he enrolled in the first cohort of IASA’s School for Advanced Leadership in 2010 “I wanted to try something to up my game,” Nettles said. “ISAL turned out to be the best PD I ever received. It made me uncomfortable. If you don’t get uncomfortable, you’re not going to grow.” Nettles has served as an ISAL coach in five cohorts. He has also been a coach for IASA’s Transformational Leadership Academy. As a coach, he mentors participants and helps them develop personal and

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Education Elevat g

Nettles ... cont’d. professional growth plans. When ISAL VII concludes, Nettles and Sandye Brown will replace Dr. Gary Zabilka and Dr. Nancy Blair as lead ISAL Facilitators. The move coincides with his retirement from Clinton CUSD #15. “Gary and Nancy designed a program that not only made 150 plus Illinois superintendents stronger leaders, but also better spouses, better parents and better people,” Nettles said. “I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and hope to carry on the tremendous legacy they built.” At Clinton CUSD #15, Nettles is proud of introducing and strengthening non-traditional programs for students. In 2017, the district launched the Central Illinois CEO Program. The CEO Program, funded by local businesses and entities, teaches high school students about business and entrepreneurship. Nettles has since become a consultant for the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, which developed the program. “We were initially looking at developing a program internally that taught students soft skills, communications skills and skills that help them be successful in life,” Nettles said. “One day, I got an invitation to learn about the CEO Program and realized it offered everything we were seeking, and it didn’t have any cost to the school. It has paid dividends for our students. We will be graduating our fourth class and every year we strengthen our resolve to keep it going.” Nettles is also proud to expand vocational programs at Clinton CUSD #15. The district hired three teachers in the areas of family consumer sciences, industrial technology and automotive. Clinton High School now better utilizes an automotive shop with three vehicle lifts. “Our kids are able to do things like take the engine out of a vintage car, paint a vehicle, do body work and then sell the vehicle,” Nettles said. “We have really been able to put that program back on the map for kids.” Lastly, Nettles is proud of the district’s efforts to expand social-emotional support for students. Clinton CUSD #15 adopted Teen Mental Health First Aid, which teaches teens in grades 10–12, or ages 15–18, how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use challenges among their friends and peers.

Johns ... cont’d.

“When I met with stakeholders, our conversations were focused on improving the social-emotional well-being of our students,” Dr. Johns said. “I’m very much a systems and data person, so what we’ve been doing is taking an analytical approach to make sure we have systems in place that reach the needs of every student and then make sure our staff is prepared to deliver students the help they need.” Glenbrook High School District 225 is deep into the process of conducting an in-depth Climate and Culture study that will establish a baseline of the district site culture for students and staff. The district is also using a social-emotional-screener tool for students three times per year and then embeds that data into its Student Success Platform, which incorporates attendance, grades and other key metrics. “In order for students to continue to achieve at high levels, we realized we needed to do more to tend to their wellbeing,” Dr. Johns said. “It’s about fully understanding where we are, and then determining how we can get better.” Dr. Johns is also passionate about presenting at conferences and sharing the work he’s most proud of with his peers. Topics he’s presented on include improving organizational structure as well as developing systems for continuous improvement of teaching and learning. Not only can presenting at conferences elevate public education as a whole, it can also improve internal processes because of outside feedback. “When you have people react to your ideas, it can cause a spiral of improvement,” Dr. Johns said. Dr. John’s education career has also included work as a consultant helping school districts implement the multi tiered system of supports framework. MTSS is designed to help schools identify struggling students early and intervene quickly. “Systems are important, but we should not think of them as the end-point,” Dr. Johns said. “They really give us a baseline from which to reflect, refine and improve.”

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Professional Development One of our main focuses for this cohort will be helping rural superintendents advance 21st Century learning practices while maintaining conservative community support. The sessions will feature leaders from national education organizations, superintendents from other states, a discussion on books and materials and an opportunity to share best practices. Thank you to Todd Dugan, superintendent of Bunker Hill CUSD #8, for helping bring this idea to Illinois. Our programs are always stronger when they’re designed by Illinois superintendents. To close, take a look at the next few pages to see what professional development opportunities are available. As always, please contact me to see if IASA can customize a PD experience for your district.

Dr. Courtney Orzel IASA Associate Director of Professional Development

Thirteen years ago, IASA launched one of the most unique learning opportunities in the country—the IASA School for Advanced Leadership. In the past year, IASA has expanded cohort learning opportunities by developing IASA Elevate Superwomen and Level Up Leadership. In the near future, IASA will launch Reimaging Rural Leadership, a new cohort for school administrators in rural schools. Like other cohorts, this program will bring superintendents across the state to network, hear best practices and develop lifelong connections.

IASA Offering Initial and Retraining Academies for Principal Evaluation Need Evaluator Training?

IASA is currently offering initial principal evaluation and evaluator retraining academies. These academies are designed to fulfill Illinois State Board of Education requirements. To learn more about dates and requirements, click the link at right.

info•register

The Power of Positive Leadership AA 3730 The research is clear. Being a positive leader is not just a nice way to lead. It’s the way to lead if you want to build a great culture, unite your organization in the face of change and adversity, develop a connected and committed team and achieve superior goals. Great leaders understand that to succeed, you succeed with people–and this training shows you how. You’ll learn skills to enhance your leadership capability and leave with a practical action plan to bring out the best in yourself and your team. While leaders always need to display positive leadership, in our current situation it is crucial. Presented by Dr. Kelly Stewart Upcoming date: April 25 info•register Leadership Strand

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IASA is excited to offer this new academy focused on how districts can take an annual standards-based approach to assessing the security of school buildings, grounds and policies. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) provides the framework for conducting safety site assessments based on industry standards. This academy

is open to superintendents as well as building and central office administrators. Register as an individual or as a team to maximize your experience! Presented by Dr. Roger Alvey and Dr. George McKenna Upcoming dates: April 19 info•register

Leadership Strand Why Your Why Matters AA 1445

IASA’s popular leadership academy strand focusing on your Why returns with five new sessions. Whether you’ve experienced a Why session before, or you’re taking Why Your Why Matters for the first time, register today and join your colleagues around the state to network, collaborate and reflect on why being an educator is the most important profession on Earth! The first of five sessions will be held virtually on December 6. The series continues with four more sessions, both online and virtually, through June 22, 2023.

Presented by: Dr. Courtney Orzel, IASA Associate Director of Professional Development. Upcoming Dates: • June 8, in person (Springfield);

info•register

Health Life Safety Compliance An Administrator’s Guide to the Fundamentals AA #3700 Offered Online via Zoom

Professional Development

IASA’s Health Life Safety Compliance Academy: An Administrators Guide to the Fundamentals returns in 2023 with two more sessions! Participants will develop strategies to reduce your district’s liability, engage stakeholders, learn the financial do’s and don’ts, as well as undertake a deep dive into your current 10 year HLS surveys and IWAS. This academy is activity- and collaboration-filled, where participants learn “the meat and potatoes” of health life safety and

compliance in Illinois. In addition, participants receive useful take back summary and guidance documents. Presented by Ralph Grimm and Pat Durley Upcoming date: May 31 info•register

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PD ... cont’d.

IASA Academy

THE UNFINISHED LEADER: A School Leadership Framework for Growth & Development AA#3896

School of Professional Development

This academy serves as a guidepost to help leaders understand they are works in progress and to help create a vision for their individual futures. To be the best version of yourself you have to be driven deeply by something. You must believe that you have an impact to make and a legacy to leave. You must know that the work will never be done. If you care deeply about making an impact—and you are willing to do anything for your students and community—admit that you are unfinished and strive to get better every day.

Presented by: Dr. Michael Lubelfeld, superintendent of North Shore SD #112, and Dr. Nick Polyak, superintendent of Leyden CHSD #212. Upcoming Date: April 20 info•register

... Webinars Women

Is The Superintendency For Me? Experienced female leaders share advice, answer questions in five-part series

The Illinois Association of School Administrators and Illinois Principals Association are proud to once again partner on a five-part series designed to support female educators considering the superintendency. Participants will listen and learn from a panel of five distinguished female superintendents. In each session, the panelists will discuss their experiences and share advice on what it takes to land that first job and how to be successful in a leadership role. A facilitator will help lead the conversation, and time will be reserved for participants to submit questions. Upcoming dates: April 19 and June 6

info•register

Leadership Strand

Learning Leading Living

Women in Leadership:

AA 3665

Presented by: Dr. Orzel. Upcoming dates: June 5, 2023 (online)

IASA’s Women in Leadership Academy returns with a new version that focuses on facing our fears, increasing our confidence and, as always, networking, supporting and connecting with leaders across Illinois. Participants will leave with practical ways to build your PLN, support others in the field and gain a greater sense of work-life blend. All leaders—men and women—are encouraged to join this experience. Register today and join your peers from across the state for an inspiring, fun and important leadership academy!

info•register

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Looking for the Perfect Candidate? IASA’s Illinois Education Job Bank SM can help you. Every day, thousands of job seekers visit the IASA Illinois Education Job Bank looking for openings at school districts across Illinois. Avoid national sites that cost more and are not tailored to Illinois educators. The IASA Illinois Education Job Bank SM is trusted by superintendents across the state and makes finding qualified applicants to fill permanent, interim, part or full-time vacancies easy. • Set up the RSS feed option to automatically post your district’s vacancy to your district website • The Job Bank SM is set up to automatically send an email notice to your ROE when a position is posted • Easily flag your favorite applicants • Create job posting templates to save you time in the future

If you have any questions about the IASA Job Bank SM or new feature criteria, contact Ashleigh Knudson at 217–753–2213.

illinoiseducationjobbank.org

LegalCorner

Contract Renewals and Extensions: Answers to Frequent Questions

Chad Watkins IASA Associate Director/General Counsel

As part of my role as IASA general counsel, I support IASA members with their contract negotiations. This service is available to active members and non-members who are offered a superintendent contract with the understanding that they will join IASA upon taking the new position. When a superintendent takes their first job or moves to a new district, the process is straightforward: the contract is included in the offer and the hire is not finalized until both parties

old contract with a new contract and an extension is the continuation of the same contract. For the FAQ, we’ll use the term “new contract” to apply to a renewal or extension. Whendo I start theprocessof gettinga newcontract? You should initiate the process no later than January of the second to last year of your contract, but you do not have to wait this long. Anytime when things are going

have reached an agreement. But what if you are already the superintendent? Renewals and extensions are less intuitive. While most contracts include a renewal/ non-renewal provision, these are typically not

well can be a good time to discuss your next contract. Regardless, you never want to go into the last year of a contract unless it is your last year before retirement. If your contract has not been renewed

applicable until the end of the last year of the contract—a less than ideal time to determine whether you have further employment in that district. To bring some clarity to this process, I’ve prepared answers to the most frequently asked questions below. Keep in mind, however, that your district may do things a bit differently and that the following is provided for informative purposes and does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions specific to your situation, give me a call. What’s thedifferencebetweena contract renewal anda contract extension? Attorneys and others often use these two terms interchangeably. Technically, a renewal is replacing an

or extended by July 1st of your

last contract year, you should treat it internally as if you have been non-renewed and seek out other opportunities, even if you continue the conversation with your current board about a new contract. Howdo I start theprocessof gettinga newcontract? The process typically begins with an informal conversation with the board president individually or the board in closed session to express your interest in continuing as the superintendent of the district. If there is mutual interest, it is time to consider what you would like to ask for. If there is not mutual interest or indecision on the board’s behalf, I

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Howdo I negotiatemydesired changes into mynewcontract? Once you have determined what you would like in your new contract, I suggest scheduling a meeting with your board president to discuss the most salient proposals, typically the contract term, compensation, and benefits. Use that conversation as an opportunity to get a sense of the board’s feelings: Should you adjust some of your asks? Is the board more favorable to increases in some areas but not others? Is the board dead set against something you’d like? With that background, you can prepare your final proposals for the board’s consideration. Once again, I can assist with your preparation of the proposals. In most cases, I submit a copy of those proposals to the board’s attorney for them to review with the board president and/or board separately. In some cases, you will provide that draft to the board president directly and they will discuss with the board without an attorney. Either way, you will receive a response and, once again, it is time to prioritize. Depending on what your initial proposals were, you may have to adjust or forego some of the items that you requested. At that time, you must decide which proposals are worth a protracted discussion with your board. Sometimes, I can have that conversation on your behalf, sometimes I cannot. In some cases, it is better to have that final conversation directly with the board president. However you feel about the final offer after the last conversations, always know that you are in complete control. The decision to sign a new contract (or any contract) is always up to you. Afterwehaveadeal, thenwhat? A final version of the contract is prepared that incorporates the parties’ requested changes. Like all other final actions, approval of the contract must be placed on a board meeting agenda to be voted on in open session. The Superintendent will typically sign first, then the board president will sign on behalf of the board after the vote. Then it’s back to doing the great work you do every day… until it’s time for the next contract conversation.

would suggest an individual meeting with the board president to understand where you stand with the board and determine whether you need to make adjustments and/or begin to look for other opportunities. What do I ask for inanewcontract? After you and the board have expressed a mutual desire for you to continue as superintendent, it is time to determine what you would like to ask for in that new contract. While it is always favorable to increase your pay and leave and to make other language more beneficial to you, there are limits to what boards are willing to do. Before finalizing your asks, consider your priorities and how you think the board would respond to the proposals. I’ve summarized some of these considerations below but please also know that I’m available to assist IASA members with these discussions. As always, it is best to contact me from your personal email address or cell phone. • Term: —Superintendent contracts can be for multi-year periods of up to five years. —Do you want a long term or short-term commitment to the district? —How close are you to retirement? • Conditionsof Employment,Modification, andTermination: —Is there something in the work environment that you would like to change? —Do you want more discretion to teach, lecture or attend conferences? —Do you want to make it more difficult or expensive for the board to remove you? • CompensationandBenefits: —How close are you to retirement? Should you prioritize creditable earnings? —Have you reviewed the administrative compensation reports in similar districts and/or peer contracts? Is your pay commensurate with the market? —How close is your total sick leave accumulation to 340 days (the number needed for two years of TRS serviced credit)? —What increases and other benefits have other employees or previous superintendents in your district received?

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Keep Illinois Learning with Renaissance

Engage kids in reading and math all summer long

To learn more , and to register for an informational webinar, visit renaissance.com/keep-illinois-learning/ .

$1.00 per student for reading & math practice solutions. Price includes data to monitor

8th Annual Summer Learning Partnership

engagement & growth, and professional development to implement with fidelity.

Anytime, anywhere reading practice on any device. Online or offline. With thousands of digital titles available 24/7, students always have access to something engaging to read at home or on the go—all summer long!

Engaging math practice at each student’s individual level. With a wide variety of differentiated, standards-aligned activities, students can keep growing their math skills over the summer.

Click to view our digital brochure & video

For more details, please contact: KimWalsh | kim.walsh@renaissance.com | (847) 687-7409

641699.0223

Keep Illinois Learning with Renaissance

Our most important decisions relate to where to focus. Make sure your teachers are focusing their time and energy on the most important reading and math skills. —Dr. Gene Kerns Chief Academic Officer at Renaissance

Watch this video from Dr. Gene Kerns to learn how to make up for lost instructional time by focusing on the most critical reading and math skills this summer.

Play time 2:07

Summer = Season of Learning

Formal summer school High-dosage and acceleration academies

Summer enrichment programs School-based and community-based programs

Independent summer learning Targeted reading and math practice

www.renaissance.com

Preparing for the FY2024 Evidence-Based Funding Spending Plan

Story Submitted by Illinois State Board of Education

The Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) Spending Plan will appear in the annual budget form (SD 50-36) beginning in fiscal year 2024. This article originally appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of IASBO’s UPDATE magazine. It is reprinted with permission and provides key details to help you prepare for the revised spending plan.

The Illinois Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act (ILCS 18-8.15), which was enacted in 2018, brought needed stability to state funding for all districts while directing new dollars to students in the most under-resourced districts. Importantly, the legislation included a requirement that all organizational units, defined as those that are eligible to receive tier funding, must submit an EBF Spending Plan as part of the annual budget process. (The broader term “organizational unit” will be used in place of “districts” in this text to cover the range of entities that are required to submit the EBF Spending Plan.) The format and scope of the plan are determined by the state superintendent and the Illinois

State Board of Education (ISBE), but the Illinois School Code outlines three requirements. The plan must include a description of how an organizational unit will achieve student growth and make progress toward state education goals, the intended use of state funding, and additional detail regarding the intended use of state funding attributable to special education costs and students who are English learners or low-income. The EBF Spending Plan has evolved in the years since it was first implemented. What has not changed is the intent behind the plan: to encourage public dialogue about the allocation of state dollars and to better understand the impact of the EBF formula.

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better inform resource allocation, support the use of data-driven needs assessments, promote stakeholder engagement, and provide meaningful data to assess the relationship between student outcomes and financial resources. (See link in box at left.) ISBE has not published prior spending plan responses, so the group considered whether the EBF Spending Plan could be redesigned to provide transparency regarding the intended use of state funds and support productive local dialogue about resource allocation for student groups. After carefully considering several options, advisory group members determined that the EBF Spending Plan would best align with the value proposition through integration into the annual budget process. Therefore, beginning in FY 2024, the spending plan will appear as a new tab within the budget form. (Organizational units that do not submit a budget form to ISBE will be provided with a spending plan template.) Integration into the budget accomplishes important goals related to elements of the value proposition. The budget already has public transparency requirements, which include a public hearing and publishing the adopted budget on websites. Additionally, the budget is the plan for all funding sources. Organizational units can consider the intended use of EBF in the context of planned spending from all sources. Elementsof theRevisedSpendingPlan The redesigned spending plan largely retains the structure of the current plan—it will be in a new place, but it will still be familiar to education leaders. As with the current plan, the redesigned spending plan has three parts. Part 1 is where organizational units indicate strategies for achieving student growth and making progress toward state education goals. In Part 2, organizational units broadly indicate the intended use of EBF dollars. And Part 3 is where organizational units specify planned investments for special educations costs and students who are English learners or low-income. Consistent with the current spending plan, many items allow for the selection of responses from a provided list. (Leaders may select “Other” and provide context when their answers are not on the list.) There is general consistency with the current plan, but the redesigned plan differs in three ways. First, the questions focus on prioritization. Rather than selecting many strategies for achieving student growth, for example, organizational units are asked to select the top three highest-priority strategies for the current academic year. Additionally, the plan integrates language from the state funding formula by asking organizational units to indicate the top three priority

To view the EBF Spending Plan Value Proposition and Guiding Principles ClickHere

EstablishingaNewValueProposition for the SpendingPlanRequirement Since 2018, organizational units have completed the EBF Spending Plan via an online form in the ISBE Web Application Security (IWAS) system, which is not accessible to the public. ISBE’s 2020–2023 Strategic Plan charged staff to convene an advisory group and identify ways to maximize the plan’s value to better support the equitable allocation of funds designated for specific student populations. Beginning in the fall of 2021, a broad group of stakeholders began to consider revisions to the EBF Spending Plan. The advisory group consists of representatives from organizational units and advocacy organizations across the state. Its members include both program and financial leaders within organizational units; they represent large and small organizational units that serve student populations spanning the diversity of Illinois as a whole. Advocacy stakeholders include groups that represent education professionals, regional interests, and the various student groups identified in EBF statute. The advisory group focused its efforts on three objectives— establishing a value proposition and principles to guide the work, identifying a place of integration for maximizing the value of the spending plan, and aligning the content of the plan with the value proposition. Through the value proposition, the group aspired to create a plan that would

21 LM April 2023 continued...

59TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

September 27–29, 2023 BOS Center and the President Abraham Lincoln Springfield—A DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel

Registration and Housing Open This Summer!

FEATURED KEYNOTES PLUS

Merlyna Valentine has been a teacher, assistant principal , principal and Executive Director of Elementary Schools in her 30-year education career. In 2007, she was faced with a medical tragedy that changed her l ife forever. She is focused on motivating others to embrace change.

Adam Welcome is a highly regarded author and speaker. He previously served as a teacher, principal , and Director of Innovation and Technology for a large school district

Ji l l Si ler is the Executive Director for Professional

Always a favorite, Ignite al lows leaders from exemplary school districts to share innovative educational messages and best practices, taking just 5 minutes each.

Learning for the Texas Association of School Administrators. She is a former superintendent, author of two education books and former chair of the Future Ready Superintendent Leadership Network in Texas.

Breakout Sessions, Academies, Women in Leadership, New Superintendents’ Strand, Exhibits, Receptions and More!

in Cal ifornia. He is passionate about

technology integration in schools and a social media advocate.

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

EXCELLENT MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES!

Share Best Practices

for

Click here to learn more.

School Service Members— Don’t miss these opportunities! • Reserve a Booth • Sopnsor an Event, Meal or Speaker

with your colleages from across the state! Click here to submit a proposal to present a Breakout Session. Deadline to submit is June 2, 2023. Presenters will be notified June or July 2023. Questions? Contact Dr. Courtney Orzel at corzel@iasaedu.org.

EBFSpendingPlan ... cont’d.

3. Engage department leaders and local stakeholders. Many federal grants have requirements for community engagement, the results of which are described by districts in the Consolidated District Plan (CDP. Current year EBF distributions are not known at the time the CDP is released (typically in March), but leaders can consider integrating discussion about the intended use of EBF dollars into the relevant stakeholder discussions for other grants, particularly as they relate to special education, English learners, and low-income students. Finally, remember that the EBF Spending Plan is a vehicle to tell a story about how you are connecting state dollars to student need. Outside of the statutory requirements for special education, English learners, and low-income students, the School Code does not prescribe particular investments, nor does the EBF Spending Plan dictate a process for decision-making. Integration into the annual budget form provides a new opportunity to foster collaboration across departments and communities in decisions about state resources. Additional Resources • Revised Template and Research: https://www.isbe.net/ Pages/ebfspendingplan.aspx • Explanatory Documents: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/ EvidenceBasedFunding.aspx • EBF and ESSA Resources from IASBO: https://www.iasbo. org/legislative/ebf-essa

“cost factors” they will invest in using EBF dollars. Cost factors are investments—in staffing models and resources— that research has demonstrated are strongly correlated with increased achievement. Thirty-four cost factors within the state funding formula are used to estimate adequate resources based on each organizational unit’s unique population. (For more information about the cost factors, see Additional Resources at the end of this document.) Importantly, the cost factors are not meant to be exhaustive, and they are not intended to direct spending. Local needs assessments should continue to drive spending decisions, but the cost factors can be helpful as a starting point for local discussion. A final important change in the revised plan is that organizational units must now identify the investments they are making specifically with tier funding. In this way, the spending plan becomes a valuable communication tool for showing how new resources are being used to support students. LookingAhead toFY2024 Implementation ISBE typically releases the annual state budget form in May. Taking the following steps will help you to prepare for the FY 2024 EBF Spending Plan: 1. Register for webinars and review guidance. As with any new or annual statewide report, ISBE will hold webinars to provide guidance for completing the spending plan. Be on the lookout for more information in the ISBE Weekly Message later this spring. 2. Brush up on EBF basics and access the revised template. As noted previously, the spending plan uses cost factors as the basis for framing intended investments with state dollars. Both ISBE and IASBO have great resources that support understanding of the terms embedded in the funding formula. Additionally, ISBE intends to publish the revised spending plan template on its EBF Spending Plan webpage by mid-April. For these and other materials, see Additional Resources below.

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