State Senators Consider School Reform Bill

One of the changes being considered is job security for teachers.  Instead of laying them off based on just experience, they'll now also look at performance. 

They're changes REA president Molly Phalen says could have helped decide which of the 600 laid off Rockford Public School teachers should have actually been let go.

"It probably would have produced a different list,” said Phalen.  “With the combination of experience and quality, these are the best ones we got."

Senator Dave Syverson says the bill would better prepare children to succeed, something he says we need.

"How do we create better educated students, who are prepared to meet the challenges of the economy we have, and the world economy we have, and clearly it's not working now," said Syverson.

If the bill becomes a law it would make public the system used to measure a school's performance, require school board members to undergo training in financial oversight, education, and labor law.  As well as, streamline the dismissal process for underperforming teachers

Syverson says it's a good start to creating a more open school system.

"There needs to be, certainly from the tax payer stand point, more transparency in how their school budgets are coming along, and how negotiations are coming along," said Syverson.

The bill has been supported by the Illinois Education Association and the Illinois Federation of Teachers.  Syverson says he expects the bill to pass before the end of the week.