Blog Posts

What is happening with Civics Education in Illinois?

4/2/2015

We last told you that HB 4024 and HB 4025 passed out of their respective committees. Before they go to the House floor, representatives are writing amendments to strengthen the bills' language. The Citizen Advocacy Center will keep you informed of developments. In the meantime, this infographic fact sheet will assist you in sparking conversation on the need for Civics Education in Illinois.

Download the flyer in pdf format to print or distribute.

Civics Education in Illinois Infographic
File Size:	306 kb
File Type:	pdf

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#BringCivicsBack Overview of the need for civics education in IL and currently proposed legislation

3/26/2015

#BringCivicsBack is a brief two-page document with supporting links that includes:
Overview
The Need for Civic Education
We Know Quality Civic Education Works
The Proposed Legislation
Meeting the Need for Teacher Professional Development
Time to Act - Here's What You Can Do

#BringCivicsBack is a document written by Shawn Healy, Chair, Illinois Civic Mission Coalition and Chair of the Illinois Task Force on Civic Education.

Financial support for civics education professional development secured in public-private partnership

3/26/2015

Read the letter to Representative Deborah Conroy from the President and CEO of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and the President and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust describing the commitment of the corporate and foundation communities to supporting a public-private partnership to provide funds needed for professional development for a three-year transition period.

How to file a witness slip -- 2 civic education bills in house committee tomorrow

3/24/2015

Witness slips must be submitted before 8 a.m. on Wed. March 25, 2015

Go to www.ilga.gov

1. Click GA Dashboard (red link on left side under Reports & Inquiry)

2. Click House (left column)

3. Click Committee Hearings (drop down menu after clicking "House")

4. Click Week (on the top bar)

5. Click Committee Name (Hint: Click word "Committee" at top of column to put Committee names in alphabetical order)
HB 4024 Committee name: Elementary & Secondary Education: Licensing Oversight
HB 4025 Committee Name: Elementary & Secondary Committee: School Curriculum and Policies Committee

6. Click on the icon that looks like a sheet of paper at far right of page to view hearing details

7. Scroll to find the bill number and click on the icon at far right of page (pencil and paper) to create witness slip for that bill. There may be multiple pages.

8. Fill in all fields in Section I (unless marked optional). May put "none" for firm/business or agency and title. Or can put "Citizen" or "Concerned Citizen" for title. Section II may not apply.

9. Section III: Position Click Proponent or Opponent -- CAC supports these two bills

10. Section IV: Testimony: Check Record of Appearance Only -- unless you will fax a written statement to 1-217-557-2165

11. Type the text, check box: I agree to the ILGA terms of agreement, click Create Slip

12. To create another witness slip: Click Create Another Witness Slip and begin again at Step 2

Call us if you need help navigating the system!

Note: Registration is not required to submit a witness slip. However, to keep an online log of the witness slips you've submitted, you must register from the home page by clicking on "My Legislation." The "My Legislation" tab is along the top or on the left side under Reports and Inquiry -- just above GA Dashboard. Registration will also automatically populate many of the fields on each witness slip you submit.

CAC Survey Underscores Need for Strong Public Notice Requirement

3/17/2015

CAC conducted a survey of over 750 local government websites to audit compliance with public notice requirements. Survey results showed that despite the legal requirement to post public notices on websites, many government bodies do not comply. Only 73% posted notices of meetings, 57% posted meeting agendas, and 48% posted meeting minutes.

When HB261 was introduced in January 2015, recent articles cited the CAC survey to demonstrate why HB261 is a bad idea and should be defeated. The bill seeks to undermine current public notice requirements in Illinois by eliminating public notices from newspapers (and from PublicNoticeIllinois.com where every public notice published in newspapers around the state is posted). It would allow notices to be posted ONLY on government websites.

The proposed changes in HB261 would limit the public's access to information, and make it difficult, if not impossible, for local citizens to act as watchdogs over their tax dollars and to monitor the more than 7,000 public bodies in Illinois.

The bill is currently stalled in committee in the Illinois House -- Counties and Townships Committee -- after an initial vote. However, the bill's sponsor is promising to bring it up for another vote and is continuing to add co-sponsors.

It takes vigilance to protect transparency. CAC is doing the work necessary to keep Sunshine Laws strong in Illinois.

Articles that cite CAC survey:

Belleville News Democrat
BND.com
Shining a light on government
3/14/15

State Journal-Register Editorial: Reasons for Sunshine Week abound at all levels of government
3/14/15

Bill eliminating local government notices in newpapers fails
3/12/15

The News Gazette
Public Information
3/5/15

Quad-Cities Online Editorial: Illinois public notice bill terrible for state's taxpayers 2/22/15

Find your IL House and Senate Representatives

Civic Education Bills Introduced by Rep. Conroy

3/5/2015

Based on the recommendations of the Illinois Task Force on Civic Education, Representative Deb Conroy introduced two new bills in the Illinois House to strengthen civic education in Illinois on Friday February 27, 2015. When introducing the legislation, Rep. Conroy said: "Many students graduate without even basic knowledge of current events and how to become active members of their communities."

House Bill 4025 aims to promote greater civic learning through a required civics course for all Illinois high school students.

House Bill 4024 supports teacher training, the greatest area of need for implementation of a new course. This new measure ensures that professional development activities align with best practices in civics education.

As these bills move through the legislature, we'll keep you informed of future developments and how you can help.

Rep. Conroy's press release announcing House Bills 4025 and 4024

Press release from above published in the Chicago Tribune

Task Force Final Report and Public Comments

About the Illinois Task Force on Civic Education

The Task Force was established by the legislature to study the status of civic education in Illinois and make recommendations for improvement.
The Task Force was comprised of legislators, educators, school administrators, and community leaders from across the state. The findings of the Task Force showed a strong need to strengthen civic education in our state.

CAC was instrumental in advocating for the Task Force and CAC Executive Director Maryam Judar served as a member.
Illinois is one of only ten states in the country that does not require a civics or government course to graduate from high school.

HB261 threatens transparency in IL through proposed changes to public notices

2/27/2015

Transparency is threatened once again in Illinois.

Two editorials published this week at Quad-Cities Online cite a CAC survey of over 750 public websites in Illinois as one reason that HB261, this Illinois lack of public notice bill, is a terrible idea.

HB261 proposes to eliminate public notices from newspapers (and from PublicNoticeIllinois.com where every public notice published in newspapers around the state is posted). It would allow notices to be posted ONLY on individual government websites.

CAC survey results showed that despite public notices on websites, many government bodies do not comply. Only 73% posted notices of meetings, 57% posted meeting agendas, and 48% posted meeting minutes.

The changes proposed by HB261 would make it difficult, if not impossible, for local citizens to act as watchdogs over their tax dollars and to monitor the more than 7,000 public bodies in Illinois.

The bill's sponsor claims modernization and access will result. Yet many Illinois residents do not have access to high-speed internet.

Please read the editorials: Illinois public notice bill terrible for state's taxpayers and Public notices need to be noticed to be effective and contact your state legislators to let them know you oppose HB261.

Editorial on IL public notice bill cites CAC survey

2/23/2015

An editorial in the Quad-Cities Online yesterday cites the results of a CAC survey, conducted in conjunction with the Illinois Press Association, of over 750 public websites in Illinois as one reason that the proposed Illinois public notice bill would be terrible for state's taxpayers.

The upshot is that HB261 would eliminate public notices from newspapers and allow them to be posted on government websites. This change would make it much harder for local citizens to act as watchdogs over public bodies and tax dollars.

Read the editorial here.

Last Call for School, Local Candidates in Consolidated Election April 7, 2015

2/3/2015

For more information, contact
Maryam Judar, executive director Citizen Advocacy Center
(630) 833-4083 (office)
MJudar@CitizenAdvocacyCenter.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – STALE AFTER THURSDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2015

Last Call for School, Local Candidates is ThursdayMany Seats Still Available
No candidates have filed for 5% of the seats on city councils, village, school, park, library, and fire boards in DuPage County, and for another 58% of those seats, there are candidates with no opposition, but there is still time to register as a write-in candidate, says the Citizen Advocacy Center.

“Under Illinois law, any write-in votes cast in the April 7 election are ignored unless the candidate has first registered as a write-in candidate for that office,” said Maryam Judar, executive director of the non-profit civic group that assists citizens in dealing with local government. “The deadline is this Thursday,” she added.

To register as a write-in candidate, a form available at the DuPage Election Commission, 421 County Farm Rd. in Wheaton must be filed with that office before 4:30 p.m. on February 5.

Prospective write-in candidates are welcome to contact the Citizen Advocacy Center at (630) 833-4083) for more information.

Write-ins can register until Thursday February 5 for any office on the ballot, whether there are already filed candidates or not.

No Candidates At All
These offices have at least one seat open but no filed candidates running for it, so the winner will be someone who has filed as a write-in candidate:

Board of Education Member
Fenton HS-100, Westmont U-201, Bensonville G-2, Roselle G-12 (2 openings), Bloomingdale G-13, Winfield G-34.

Library Trustee
Clarendon Hills (2 openings), Fountaindale, Indian Prairie, Lisle (2 openings), Poplar Creek, Roselle, Winfield (2 openings).

Park District Commissioner
Hanover Park, Pick Subdivision, Wheaton.

Candidates with No Opposition
These city, village, and other offices have some candidates with no competition, but write-in candidates can still register until Thursday February 5.

City Mayor / Village President
Carol Stream, Clarendon Hills, Wayne, Wheaton, Wood Dale.

City or Village Clerk
Clarendon Hills, Darien, Oak Brook, Wood Dale.

City Treasurer
Darien, Wood Dale.

City Alderman / Village Trustee
Addison, Aurora, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Darien, Elmhurst, Glendale Heights, Hanover Park, Hinsdale, Itasca, Lemont, Lombard, Oakbrook Terrace, Roselle, St. Charles, Warrenville, Wayne, West Chicago, Westmont, Willowbrook, Wood Dale.

Board of Education Member
U-201, U-203, HS-94, HS-100, HS-210, G-2, G-4, G-7, G-12, G-13, G-15, G-16, G-20, G-33, G-34, G-48, G-53, G-58, G-61, G-62, G-63, G-66, G-89, G-93, G-180.

Park Commissioner
Bloomingdale, Brookeridge, Burr Ridge, Butterfield, Carol Stream, Darien, Downers Grove, Glen Elley Countryside, Golfview Hills, Itasca, Lemont, Lisle, Lombard, Medinah, Oakbrook Terrace, Roselle, Tri-State, Wards Creek, Warrenville, Winfield, Wood Dale, York Center.

Library Trustee
Addision, Bartlett, Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Glen Ellyn, Glenside, Hinsdale, Itasca, Lemont, Villa Park, Warrenville, West Chicago, Westmont, Woodridge, Wood Dale.

Fire District Trustee
Addison, Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Darien-Woodridge, Glenside, Itasca, Lemont, Pleasantview, Tri-State, Wood Dale.

CAC joins amicus brief to U.S. Supreme Court

2/3/2015

CAC joins with like-minded individuals and organizations in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE, Appellant, v. ARIZONA INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION, ET AL., Appellees. in efforts to preserve independent state redistricting committees.

Read the brief here.

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