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Upcoming Events
May 4, 2012
ACT Now Coalition's Spring Meeting This meeting, being held in conjunction with the Illinois AfterSchool Network's Conference (info below), will include discussion of new policy developments related to after-school.
RSVP to Guadalupe Ortega.
May 4-5, 2012
AfterSchool Conference Celebration
Hosted by:
Illinois AfterSchool Network
This annual spring conference, held in Springfield, IL, is focused on high quality afterschool programs and youth development strategies. Learn more and register here
May 9-12, 2012
Community Schools National Forum
Join community school and education reform practitioners and advocates at the 2012 Community Schools National Forum on May 9-12 in San Francisco. Watch this short video for a glimpse of what you can expect at the conference.
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DHS Reveals Funding Deficit for TANF At the Appropriations-Human Services committee hearing last week, the Department of Human Services informed the legislature that it has insufficient funds to meet its Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) obligations through the current fiscal year which ends June 30. Read more about how the Governor is proposing to pay for this year's shortfall, the additional cuts to TANF being proposed for FY2013 and how proposed decreases in welfare will affect Illinois' most vulnerable children and families. |
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Student Advisory Council Applications Now Available Online
The application for the 2012-13 Student Advisory Council is now available on the ISBE website. There will be 10 positions open. Applications are due May 31, 2012. Interviews will be scheduled for mid to late July for those applicants chosen as possible candidates. If you have any questions, please contact Mike Hatfill at (217) 524-4832 or dhatfill@isbe.net.
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Elev8 Chicago students in front of
US Capitol Building
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Last week, 10 students from Elev8 Chicago joined students from Elev8 initiatives in Baltimore, Oakland and New Mexico in Washington, D.C. The students were in Washington for 4 days to build their advocacy skills, to advocate for Elev8 and other important issues and to do a little sight-seeing. The Elev8 Chicago students met with staff members from Rep. Gutierrez's office, Rep. Lipinski's office and Rep. Rush's office. In addition, the students had a very special opportunity to meet with the U.S. Department of Education, including staff from the offices of Elementary and Secondary Education, Innovation and Improvement, and Vocational and Adult Education, among others. At that meeting the students spoke with Department staff about the importance of community school programs like Elev8 as well as the impact bullying, neighborhood violence and turnarounds have on learning. The Mikva Challenge, an Elev8 Chicago partner, led the advocacy training. The students look forward to more opportunities to advocate for their schools and communities.
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Support for University-Assisted Community Schools Expands Throughout Midwest
Earlier this week, the Midwest Center for University-Assisted Community Schools (Midwest Center) in Indianapolis held its first Advisory Council meeting. A partnership among Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), IUPUI's Center for Service and Learning, Center for Urban and Multicultural Education, and School of Education, as well as the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center, the Netter Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania, and other community partners, the Midwest Center provides technical assistance and training for school communities interested in implementing and strengthening the community schools model and university collaboration. The work draws upon the extensive IUPUI/George Washington Community High School experience and that of Washington's feeder elementary schools. In partnership with business, service providers, and neighborhood organizations, university-assisted community schools draw upon higher education to assist local schools as support centers for youth, their families, and neighbors. The Midwest Center will help school communities better serve youth and their families with results-based strategies that leverage community assets, with a particular focus on university partners. The Federation for Community Schools will support the Midwest Center through membership on the Advisory Council, and we look forward to opportunities for community schools and universities in Illinois to learn from the Midwest Center's expertise.
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Governor Quinn Proposes Cuts to Medicaid
Very recently, Governor Quinn released his proposal to cut Medicaid spending. His proposal did not include any changes to All Kids, however, that does not mean that the program cannot or will not be modified in negotiations with the General Assembly. Among Gov. Quinn's suggested Medicaid changes, the Federation is concerned about:
- Reducing eligibility for the Family Care adults to 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL). This will impact an estimated 26,400 clients and save over $48 million per year. Under the Affordable Care Act provisions that become effective January 1, 2014 (unless the US Supreme Court holds the Act unconstitutional) Medicaid eligibility for this population would stop at 133% of FPL and those above that income level could be covered by private plans with premium subsidies under a Health Benefits Exchange.
- Eliminating medical coverage for adults on General Assistance, saving over $16 million per year. This group would be eligible for coverage under the Affordable Care Act in 2014, or sooner if a Cook County waiver sought by the State is approved.
- Proposing full review of eligibility for individuals on Medicaid, saving an estimated $120 million/year.
- Requiring additional co-payments from consumers who use Federally Qualified Health Centers, saving about $3 million.
These, along with other proposed cuts and program changes, would save an estimated $1.4 billion. The remainder of the $2.7 billion savings would be realized through an increase in the State's cigarette tax and other care coordination and managed care implementation.
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Summer Learning: A Vital School Turnaround Strategy
Starting Tuesday, May 1, the National Summer Learning Association will begin hosting a series of free webinars for the U.S. Department of Education School Turnaround Learning Community entitled Summer Learning: A Vital School Turnaround Strategy. The series will cover topics such as summer learning loss, summer school for school improvement, and summer programming resources. Click here to learn more and to register for these free webinars (you'll need to register to access the webinars).
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Grants for Youth-Led Community Service Projects
Youth Service America and Get Ur Good On, an online network for youth working to improve their communities, are inviting children and young adults (5 to 25 years of age) worldwide to apply for a $500 Get Ur Good On Grant in support of a youth-
led community service project. The grants are made possible with support from the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Projects must address a demonstrated community need or issue, and take place during June, July, and/or August 2012. Applicants must have a project mentor to help throughout the project.
Visit Youth Service America for complete program guidelines, application procedures, and project ideas.
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