Coalition Says More Than 20,000 Teachers In Illinois May Lose Jobs Next Year.

Coalition Says More Than 20,000 Teachers In Illinois May Lose Jobs Next Year.

The Chicago Daily Herald (3/29, Holdway) reports that "a coalition of Illinois education groups says more than 20,000 teachers could be laid off from state schools in the next school year." Based on surveys returned by three-quarters of the 944 school districts that received the, the coalition says that 9,764 of the planned layoffs will be "certified staff members -- basically, teachers," another 5,867 will be "noncertified staff members," and 1,597 will be "certified retirees not being replaced." In a news release, coalition member Brent Clark said, "This data only reflects expected job losses. ... The situation is far worse when we factor in elimination and reduction of hundreds of programs in sports and music and school activities that are so beneficial to students." The Daily Herald notes that the coalition is made up of the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Association of School Business Officials, "the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Illinois Principals Association," and the Illinois Association of School Administrators.

Illinois Districts Lay Off Nearly 10,000 Teachers As State Struggles To Catch Up On Payments. The Chicago Sun-Times (3/27, Ihejirika) reported that "in recent weeks, state education funding woes have triggered a tsunami of pink slips to thousands upon thousands of teachers and support staff in school districts statewide, with about 9,800 announced layoffs of teachers so far." Said Illinois Education Association spokesman, Charlie McBarron, "What looms this school year is devastating for all of Illinois. It's going to significantly diminish the quality of education throughout the state." Because the state is "woefully behind on paying its 2009-2010 bills -- and eyeing further budget cuts in 2010-2011 -- districts such as the Chicago Public Schools are drastically plugging holes that may only get bigger."