This is from Beverly Johns:

In addition to my message you received earlier, please
find below the telephone contacts for all the other
Democratic members of the Illinois House Elementary
and Secondary Education Committee. (The Republican
members still have not been posted.)

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HB 160 WILL BECOME LAW?

Given what has happened with IDEA 2004 (and the
Governor's desire to cut school regulations), anything
is possible this year.

As you may know, the Illinois legislative process is
not predictable. Just a few weeks ago I thought such
a bill as HB 160 could not pass, but now I'm not sure.

The best way to stop House Bill 160 is to contact every
member of the Illinois House Elementary and Secondary
Education Committee (and your own State Representative).

HB 160 may be heard in Committee on Feb. 2, or the sponsor
may decide to hold the bill until Feb. 9, or he may decide not
to call the bill at all. His strategy may be to try to amend
another bill later in the session (or to simply try to get the
Illinois State Board of Education to do what HB 160 would
require without HB 160 passing at all).

Hopefully many of you have read my previous messages
on House Resolution 359 (passed in 2003) and how Chris
Koch (head of special ed at the Illinois State Board of
Education) used that resolution to attempt to change
Illinois' regulations on special education class size.
In December, 2004, Chris Koch told the Board members
of ISBE that HR 359 indicated the "legislature's intent"
to limit State special education regulations to only the
minimum level required by IDEA.

HR 359 is a one-house resolution (never considered
by the State Senate) and therefore could not indicate
the "legislature's" intent. Remember that neither
IDEA 1997 nor IDEA 2004 have any requirements for
limits on special education class size or age range.

There is simply no way to know what will happen with
House Bill 160 at this point.

As far as what you should emphasize to legislators, different
people will have different strategies, and that is good.
Legislators need to hear a variety of reasons as
to why Illinois special education law and Illinois special
education regulations are critical to students and teachers.

YOU CAN SAY TO LEGISLATORS (or their secretaries):
"House Bill 160 is scheduled for hearing on February 2
before the House Elementary and Secondary Education
Committee. Please OPPOSE House Bill 160,
sponsored by Rep. Roger Eddy, which would eliminate any
Illinois special education regulation not required by the
Federal government. Many of Illinois' special education
regulations (such as the limits on class size) are critical for
students and teachers."

(List of Committee Members' telephone numbers below).

Bev Johns
-------------------
Rep. Monique Davis
217-782-0010
773-445-9700
Rep. Michael Smith
217-782-8152
309-647-7479
Rep. Harry Osterman
217-782-8088
773-784-2002
Rep. David Miller
217-782-8087
708-201-8000
Rep. Karen Yarbrough
217-782-8120
708-615-1747
Rep. Marlow Colvin
217-782-8272
773-783-8492
Rep. Kevin Joyce
217-782-8200
708-448-3518
Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia
217-558-1002
630-264-6855
Rep. Robert Flider
217-782-8398
217-428-2708
Rep. Lisa Dugan
217-782-5981
815-939-1983
Rep. Daniel Beiser
217-782-5996
618-259-4934


Sandy, Illinois (alpy2@...)
Volunteer Co-Webmaster, Our Children Left Behind
(http://www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com)


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