Greetings,

Representative Cynthia Soto has introduced HB 363 to fundamentally restructure the way the Chicago Public School system decides how they close, consolidate, turnaround, construct, repair, and deal with other school facility issues. Rep. Soto and a diverse coalition of teachers, principals, parents, and community organizations describe the current decision making process about school facilities in Chicago as ?fundamentally flawed.?

Governor Quinn decided to veto the bill and add an amendment to lessen the number of task force members the Springfield legislators could appoint. He also added two appointments for the mayor and for himself. We feel that the previous make up of the task force was fair. He also changed the reporting date that the task force would give their findings. Due to the hold up of the bill being passed, we felt that an extension of the date could occur through a different process. The bill did not have to be vetoed and amended to do this. Thus, we want the School Closing Bill to stand as passed by the General Assembly in May.

Please immediately contact your senators to thank them for their past support of the School Closing Bill (HB 363). ALSO, ask him/her to help us override the Governor?s Amendatory Veto during Veto Session. Please click here and then click on the link to the left of the screen to find your elected officials.

Highlights of the bill include:

• A Special Joint Chicago Education Facilities Committee, which would include four representatives from the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, four senators from the Senate Education Committee, two community representatives, a representative from the CTU, and a representative from the Principal?s Association;
  
  
• independent experts to gather and analyze pertinent information on a pro bono basis;
  
  
• focus groups, and interviews to give opportunities to local stakeholders to give their input;
  
  
• a draft to share with the communities;
  
  
• meetings in the communities affected during times the community can participate to get their feedback on the draft;
  
  
• and a Special Joint Chicago Education Facilities Committee will get a legislator to sponsor the final draft/policy in the form of legislation to be voted on by the General Assembly.