Senate Bill 409: Mandatory Kindergarten- Unnecessary, Intrusive, & Expensive
5/10/2005 9:49:00 AM
By Family Taxpayers Network
Senate Bill 409 passed out of the Senate on a party line vote and is now scheduled for a hearing by the House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee Wednesday, May 18th. SB409 would lower the mandatory age for school attendance from 7 to 5, requiring parents to enroll their 5 and 6 year olds in school or face truancy charges.
An estimated 95% of the Illinois' population of five and six year olds are currently enrolled in voluntary kindergarten. SB409 will increase the burden on teachers and school administrators who are already struggling with heavy unfunded state mandates.
ACTION: Call SB 409 House sponsor: Representative Edward Acevedo 773-843-1200 ext. # 231. Ask him to withhold SB 409. Please also call House members listed at the bottom of this email, who are members of the committee considering SB 409.
WHY SB409 SHOULD BE OPPOSED:
It is unnecessary:
No evidence has been offered that earlier compulsory school attendance raises test scores or improves academic excellence.
In reverse, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) of 1999 and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of 2000 showed that mandating school at a very young age did not significantly improve subsequent academic performance.
In recent comparisons, Illinois' National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and mathematics scores fared better than four of eight states who require children to attend school at age 5- Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The other four state's scores were equal to or just slightly higher than Illinois'.
It interferes with parents' rights to make one of the first crucial decisions affecting their child's education.
CHILDREN mature at different rates and the ages between 5 and 7 are crucial years that can determine a child's overall academic success.
The vast majority of parents already send their children to kindergarten voluntarily, without the threat of truancy charges.
It will add at least $17 million to the state's financial burden.
Four years ago, the LRB suggested that lowering compulsory school attendance by two years would cost the state $17 million.
At a time when the state's budget is cash-strapped, this additional expenditure is unnecessary.
In fact, the education establishment is looking for MORE tax money to pay for its current top-heavy, inefficient operations. Why would we want to add to this?
OPPONENTS of SB409 include:
Illinois Family Institute
Concerned Women for America
Eagle Forum
Christian Home Educators Coalition
Home School Legal Defense Association
Family Taxpayers Foundation
Illinois School Management Alliance
Illinois Association of School Boards
Illinois Association of Superintendents
Illinois Principals Association
SB 409 will be heard by the House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee. PLEASE CALL TODAY TO OPPOSE SB 409. A simple "I oppose SB 409" will suffice:
House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee:
Calvin Giles, Chairman (D-Chicago) 217-782-5962
Monique Davis (D-Chicago) 217-782-0010
Daniel Beiser (D-East Alton) 217-782-5996
Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago)217-782-8272
Roger Eddy (R-Hutsonville) 217-558-1040
Robert Flider (D-Decatur) 217-782-8398
Suzanne Bassi (R-Palatine) 847-776-1880
Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) 217558-1002
Lisa Dugan (D-Kankakee) 217-782-5981
Kevin Joyce (D-Chicago) 217-782-8200
David Miller (D-Chicago) 217-782-8087
Donald Moffitt (R-Galesburg) 217-782-8032
Rosemary Mulligan (R-Des Plaines) 847-297-6533
Ruth Munson (R-Elgin) 847-622-1048
Jerry Mitchell (R-Rock Falls) 815-625-0820
Harry Osterman (D-Chicago) 217-782-8088
Sandra Pihos (R-Glen Ellyn) 217-782-8037
Robert Pritchard (R-Sycamore) 815-748-3494
David Reis (R-Olney) 217-782-2087
Michael Smith (D-Canton) 217-782-8152
Jim Watson (R-Jacksonville) 217-782-1840
Join IFI June 8-10 in Our Effort to Protect Marriage in Illinois at One of Our 3 Summer Galas!
 IFI's fundraising galas will feature Phil Burress, architect of the succesful Ohio Marriage Protection Amendment. Burress' work on this project is widely credited with drawing pro-family voters to the polls, helping give President Bush an Ohio victory on Election Day.
Illinois Family Institute's top priority is to pass a state constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. But we need your financial assistance to accomplish this goal.
Sponsor a Pastor
Please consider sponsoring your pastor for this event to hear Phil Burress' exciting firsthand account of the effort to pass a marriage protection amendment in Ohio. Sponsor your pastor by calling IFI at 630-790-8370, or sending in your gift to enable him to attend.
Join us in this critical effort by attending one of these upcoming events--and tell others about these events:
Wednesday, June 8, 2005: Metro East St. Louis
6:00-8:00 PM - Tickets: $50/person
Thursday, June 9, 2005: Springfield
6:00-8:00 PM - Tickets: $75/person
Friday, June 10, 2005: Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago
6:30-8:30 PM - Tickets: $100/person
For more information, click HERE or call IFI's office at 630-790-8370.
Please make your check out to Illinois Family Institute and send your payments to: IFI c/o Erin, 799 Roosevelt Rd., Suite 3-208, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.
You can also pay by credit card by calling IFI at 630-790-8370. If you have any questions, ask for Erin, or email her at info@illinoisfamily.org. Please forward this announcement to your friends and coworkers.
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Illinois Family Institute
P.O. Box 88848
Carol Stream, Illinois 60188
Phone: (708) 781-9328
Fax: (708) 781-9376
Evil men don't understand the importance of justice,
but those who follow the Lord are much concerned about it.
~Proverbs 28:5
(NKJV)
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