Quinn Signs Landmark Education Bill; District 205 Officials Waiting to Be Briefed on New Law

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed a massive education overhaul into law Monday. The law will make it harder for teachers to go on strike, and it will eliminate a longstanding teacher seniority policy, which has required the most recently hired teachers to be the first laid off when cuts are made.

The law also will make it easier for school districts to fire inadequate teachers, and it will make it more difficult for teachers to go on strike, according to a report by WBEZ.org.

The law was passed with little resistance and little fanfare. It passed almost unanimously, with 'yes' votes from local legislators, Reps. Dennis Reboletti and Chris Nybo, and Sens. Ron Sandack and Carol Pankau.

Elmhurst Unit District 205 School Board President Susan DeRonne said board members are aware of the new law, but they haven't discussed it yet.

"We are hoping to have some explanation by our legal counsel to help us understand what the affects of it will be in our district," she said Tuesday, after the School Board meeting. "It's kind of a multi-faceted law, and we have not talked about it yet."

She did not know when that discussion would take place.

"Things are kind of on hold right now with our change in administration," she said. "But that is something that is certainly on our radar. We hope to have a briefing on that very soon."

The board will welcome a , as well as several new cabinet members, at its July meeting.

The School Board has been in negotiations with the Elmhurst Teachers’ Council Local 571 American Federation of Teachers since October 2010. Board members in March requested a mediator to help them facilitate the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement.

The current teachers contract expires June 30.