Joint letter from Cinda Klickna, President, Illinois Education Association, and Dan Montgomery, President, Illinois Federation of Teachers.

The IFT, IEA and our members oppose the State Board’s proposed 226.730 Staffing Plan.

We believe in providing students with disabilities access to the most effective and appropriate education within the least restrictive environment.

We further believe all students should be provided a classroom environment which allows for effective teaching and learning.

We do not believe these revisions to Part 226.730 will accomplish these goals, but rather will allow district-level decisions to place teachers in a position where they cannot provide all necessary services to their students.

Even though Illinois is in a financial crisis, our focus as a state should be to provide basic statewide protections and the best possible services to all students, both general education students and students with disabilities.

Our focus should be to make educationally sound decisions. The State…