Harmon announces funding to address teacher shortage

OAK PARK – Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) today announced funding to help prepare area high school students to become teachers.

The Des Plaines Valley Education for Employment region will receive $250,000 in grants administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. The region serves six high school districts in western Cook County.

“Illinois is facing an ongoing teacher shortage that impacts every area of our state,” said Harmon. “We need to do everything we can at the state level to make a career in education accessible to anyone who has a passion for teaching students.”

The three-year grants were awarded primarily to rural, understaffed and underfunded areas. They aim to train students through hands-on experience and strive to increase diversity within the state’s teacher workforce. 

“Teaching is a career that changes lives,” said State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders. “A career in education allows teachers to shape the future while finding deep personal fulfillment. These grants are ensuring that our students are not just prepared but inspired to step into the classroom and make a difference for generations to come. We encourage high school students in participating districts to explore this incredible field.” 

To learn more about the grants, visit ISBE’s College and Career Grants webpage.

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Harmon passes bipartisan update to Prisoner Review Board standards

SPRINGFIELD – In response to a deadly stabbing that occurred earlier this year, Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) joined with Senate Minority Leader John Curran to advance legislation improving training and transparency for the Illinois Prisoner Review Board (PRB).

The legislation comes after Crosetti Brand was charged with murder for allegedly stabbing 11-year-old Jayden Perkins and his pregnant mother. Perkins died while attempting to protect his mother. The attack came one day after the PRB voted to grant Perkins release.  

“It is clear that gaps existed in Prisoner Review Board rules and training that, tragically, contributed to a child losing his life,” Harmon said. “This is an attempt to strengthen the review process so that something like this hopefully never happens again.”  

In an effort to prevent future tragedies, the measure:

• Requires additional training for PRB members to be completed annually and before their first vote as a member of the board;
• Requires the PRB to provide victims notice of hearings and notice of revocation of mandatory supervised release;
• Increases transparency by requiring certain PRB hearings to be broadcast live and mandating the minutes from hearings be posted online; and
• Allows crime victims abused by incarcerated individuals to petition for orders of protection.

“These bipartisan, victim-focused reforms are a strong first step in increasing accountability and transparency in how the Prisoner Review Board operates,” Curran said.  

The PRB conducts hearings to determine whether individuals are eligible for parole or mandatory supervised release. Its members are appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate.

In the aftermath of Perkins’ death, two members of the PRB resigned.

Gov. JB Pritzker also announced additional training and screening requirements for PRB members.

HB 681 passed the Senate without opposition and heads to the House for concurrence.

Harmon passes bipartisan measure to prevent traffic obstructions at O’Hare

SPRINGFIELD – Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) took a step today to improve traffic safety around O’Hare Airport.

In response to reports of dangerous conditions around the airport, Harmon passed legislation prohibiting drivers from stopping their vehicles on the shoulder of the road anywhere within a half-mile radius of O’Hare.

“O’Hare is one of the busiest airports in the country,” Harmon said. “With thousands of cars coming through daily, obstructions on the roadway present a threat to drivers, passengers and pedestrians.”

The legislation was a bipartisan effort, originally introduced in the Illinois House by Rep. Brad Stephens (R-Rosemont).

“This initiative is a proactive measure to ensure motorist safety on 190 and I-90 near the entrance to O’Hare Airport. Countless drivers have been parking on the shoulders of these roadways awaiting traveler arrivals instead of using the conveniently located cell phone lots within the airport property,” said Rep. Stephens. “We can’t station officers in these areas to address this safety issue as it’s not an efficient use of manpower, so I am happy to sponsor this measure in hopes that we have addressed an issue prior to anyone being injured or killed.”

The measure also directs the Illinois Tollway Authority to install automated traffic safety cameras within the same half-mile radius.

Anyone found in violation of the new provisions could be fined $100 per instance.

House Bill 5408 passed the Senate 50-5 and will now be sent to the governor’s desk.

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Senate Democrats Pass Legislation Establishing Chicago Elected School Board, Strong Ethical Standards for Members

Full statement from Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, regarding Senate passage of SB 15:

“The beauty of the legislative process is that there are often numerous ways to achieve a shared goal. Today’s action by the Senate puts parents, families and taxpayers of Chicago on the threshold of finally getting a choice in who leads their schools – a right already afforded to every other community in Illinois.

“This plan represents what the Mayor of Chicago and advocates argue is the best way forward, with a phased-in transition to an elected, representative school board paired with strong ethical safeguards. We hope the House quickly sends this measure to the governor’s desk so we can begin this exciting new era of community-led education.”

Key provisions of SB 15 include:

• Adopts Mayor Johnson’s hybrid election approach in which 10 CPS Board members will be elected in 2024 and 10 CPS Board members and the Board Chair will be appointed by the mayor.
• Beginning in 2026, all 20 CPS Board members will be elected from subdistricts and the Board President will be elected citywide.
• Potential candidates can begin circulating petitions on March 26 for the 2024 election, with petitions to be filed between June 17 and June 24.
• The first Board election will take place November 5.
• Ensures school board members will be held to strong ethical standards that mirror those for all other school boards across the state. That includes conflict of interest provisions in line with the state’s existing Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act.
• Creates the Black Student Achievement Committee within the Board, following feedback from education advocates, parents and community members about the need to focus on the disparity in academic performance among Black students.
• Allows the CPS Board to establish additional committees or advisory boards to seek guidance on addressing disparities and individualized needs.
• A map detailing electoral district boundaries, as well as demographic data and shape files, is available online at ilsenateredistricting.com. The map consists of 20 districts, including seven majority Black districts, six majority Latino districts, five majority White districts and two coalition districts.