As expected, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker signed SB 1226 into law, which will phase out the Illinois State Charter School Commission over the next year and transition its powers to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). INCS is deeply grateful for the extraordinary work of the Commission.
INCS has been fighting to protect the Commission for a number of years. There is now a conclusion – one that will protect charter public schools authorized by the Commission and allow an appeal right for any charter schools facing non-renewal or termination. And as part of negotiations, ISBE will assume the Commission’s work and authorities, which includes overseeing a checks-and-balance system to ensure fair treatment of Illinois’ charter public schools.
While this bill was not preferred, INCS’ advocacy work in Springfield preserved the merit-based appeal route for existing schools and avoided bills that were far more draconian. INCS will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the 64,700 students served by Illinois’ charter public schools have pathways to meaningful, successful lives.