LeRoy Supt. Gary Tipsord (left) and Dist. 87 Supt. Barry Reilly are promoting Vision 2020. (Photo by Laura Ewan/WJBC)

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Local educators are joining the call for a statewide reform to Illinois schools and how they are funded.

District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly is promoting Vision 2020. He told WJBC's Scott Laughlin, it's a proactive plan to make schools run better.

"We've typically been in a reactive mode," Reilly said. "Legislation is put upon us and we have to respond or bills are proposed and we have to respond. Here, we are looking to help set that policy."

The plan calls for – among other things – making sure every school has high-speed internet, improving mentoring for teachers and expanding pre-school and full day kindergarten.

LeRoy Superintendent Gary Tipsord representing said schools that lack high-speed internet for example are at a disadvantage.

"If we are really going to talk about reform that is an Illinois issue, you've got to look at what are the resources that are available in the entirety of our state – Western Illinois, Southern Illinois even different pockets in Central Illinois."

Vision 2020 is made up of school board members, principals and administrators who are often at the mercy of lawmakers to get the funding they need to keep their schools running.

Reilly said while the group will seek input from outside sources, its goals are driven largely by those who know their way around a classroom.  

"We're experts. We know what's going on there," Reilly said. "We certainly want into from those who are going to be hiring our kids eventually and that's important. In the end, we want to help shape what education looks like."

PODCAST: Listen to Scott's interview with Reilly and Tipsord on WJBC.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].