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WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

ISBE Superintendent Defers To Meeks About Not Being At Legislative Meeting

ISBE.net

Members of Illinois's House Government Administration Committee hoped to grill Superintendent Tony Smith about expensive perks he gets on top of his $225,000 salary. But the invitation was declined by Board Chair James Meeks, who sent a letter to the committee saying he wanted to discuss the request with the school board. 

A day later at the state board’s meeting, Smith referred reporters to Meeks for an answer of why they didn’t show up.

"So the conversation to have with the chairman, about the choices, like how we're responding? You can ask him," Smith said.

The board's new public information officer told reporters Meeks was unavailable. 

Gov. Bruce Rauner appointed Meeks and Smith. Smith's contract includes a clause that allows him to perform annual self-evaluations before receiving raises and a stipend to bring his pension in line with a more generous plan that hasn't been available to new state hires since 2011.

The committee also planned to ask Smith whether his job duplicates the duties of Rauner’s Education Secretary, Beth Purvis. Smith told reporters he runs the board while Purvis makes sure agencies receiving education funds are on track.

"She and I work in partnership, but she's got a coordinating and aligning role, and I have an executive, managerial and kind of leadership role with this board."

Purvis receives a salary of $250,000.

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