By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — At press time, Illinois’ 2010 budget had not been resolved after Gov. Patrick Quinn refused to sign a last-minute “50 percent” budget agreement reached by the legislature last week that would have slashed or eliminated funding for education, including vocational agriculture programs.

When the Illinois General Assembly reconvenes July 14 it is widely rumored legislators will seek to override the governor’s veto and push the budget through.

In anticipation of expected budget cuts of up to 50 percent of total funding for the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), state agriculture education officials are concerned that vocational ag education will be greatly curtailed or limited, according to Jim Craft, executive director of the Illinois Assoc. of Vocational Agriculture Teachers.

“Within the ISBE budget, some 40 line items - including agricultural education and Career and Technical Education (CTE) - are in danger of being zeroed out,” said Craft.

The ISBE annual budget’s line items pertaining to ag education include the Incentive Funding Grant, Growing Agricultural Science Teachers, Post-Secondary Administrative, and all projects and programs administered by Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education (FCAE).

Harley Hepner, principal consultant for agricultural education for the ISBE, sent FCAE officials a memo on July 2 ending staff travel to events and asking the FCAE program advisor and staff to work exclusively from their offices until further notice.

“Other cutbacks will be occurring in the coming days,” Hepner warned FCAE personnel. “While it pains me to send such a message, it is the reality of our current situation.”

In addition, FCAE’s website providing valuable tools to ag education teachers will be operational on a month-to-month basis for the time being.

One aspect of ag education – FFA - that brings the state revenue will be placed in limbo if an override occurs, Craft said.

“Funds used for Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects have been zeroed out, so students would no longer have the opportunity to showcase projects and compete for premiums. Through the FFA, students’ SAE projects generate more than $10 million for the state’s economy.”

Craft pointed out that though one in four Illinoisans are employed in an ag-related occupation, a modest $3.38 million is allocated for the ag education line item under the ISBE budget.

“Agricultural education is also enhanced through the Illinois Department of Agriculture budget, which has been significantly reduced as well,” said Craft.

CTE, including ag education, would be affected through the loss of the line item in that local schools would lose federal dollars and other state program improvement grants, along with teacher salary support, state funding for all Career and Technical Student Organizations, the Education for Employment System, and area career centers and federal matching dollars for program maintenance, said FCAE.

“The loss of these line items would have a profound, negative impact on education in Illinois, resulting in local schools being forced to pick up the tab to keep programs open or cancel many programs across the state,” Craft stated. “If this budget moves forward, CTE, agricultural education and the state of Illinois all lose. We hope local legislators get that message before it is too late.”