Macon County Shared Vision

Resignation of Mayor Osborne - Best Wishes

Today's (May 31, 2008) Herald & Review reported that Mayor Paul Osborne resigned effective June 1, 2008 (Sunday) from his position as Mayor of the City of Decatur. He was serving in his second year of his second four-year term as Mayor. By all accounts, this was an unexpected announcement to his colleagues on the city council and the entire community. Mayor Osborne stated that he was increasingly troubled with the difficulty of balancing his role as journalist and Mayor regarding important matters before city government. As noted in the Decatur Herald & Review:

In a letter delivered Friday night to council members, Osborne wrote, "Due to dramatically escalating time and energy commitments in both the mayor's position and the Decatur Tribune newspaper, and some health issues that need to be resolved immediately, I will no longer be able to serve as mayor of Decatur, effective June 1, 2008." The entire article in the H&R can be read by clicking on the above link.

Mayor Osborne is lifetime resident and respected member of the Decatur community. He has been a journalist and the Publisher/Editor of the Decatur Tribune for several decades. His service to the community is well known and respected both as Mayor and Publisher. Everyone in Decatur is aware and appreciative of his love for the city and his boundless enthusiasm for the city's future.

We wish him well and hope that he will recover promptly from any health issues. We also look forward to many future editions of the Decatur Tribune.

RAND: NCLB mostly Adopted; Now Improve Poor Performing Schools

Study Finds That 'No Child Left Behind' Accountability Systems Are Largely in Place, But Act's Promises Remain Uncertain

After five years of effort, states have implemented most of the test-based accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, and now must focus their efforts on improving poor-performing schools that have been identified, according to a new U.S. Department of Education report written by experts from the RAND Corporation and the American Institutes for Research.

The report, “Accountability Under NCLB: Interim Report,” includes analyses of data from the largest national survey of teachers, principals, paraprofessionals and school district staff to be conducted since the law was passed by Congress in 2001.

The report concludes that all states had adopted most of the accountability requirements of the law and that three-quarters of the nation's schools made adequate yearly progress (AYP) as defined by those states in 2003-04, a 2 percent increase from the previous year.

Source: Rand Organization - News Release 11/19/2007 - more follows

Decreasing Housing Values Should Add Pressure to Control Spending

Property values dropped through-out the Midwest this year for the first time in many years, signaling that states and local governments could be on the verge of another fiscal crisis. As a result of the depressed housing market, assessed values in some Midwest counties dropped 1% to 3%. Local governments that have been accustomed to annual increases of 5 percent to 6 percent in the revenue raised by property taxes may now see no increase. This can lead to even more pressure on state government to support local government units. Without some adjustment, some cities will face cuts in essential services. Generally, about 50-60 percent of municipalities' operating budgets are bankrolled by property taxes. Communities know the hit is coming, and should be formulating financial contingency plans.

Charter School Students in Chicago Enjoy Better Graduation & College Entry Rates

Contrary to popular myths, exciting things are occurring in Chicago's public schools. Policies and practices do make a difference in the effectiveness of public education and the local quality of life. Decatur should be receptive to ideas that may be working in other cities. A recent research report from The Rand Organization (an international think tank and research organization), found that certain charter schools were having a significant and/or measurable impact on ACT scores, graduation rates and college entrance rates.

Press Release - also below

Executive Summary

Full Document - Research Report