Lobbyists cite dual‑credit law victory, warn work remains on teacher‑pension penalties

Zephyr Government Strategies lobbyists told Rockford Public Schools board members that the district won a legislative change on dual credit this year but still needs a fix to pension penalties imposed by the Teacher Retirement System.
"We worked five years on a new funding formula … and we worked to make sure every year that that is funded at the maximum level," said Amy Ballinger Cole, a Zephyr consultant who described the firm’s work for the district. Michael Cassidy, Zephyr’s principal, said the district also secured a federally directed earmark for a pathways program through Senator Tammy Duckworth’s office.
The most immediate, local win described at the meeting was an amendment to the Dual Credit Quality Act that district staff and lobbyists helped draft and shepherd through the legislature. Bridget French, Rockford Public Schools’ executive director of college and career readiness, said dual‑credit offerings grew from two classes in 2017 to about 30 course titles delivered in 66 sections across the district.
"If they receive a C or higher in that class, they get the college credit," French said, describing why the expanded dual‑credit options matter for students’ time to degree and persistence in postsecondary programs. French said the legislative change clarifies teacher qualification pathways: teachers who lack a master’s degree in a content area can use a three‑year professional development plan to meet requirements while teaching dual‑credit courses.
Zephyr and district staff also described ongoing work on pension issues tied to TRS rules. Doctor Brown, a district policy expert who worked on the matter, said penalties flow from TRS treatment of salary increases in the final four years of some teachers’ careers. The district reported that penalties could top $100,000 for a single retiree in a year and had produced successive years of more than $1 million in penalties district‑wide.
"Because we were trying to do the right things for our students, we were getting penalized by TRS for putting qualified educators in front of our students," Brown said. The district filed language for a standalone bill; that language was later put into a larger omnibus pension bill that did not advance this session. Lobbyists said work will continue in the next legislative cycle.
Board members and the lobbyists discussed taking a district delegation to Springfield in spring to meet legislators and agency leaders. Cassidy said a well‑orchestrated day in the capital can help build relationships that move complex proposals.
Discussion only: the board did not vote on or adopt any new policy in the meeting. The lobbyists asked for the board's continued direction on priorities and for possible participation in a Springfield advocacy day.
Ending: District staff said they will continue to brief the board on dual‑credit implementation, the TRS proposal and any draft legislative language before the general assembly.