Despite problems with the state, the schools in Rock Island are doing a good job educating their students. That was the message this week from Superintendent Mike Oberhaus during his annual State of the Schools Address to members of the Rock Island Kiwanis and Rotary clubs.
Oberhaus says the schools are implementing new programs and adding new classes, even as the state budget crisis drags on and on. And doing it at a lower cost than many other districts in Illinois.
He's grateful the stop-gap state budget agreed to by the governor and general assembly fully-funds k-12 education for the full year, instead of the half year of funding approved for many other agencies and programs.
One new program he highlighted is called LEAD, for learn, enrich, and discover - at Eugene Field Elementary School. Students are released early on several days each quarter.
And one continuing challenge for the Rock Island schools, according to Oberhaus, is that students in his district come from 36 different countries, with 40 different language dialects.
