Buried in the multi-billion dollar Illinois state budget, sits a line item tiny in amount ($1.8 million) but big on impact.
The Agriculture Education line item supports agriculture education in 321 Illinois middle schools and high schools, funds teacher recruitment, retention and professional development, and in general affects the lives of 17,250 Illinois FFA members.
For $1.8 million, the state’s return on investment is almost $11 million annually, earnings from students completing Supervised Agriculture Experience projects in their agriculture classes. That’s $11 million net. That’s a 611 percent return.
Of the 321 schools with agriculture departments, 77 percent offer dual-credit courses with graduate credits awarded in math, science and consumer education.
More than 25,000 students take agriculture courses and 17,250 are members of the Illinois Association FFA.
All this for $1.8 million, yet Governor Rauner’s proposed budget shows a $0 value for the Ag Ed line item. Zero. Nada. Nothing.
Now, I understand the governor’s message of shared sacrifice. Obviously, Illinois government has lived beyond its means for far too long and reigning in that spending will be painful. But I find it difficult to stay quiet about this particular sacrifice.
My passion for FFA and ag ed is no secret. The blue jacket gave me experiences that most certainly contributed to where I find myself today in the ag community. My Supervised Agriculture Experience ballooned from a simple 4-H project into a herd of beef cows, their calves and a bull. They paid my way through college. Every. Last. Dime.
So, what is agriculture education? Why is it unique? Why should it have a designated line item, when other disciplines do not? And why should YOU engage in the political process? This isn’t just about 321 schools and 25,000 kids. This is about our state’s economy and our future.
What is agriculture education?
The Ag Ed model is unique in that FFA takes classroom instruction and applies it to career development events, community service projects and leadership development. In addition the Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) program or work-based learning encourages students to start their own businesses, track their performance at a summer job or pursue an area of interest through service learning. This three-circle model (classroom instruction, FFA and SAE) brings book learning to life and develops well-rounded individuals who graduate high school service-oriented, career-ready, and leadership-able.
How is the Ag Ed line item allocated?
A portion of the line item is divided among qualifying ag programs for the purchase of classroom equipment and resources –microscopes, welders, power tools, i-pads and greenhouses. Teaching horticulture is easier when a student is planting in a garden bed and not a paper cup.
Teachers receive professional development opportunities. Universities support their teacher training programs specific to agriculture education. (ag ed teachers are too few and far between to begin with). New curriculum is developed and old curriculum is rewritten to align with new learning standards.
So what?
Agriculture is the foundation of Illinois’ economy and I’m not just talking about corn and soybean fields or hog barns and cattle pastures. We are the number one pumpkin and horseradish producer in the country. Illinois is home to DelMonte, Kraft Foods, McDonalds, and Libby’s Pumpkins. Caterpiller is here. Wyffels Hybrids, Pioneer Seed . . . agriculture accounts for one in four jobs in the state.
It just makes sense that we encourage and support the development and improvement of agriculture education in our schools, thus supporting our state’s economic growth.
How do we keep the line item funded?
Reach out and talk to someone! As one state representative told me, “If we don’t hear from you, how are we supposed to know what is important to you.” If we aren’t sharing our cause, someone else will come forward with a more compelling story. In this budget battle, everyone is looking for an extra million.
The Ag Ed/FFA story is not exclusive to current students and teachers. This is a story that involves farmers, agribusiness men and women, school boards and community leaders.
At a recent local FFA Alumni meeting, a business owner was lamenting, “I can’t find a machinist to save my life.”
He had called the local community colleges, asked around at vocational schools and was told, “The kids come to us with no interest because it wasn’t taught in high school.”
Skilled labor is needed in our workforce, in our own backyards. That’s part of the story of agriculture education in our high schools.
Steps for Engagement
1) Invite your state senator and representative(s) to your chapter’s FFA banquet, to visit your classroom or business. Or meet them on their turf. Legislators are on break now. They go back to Springfield the week of April 13. Make the call today! Find your legislators’ contact information here.
2) Contact the members of the Elementary and Secondary Education Appropriations committee. Find their information here.
3) Send correspondence to the party leaders: Speaker Madigan, Jim Durkin, Christine Radogno and John Cullerton. Find their information here.
4) Remind typical agriculture supporters of ag ed’s importance. Talk to your county farm bureau and send a short note to Illinois’ Director of Agriculture, Phil Nelson.
From the governor’s facebook page. A declaration that doesn’t seem to jive with this budget cut.
5) Of course, follow Governor Rauner on facebook or twitter (@GovRauner) and engage. He has been very attentive to agriculture lately attending several events, visiting schools and programs. Encourage the governor to learn more by respectfully sharing your agriculture story.
6) Don’t forget about your own schools. Seek opportunities to share your chapter’s accomplishments with your school board. Buy lunch for the guidance counselors and school administration to talk about the value of the ag ed program and FFA involvement.
A state budget should be passed by May 31, but indications are these discussions will stretch long after the deadline. The longer negotiations last, the harder it will be to sell the cause. Start now. Make noise. Share why agriculture, agriculture education and FFA are important to Illinois.
Hello Katie:
Your understanding and knowledge of AG-ED and the important value that it has and adds to AG and the people of our state is commendable. While I do not disagree with any of your points and suggestions, there are a couple of things in Illinois that is crystal clear. The only thing in the state budget that is constitutionally guaranteed are state employee and teacher pensions. Those need to be paid and are second only to the service of our state debt, no question about it. That said, if the governor and our legislators only budgeted for and made the necessary state pension obligations, service of existing debt and Medicaid payments, there are no dollars left in the state budget even for prisons and state salaries.
Just know, what you are really calling for us to do is write Governor Rauner, and request that he raise the our state taxes which are already some of the highest in our country, so Illinois can afford to fund AG-ED which in this case is your special interest.
It’s raining outside, and there are no rainy day funds.
Have a great day, Katie!
Great points Ed, as always. No need to tell us about taxes. Writing that check is painful each year. What I’m asking for is a legislature that one day will have the foresight to make investments that will benefit every Illinoisan long-term. Balanced budget first and then if needed, extra revenue to support valuable programs. I think the other piece of this is a call to action for business and industry. They have a vested interest in a skilled workforce, thus in exceptional education programs. This doesn’t have to be about higher taxes for the general population, but maybe targeted investment from business and industry. Regardless, I do believe our state government (only one of which in the senate is a farmer) needs to grasp the valuable resource agriculture is to the state’s economy.
Mr. Conrad — wonderful “big-picture” lens to view things. Ag-Education in general, and the state line item specifically, does not occur “in a vacuum.” The reality with the financial situation in Illinois is that we all have special interests–there are no shortage of “sacred cows” that any particular individual or group has that they are positioning to save from cuts. In this regard, despite my special interest in Ag-Ed, I agree with you. But few would be willing to go so far in cutting everything but that which is constitutionally guaranteed and debt service. So, my cynical rebuttal is that not everything is going to be cut (even if, as you rightly point out, it probably should be). So, what should NOT be cut given that lens–the debate is really about what is NOT providing a good rate of return on taxpayer dollars (or more cynically still, which group DOESN’T scream loudest in protecting their interests). So, given that reframing of your point (again, I agree with you but don’t think anybody would go that far), here is another way of looking at this line item.
This line item leverages local funds. Katie’s post points out that FFA students earn over $11.8M in their work-based learning projects–is there any other educational model doing anything near this? Katie didn’t mention that FFA Alumni contribute $1.7M in time, money, and in-kind contributions statewide. The $115,000 from this line item that goes to Ag-in-the-Classroom leverages an additional $2.1M in fundraising as well.
Agricultural Education is THE recognized educational model by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Business Roundtable, who together used Ag-Ed as the baseline in forming the pathways initiative which you can find here: http://www2.illinoisworknet.com/ilpathways/Pages/default.aspx
Public Act 84-1452 passed by the Illinois Legislature in 1986 declared that “it is in the best interests of the people of the State of Illinois that a comprehensive education program in agriculture be created and maintained for the State’s public school system…” It may not be constitutional or higher priority than debt service as you state, but it is an official position of the General Assembly.
Finally, only 320 schools out of over 800 have ag-programs. There is no fat to cut from this line item–especially given that since 1986, this line item has NOT kept up with inflation in educational investment.
One last point. Since I do agree with your big picture lens, the real question is what can be done above and beyond public investment. The answer is Talent Pipeline Management. This concept was outlined recently by the US Chamber of Commerce at an event I and some other Ag-Ed advocates were privelaged to attend. Information can be found here:
http://www.uschamberfoundation.org/talent-pipeline-management
It means that industry must have an active role in education (i.e. not just donating money), much like a supply chain except in terms of human capital instead of raw goods like steel. In a nutshell, this means that the model of Agricultural Education needs to evolve to its next logical step. That means an endowment or some other long-term investment vehicle instead of just annual fundraising. It means businesses help develop curricula and professional development / continuing education certification for our teachers. It means businesses financially support our contests, proficiency areas / work-based learning, BUT ALSO donate human capital for mentoring, volunteering, hosting our events. This is how we increase the necessary investment in agricultural education to ALL students in Illinois. 1 in 4 jobs in Illinois comes from agriculture, but 4 in 4 students will benefit from our three part model if only they have the opportunity. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT ILLINOIS FOREGOES HERE RESPONSIBILITY OF INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH. It means that the private sector lobbies on one hand, and then steps up to solve the problem on the other. Ideally, it means industry brings the investment to the table and the financial side of that investment is contingent upon public investment. That creates dual accountability, and a better product for your youth.
Thanks for adding your thoughts Andrew. Good points all around equaling a robust discussion.