I really believe in collaboration and working together. When I give my speeches, I've been ending lately with a reference to that Gene Hackman movie Hoosiers. He has a couple of star players, but he says you can't shoot until you make four passes. He talks about the importance of teamwork. Most of my speeches end with a reference to that movie and the importance of working together and collaborating.

That's the kind of person I am, and thus far I think I've been pretty well received throughout the state.

Q. what should Illinois do to address the needs of crumbling school buildings?
When I go around the state I try to identify common problems, and this is a problem that is common to suburbs, city and rural areas. And I think that we need to do what we can to help supplement local efforts.

I don't think our responsibility is to build new buildings or make new additions. But I do think it's our responsibility to help these local communities build the additions, make these renovations, build new schools. This infrastructure program has been wildly successful. I hope we can put some more money into it.

Q. what do you favor in terms of reform options such as charter schools and choice? Please assess where we stand on the reform front.

I am an advocate of charter schools. I think they can bring us some very innovative ideas and give parents an exciting option. They're not for everybody, but they are for some folks.

The current funding mechanism has to be changed, however; if we want to see charter schools thrive. The existing funding formula really sets up an adversarial relationship with local districts, especially smaller local districts. In larger ones, it's a little easier for them to assimilate a charter school. I think we would be well served to pass a funding formula which would balance some state contribution and a local district contribution to the charter school.

As far as other reform efforts, we have a new assessment system, the [Illinois Standards Achievement Test], which I am very enthusiastic about because I think it will give schools and school districts information they need to drive instruction.

I'm excited about the professional development plan we worked out for the recertification of teachers. We worked that out with the [Illinois Education Association] and the [Illinois Federation of Teachers] and I'm excited about that.

Finally, speaking to reform, I am grateful to the governor and to the General Assembly for supporting our efforts to create a Prairie State Examination, which will be a meaningful, comprehensive and coherent high school examination.

Q. Do you favor tuition tax credits or vouchers?
I feel very strongly that vouchers should be opposed. I believe that we are taking money from public schools to fund private schools. I believe in private education, though. I taught in private schools for three years. And I think private schools are fine options for parents, but they should not be supported with public funds. I know [Chicago] Mayor [Richard] Daley has said that same thing.

Turning to tuition tax credits, I can certainly understand the governor's feelings about those families and the needs of the children. Frankly, it makes far more sense than a voucher plan.

Q. So would you support it?
We're still weighing the dollars involved. I'm not opposed to the idea. But I really need to study the issues a little more, and the financial ramifications.

Q. Nationally, the programs for teacher training are pretty wide in range. I've read it is not clear what is effective. what are your thoughts on teacher training?
Teacher training needs to be focused, first of all. And it needs to be systematic and it needs to be planned. I think when those conditions are met it has a positive impact on student achievement.

The plan to which I referred earlier, the IEA, IFT, State Board of Education plan, is rigorous. But what I like about this is it requires a balance among local school improvement initiatives. In order to be recertified, teachers have to have professional development directly related to their local school improvement initiatives; they have to have staff development directly related to state standards and initiatives; and they have to have staff development directly related to their content area of teaching.

So it's not a randomly designed plan or a plan of convenience. It is a plan which is related to students and student achievement.

Are you in agreement with Gov. Ryan's proposal to hire new teachers to reduce class size?
I am in full agreement with the need to hire new teachers. I know he is very responsive to the needs of the community I know that was a finding in a PTA published report on their community forums, and that's a high priority of the public and it's an important priority to Gov. Ryan.

Q. But do you agree specifically with his proposal to use new teachers to reduce class size?
We're talking with his office right now about that - where to place teachers and the best use of the teachers. I don't really have a formal comment on that right now other than I think it's important to continue to communicate about where these teachers are best used.

I have my own children. I have a third-grader and a sophomore, and I certainly don't want my children being educated in classes of 28 and 30. I don't think that's right.

Q. In recent times, the agency has been plagued by morale and credibility problems. what do you have in the works to change that?
First of all, I think we need to have a renewed emphasis on the importance of people in the organization and the