It's not the most spectacular picture ever, but it does show the group assembled for my last meeting as a member of the Illinois State Board of Education.

From the left, Chairman Jesse Ruiz, Dr, Prashand Nandi, liaison from the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Lanita Koster, Dr. Andrea Brown, Illinois State Superintenent of Education Chris Koch, me, Dr. Vinni Hall, Dr. David Fields, my Board (or is it Bored?) wife, Joyce Karon, and Dr. Chris Ward.

This is a very special group of people. We didn't necessarily start out well, but they were class all the way. Most of this group appeared on our doorstep courtesy of legislation that fired seven members of the State Board of Ed back in 2004. Only Joyce and I continued from that group. Original members of that group, Ed Geppert and Brenda Holmes, resigned from the Board earlier. Ed, to take a position with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and Brenda at the end of her term of office, just a few weeks ago.

Ed and I will join forces as members of the Education Funding Advisory Board (EFAB) in the near future, along with three others.

I have enjoyed most of my time on ISBE, and all of the people that work there,