Belt urges residents to nominate local school board members for award

SWANSEA - State Senator Christopher Belt is joining the Illinois State Board of Education in inviting residents to nominate a local school board member for the Thomas Lay Burroughs Award, which is presented annually to an outstanding member of an Illinois school board.

"I served four years on a local school board and know firsthand how important their duties are," said Belt (D-Swansea). "School board members put care and quality into their districts to enhance the value of our students' education. If you know a board member who has continued to make a positive impact on their school district, I urge you to nominate them for this respected award."

The Thomas Lay Burroughs Award was created in 1991 in memory of late ISBE Chairman Tom Burroughs and is presented each November at a conference hosted jointly by the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Illinois Association of School Administrators and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials.

The Burroughs Award is intended to recognize extraordinary leadership on behalf of education at the local level. The criteria for this award recognize the following three areas of accomplishment:

• Personal leadership in improving student learning, closing achievement gaps, and supporting educational excellence; and/or
• Personal leadership in expanding educational opportunities for underserved students; and/or
• Personal leadership in resolving a crisis or major difficulty with the result of more equitable outcomes for students.

Anyone who has served as a member of a local school board in 2024, including those who might have been nominated in prior years, is eligible for consideration.

Nominations should be submitted by the close of business on Friday, Oct. 18. Questions can be directed to Jo Ireland at 217-557-6626 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.​.