The Structure . . .
Founded in 1987
Functioning under the auspices of the National Geographic Society Education Foundation, the Illinois Geographical Society and the Geographical Society of Chicago
Headed by IGA Coordinator Darrell Kruger at Illinois State University
Governed by a Teacher Education Steering Committee
Has a $1.7 Million Endowment
Send teachers to National Geographic Society’s Summer Institutes and Leadership conferences
Train Illinois teachers at Alliance-sponsored summer institutes throughout the state
Reach thousands of inservice and preservice teachers in Illinois through workshops and conferences
Publish and distribute The Alliance Reporter newsletter, to over 4600 educators
Cooperate with neighboring alliances in jointly sponsored programs
Distribute lesson plans and activities to teachers
Geography Awareness Week
Geography Bee
Active in state and national programs in geographic education such as state assessment and standards, and national standards
The Goals . . .
Improving the in-service and preservice teachers’ knowledge of geography and instructional strategies by providing instruction.
Increasing the quality and quantity of teacher tested geography curriculum materials available for classroom use.
Training of teacher consultants to conduct inservice activities for colleagues in school districts in their area of the state
Building a network of individuals from education, government, business, and industry who are committed to improvement of geographic competence in our society.
Serving as a resource for implementation of the Illinois Learning Standards for Learning Geography Standards.
Maintaining communication with teachers and the general public to increase awareness of the public importance of geography.
Continuing to maintain a variety of resources for teachers and teacher educators
Maintaining a website for teachers and teacher educators with current information on professional development opportunities
Articles of Operation (Spring, 1996)
Article 1--Alliance Name
The organization shall be known as the Illinois Geographic Alliance (IGA).
Article 2--Purpose of the Illinois Geographic Alliance
The purpose of the Illinois Geographic Alliance shall be the promotion and enhancement of geographic knowledge in the schools and among the general populace of Illinois. To achieve this purpose, the Alliance shall maintain a strong grassroots organization of geographic educators from schools and universities, participate in educational reform at the district, state, and national levels, engage in an active program of preservice and inservice teacher education, develop curriculum materials based on the National Geography Standards, and foster public awareness of the importance of geography in our society.
Article 3--Membership in the Illinois Geographic Alliance
Membership in the Alliance shall be open to all persons interested in promoting geographic education. No dues shall be charged for membership in the Alliance.
Article 4--Administrative Structure of the Illinois Geographic Alliance
The Alliance shall be administered by a state coordinator, or co-coordinators, an administrative assistant, an editor of The Alliance Reporter, and a steering committee. Administration of the Alliance shall be carried out in cooperation with the NGS Geography Education Program state liaison, the Executive Council of the Illinois Geographical Society, and in compliance with the dictates of various funding agencies, such as the NGSEF and the Illinois State Board of Higher Education.
Article 5--Selection and Duties of Administrative Personnel
Section 1. Alliance coordinators shall be nominated by a committee, known as the IGA Nominating Committee and composed of three members of the IGA Steering Committee, the existing IGA coordinator, or co-coordinators, and the NGS GEP state liaison. The three members of the IGA Steering Committee shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the full Steering Committee. The Nominating Committee shall solicit vita of persons interested in the coordinatorship from the geographic education community in Illinois. After careful review of all applications, the Nominating Committee shall recommend a person or persons to the IGA Steering Committee. Each member of the Nominating Committee shall have one vote. Each nominee must receive unanimous approval of the Nominating Committee before being recommended for the coordinatorship. Successful nominees must be approved by two-thirds of the members of (1) the IGA Steering Committee, (2) Executive Council of the Illinois Geographical Society, and (3) the GEP of the National Geographic Society.
Section 2. The Administrative Assistant of the Alliance shall be selected by the IGA coordinator, or co-coordinators, at the principal IGA host institution.
Section 3. The Editor of The Alliance Reporter shall be appointed by the coordinator, or co-coordinators, following approval by a simple majority vote of the IGA Steering Committee.
Section 4. The IGA Steering Committee shall be composed of (1) graduates of NGS sponsored institutes, such as SGI, ILI, and ETLI, (2) TC regional coordinators, (3) current directors of ASGI and advanced institutes in Illinois, (4) the Editor of the newsletter, and (5) other IGA members approved by the Steering Committee. Membership on the Steering Committee shall vary with changes in regional coordinatorships, institute directors, and the actions of the Steering Committee.
Section 5. The duties of the various administrative personnel shall be as follows: The principal coordinator shall be the chief fiscal agent and primary administrator of the Alliance. The principal coordinator shall set the agenda and chair all meetings of the IGA Steering Committee, which is the governing body of the Alliance. Co-coordinators shall assume responsibility for regional activities and work cooperatively with the principal coordinator and administrative assistant to ensure the smooth operation of the Alliance. The Administrative Assistant shall provide support services to the coordinator, or coordinators, deal with day-to-day routines of the central office, such as communications, and assist with the preparation and publication of the IGA newsletter. The Editor of the newsletter shall be responsible for securing and compiling enough appropriate newsworthy material of interest to K-12 geographic educators for three issues of The Alliance Reporter each year. Operating within the parameters established by NGS and the Illinois State Board of Higher Education, the Steering Committee shall be responsible for the governance of the Alliance. All matters of policy and operation shall be approved by the members of this committee.
Article 6--Meetings
The IGA Steering Committee shall meet twice each year, in the fall and spring, to consider the business of the Alliance, to set policy, and attend to operational procedures. The date, time, and location of these meetings will be determined by the members of the committee. The Alliance shall participate in two meetings each year for K-12 educators. The Fall Conference, sponsored solely by the IGA, shall be a one day conference that provides a forum for presentations by TCs and others on topics of interest to geography teachers. The Spring meeting shall be held in conjunction with the annual convention of the Illinois Geographical Society.