Gov. Rod Blagojevich is continuing misplaced attempts at taking control of the state’s educational system. Last week, Blagojevich spoke in a Senate Committee of the Whole, addressing the changes he plans to revamp education.

With Senate Bill 3000, Blagojevich wants to be more accountable for problems in education by getting rid of the Illinois State Board of Education. He is proposing the board be converted into a Department of Education for Kindergarten through 12th grade.

That would eliminate the nine long-time educators who now sit on the board.

Blagojevich is correct when saying students in the third grade should read at a third grade level and that eighth graders should be able to write at an eighth grade level. The system needs some overhaul, and there is no debate over that.

But how is taking control away from real educators in the state going to put education in Illinois at a higher level?

A group of lawmakers led by the governor could not offer the same insight the highest educators in the state can.

The governor may really be sincere about ridding the state of its education woes, but he offered little input on how to make corrections while citing statistics last week about how poor students are scoring on reading and comprehension tests.

But the issue remains whether a new department will help or further hurt the educational problems facing the state.

Sen. Miguel del Valle, a Chicago Democrat, expressed concerns that a Department of Education would add political pressure to “put the best possible face on the status of education in the state of Illinois,” the Peoria Journal Star reported last week.

Blagojevich said he wants to hear suggestions from school officials, but how is that different than the Illinois State Board of Education taking those same suggestions and working with the governor to implement them?

We suggest when this bill reaches the House and Senate because it is creating a new department when all that is needed is to help make the current board better.

Blagojevich should keep listening to suggestions while continuing to make the current system beneficial to Illinois’ students.