A proposal from Gov. Rod Blagojevich would require all high school students to perform community service before graduating. Some local school administrators are wondering if the plan is a good idea.

In Thursday’s State of the State address, Blagojevich outlined his plan for new legislation, saying it will be necessary for students to complete 40 hours of community service over four years.

“What we will do is provide funding so that schools can develop and implement the community service requirements and demonstrate the progress they’re making,” Blagojevich said in his address.

Funding for the program is estimated to be $6 million for fiscal year 2005. Out of the $6 million, $10,000 will go to each high school to fund two coordinators to execute the requirements of the program.

If the program is instituted, the incoming 2006 high school class will be the first to take part in the initiative.

Right now, Chicago public schools have a mandatory, 40-hour community service program. This initiative, if enacted statewide, would make Illinois the second state to make such a move. Maryland was the first.

Some DeKalb and Sycamore school administrators said they feel the program may be good in principle, but might overstep what some students are doing already.

“We have so many students who do community service on their own,” said Mary Hawley, assistant principal for DeKalb High School. She said the new initiative is an “interesting idea” and that DeKalb currently does not have a requirement of its own.

Kreg Wesley, assistant principal at Sycamore High School, said the idea of the program was sound.

“It’s important to get students involved,” Wesley said. However, he questioned whether it is a good idea to require it of students. “Forced volunteerism is not the best idea.”

Wesley said some high schools already are doing the community service program and some are looking into implementation of the program.

“I think the school district should have control of what the service product entails,” Wesley said. He added that many students at Sycamore High School already are involved in community service, many of those required by the National Honor Society.

According to the governor’s office, 83 percent of schools that have a similar program report higher grade point averages for involved students.