SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) — U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is trying to give a lesson on working across the aisle.

As WBBM Newsradio’s Dave Dahl reports, speaking at a Springfield high school, Kirk took the opportunity to boast of bipartisanship with the other Illinois U.S. Senator, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), when it comes to education.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Dave Dahl reports

“Senator Durbin and I have teamed up to expand charter schools, and then, Senator (Joe) Manchin, the Democrat of West Virginia and I, have decided now to break away from the partisan luncheon where the Senate is actually run, and now we get together once a week on Thursdays, and it’s now been an idea that has picked up steam,” he said.

Kirk said he hopes the planned charter school legislation “will be able to offer parents better opportunities not just in Chicago, but throughout Illinois – right here in Springfield.”

Kirk is also optimistic the coming week will see progress on free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. Kirk says Illinois corn growers stand to “reverse sales losses” once the Colombian deal is finalized, as Canada now has such an agreement.

But as for President Barack Obama’s jobs bill, Kirk says he would like to cherry-pick it.