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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – Illinois teachers and school leaders say state lawmakers should look into better ways to fund public schools after nearly a decade since the evidence-based funding model took effect. Schools across the state are well below the adequate funding level promised in 2017.
Advocates said they appreciate the investments made in schools across the state, but they stressed that more funding is needed to help students succeed. The Illinois Education Association and Federation of Teachers said lawmakers should act as soon as possible so schools are not forced to cut staff or resources due to budget deficits.
“We could have enough school nurses so every student’s health needs could be met,” IEA lobbyist Unique Mickens said Thursday. “Social workers and school psychologists would be able to provide mental health services not just for students, but also for their families.”
Advocates said lawmakers left more than $4 billion in revenue proposals on the table when the spring session ended. The Illinois Federation of Teachers believes lawmakers need to choose people over profits and ask the wealthiest Illinoisans and corporations to pay their fair share.
Every district in Illinois should be funded at 90% adequacy by July 2027, but 660 districts and 1.5 million students will still miss that target.
“This year, the statewide adequacy gap is $6.83 billion,” said IFT’s Crystal Mallory. “That’s up from $1.24 billion in a single year. Due to the standard $300-$350 million year after year, the hole got $1 billion deeper.”
Teachers said lawmakers must pass a supplemental education budget during veto session, but the idea was already rejected by Gov. JB Pritzker.
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside) promised the Chicago Teachers Union in July that he would lead efforts to provide more money to CPS schools during the six-day session. Yet, Pritzker told reporters last week that there have been no discussions about the funding to fill a $150 million hole in the CPS budget.
“I am not certain that mid-year we’ll be able to do something that will meet only one school district’s needs,” Pritzker said. “And instead, I think we should be talking about what we’re doing in the coming fiscal year, which will be the next fiscal year, and we’ll be debating and discussing that from now until the end of May.”
The Champaign school district is looking at a $10 million budget deficit. Decatur is dealing with a $6 million deficit, and Springfield is trying to tackle a deficit of more than $10 million.