* Another blue ribbon commission…
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan on Thursday announced the creation of a bipartisan task force focused on studying the way in which the state distributes funding to Illinois’ public schools.
“Our goal is to strengthen every school across Illinois, so we need to make sure any significant changes are given a thorough review,” Madigan said. “Changes to the school funding formula always raise significant concerns from a number of educators, parents and legislators. We want to make sure we take a good look at proposed revisions to the funding formula to determine how we can best educate students across the state.”
The task force made up of Democratic and Republican members of the Illinois House will discuss how changes in the school aid formula could impact schools throughout the state. While House Democrats have been studying various proposals for several months, Madigan formed the task force because he believes any solution ultimately approved by the General Assembly must be bipartisan and good for students across Illinois.
“When you consider the issues that every community in Illinois is concerned about, state support for schools is right at the top of the list,” Madigan said. “A vital issue like this that affects every public school and the education of about 2 million students deserves an in-depth and proper discussion.”
The bipartisan House Education Task Force will include legislators representing Southern Illinois, the collar counties, suburban communities and Chicago and will be chaired by state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago.
The task force’s first meeting will be at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11 in Room 118 of the Capitol. Madigan expects additional hearings to be scheduled at a later time.
Madigan’s appointments…
Chair: Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago
John Bradley, D-Marion
Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora
Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates
Will Davis, D-Homewood
Marcus Evans, D-Chicago
Laura Fine, D-Glenview
Esther Golar, D-Chicago
Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, D-Cicero
Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan
Emily McAsey, D-Lockport
Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg
Elgie Sims, D-Chicago
*** UPDATE *** From Sen. Andy Manar…
Two years ago when we began conversations fair school funding, I knew that our the mission would take years of education and work to build a consensus for change. Since that time, there has been clear progress on bipartisan solutions for classrooms across this state. That progress can now be accelerated as leaders in the Illinois House outline specific actions that can be taken to close the funding gap for Illinois schools.
I applaud the leadership of Speaker Michael Madigan in creating a forum for continued discussion that leads to action. His action today confirms that he understands the importance of school funding equity just as clearly as he did when he supported Governor Jim Edgar’s sweeping reforms in 1996. I applaud his continued leadership and the engagement of the House of Representatives as we advance legislation this year.
- Pius - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 1:45 pm:
The members are all listed as Dems.
- Taxpayer Tim - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 1:46 pm:
How is it bipartisan when they are all Democrats?
- Pius - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 1:47 pm:
I guess Durkin will appoint the R’s?
- Walter Mitty - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 1:59 pm:
The R’s will be appointed… Hmm.. And the result will be pension cost shift! Shocking!
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:03 pm:
Great geographic balance there. Not.
- Gooner - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:07 pm:
AA,
Do you expect the GOP list to be heavy on Chicago area reps?
Yeah, it isn’t balanced. Neither are the parties.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:09 pm:
Haven’t heard too much from Rep. Chapa LaVia lately.
Just an observation.
- East Central Illinois - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:11 pm:
Other than Marion, so far the listing is all Chicago. Wow, wonder how this is gonna turn out. Geez.
- PolPal56 - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:11 pm:
Well, they don’t call western Illinois “Forgotonia” for nothing.
And apparently education in Illinois only exists for a 30 mile radius around Chicago and one small outpost in southern Illinois.
- RNUG - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:12 pm:
So are they going to re-invent the wheel or start with Sen. Andy Manar’s proposal?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:13 pm:
Aurora and Waukegan ain’t Chicago.
You’re welcome.
- RNUG - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:14 pm:
Ow … to us downstater’s, they are (although I do know the difference … was in Naperville a couple of weeks ago).
- East Central Illinois - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:14 pm:
Marion ain’t Central Illinois either.
- East Central Illinois - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:15 pm:
“Ow … to us downstater’s, they are (although I do know the difference … was in Naperville a couple of weeks ago).”
Totally agree with RNUG on this one.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:18 pm:
- RNUG -,
They call Oswego a suburb, an hour by train to the Loop, so there’s that. Just noting both towns reality. All good.
- East Central Illinois -,
You have to take that one up with someone other than me, lol
- Wensicia - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:18 pm:
Mayfield has school board experience.
- Gooner - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:21 pm:
In addition to my note above on the political/geographic divide, the idea that Chicago, Glenview, and Schaumburg have similar interests when it comes to school funding is simply not true.
Yes, they close to another on a map. In the room? Those reps will be going head to head.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:21 pm:
- East Central Illinois -,
How about this; recognize that not everything is “Chicago”, and the Collars and Cook recognize there is Central, Western, Eastern and Downstate Illinois, (with downstate actually beginning south of Springfield by a bunch)?
- East Central Illinois - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:22 pm:
- OW - I totally get it, no problem. Just frustrating to see a committee start out being stacked by “Northerners” (hoping that is an OK term to use). I am hopeful that when the GOP members of the committee are listed that there will be some representation of the other part of the state. Not holding my breath on that though, but, as someone stated earlier, I wonder if they are just going to re-invent the wheel, i.e. the EFAB report, or do something with Manar’s new SB1 and use that as a starting point. Sorry, my frustration is showing itself.
- Arizona Bob - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:26 pm:
=Great geographic balance there. Not.=
Whaddya mean? There’s Sout’ Side Dems, Nort’ side Dems and West Side Dems. What more balance could you possibly want?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:27 pm:
- ECI -, all good, honest.
To your Point,
Durkin could make hay by having a weighted presence outside Cook and the Collars with members that represent areas outside that sphere sit on the panel.
I would kind to see more about focus and goals after they actually meet. Why? Too many times the purpose panels are formed and what is discussed and debated goes away from the initially stated “goals”
- East Central Illinois - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:28 pm:
I see the pension shift coming as part of this. That may, in fact, be part of the answer. But not the total solution. In counties that are not under PTELL, this would probably just get passed along to the property taxpayers. In PTELL counties, unless PTELL is changed in some manner, the pension cost shift will be hard to manage. I am at least hopeful (maybe wishing on a prayer) that if the pension shift is done, that it will be phased in over an extended period of time. Likewise, I hope the pension ramp is also discussed. There is no reason not to extend the ramp.
- East Central Illinois - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:29 pm:
- OW - I totally agree with your goals statement. What are the intended outcome(s) of this committee?
- Juvenal - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:37 pm:
Willy -
Point well taken.
Except that according to the Census Bureau, Aurora and Waukegan are part of Chicago.
But more to the point, 8 of Madigan’s 13 appointments are suburbanites.
This commission might not be designed to kill Manar’s proposal, but it sure isn’t designed to help.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:38 pm:
Wouldn’t a better path to a bill be stakeholder negotiation? Having a bunch of reps sit around and talk will get us where?
- Arsenal - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:43 pm:
Won’t the Republican appointees kinda by necessity provide a lot of the geographic balance? It’s not like Durkin’s going to be able to send many Reps from the city or interior suburbs.
- veritas - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:46 pm:
How will this impact Sen. Barickman’s evidence-based education funding bill that is aligned with tenets of the Education Alliance’s Vision 20/20?
- Joe M - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:47 pm:
In much of rural Illinois, anything DeKalb and East is all lumped together and considered “Chicago”
And those living in “Chicago” consider anyplace else in Illinois as “downstate” even if it is Rockford or Freeport or Galena, which are pretty far North to be downstate.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:50 pm:
- Juvenal -,
===But more to the point, 8 of Madigan’s 13 appointments are suburbanites.===
Yep.
I aready conceded, when Oswego, an hour by train to the Loop, is a suburb…it’s a mess
- Federalist - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 2:52 pm:
No geographic balance. And regardless of political orientation and their location, this committee must arise the typical Madigan approach and include equal numbers of Republicans and those not in the Cook County or collar county areas.
- walker - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:00 pm:
When is a “blue ribbon panel” not a delaying tactic?
Please get Manar’s latest version out and fight over its details, or just admit the issue’s for much later consideration.
How’s that legislative blue ribbon panel to restructure DCEO and economic development overall comin’ along?
Boy that panel on fixing government corruption sure produced great results! /s
- Juvenal - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:03 pm:
=== Won’t the Republican appointees kinda by necessity provide a lot of the geographic balance? ===
You think Durkin is going to appoint Andrea Bourne?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:05 pm:
===You think Durkin is going to appoint Andrea Bourne?===
She would bring relative recent experience, as a student, to the mix…just sayin’
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:10 pm:
Andrea Bourne? Avery Barnes?
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:12 pm:
Senators Barickman and Manar have formed quite the partnership. This commission is just more folderol.
“Look - we’re doing SOMETHING!”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:16 pm:
Rep. Avery Bourne (R - Litchfield)
Is it bad that I knew who - Juvenal - meant, or is it worse that the youngest female GOP legislator’s name isn’t something I remembered?
Food for thought(?)
- Norseman - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:18 pm:
This makes how many task forces, blue ribbon committees and study committees that have been created to study education reform?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:43 pm:
Why don’t we change the ribbon color for a change. “Blue Ribbon’ now implies illusionary progress underway.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 3:51 pm:
OW, we were half right lol.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 4:09 pm:
Yeah, Madigan needs a blue ribbon commission to come up with some miracle of an idea that creates revenue from nothing. C’mon, the issue is not that difficult - it’s all math from the need side. It’s the political side that is difficult. And if Madigan needs a blue ribbon commission to explain the political side, I’m the latest big lottery winner.
What poppycock.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 4:16 pm:
Good thing there’s no philosophical difference between Chicago, the suburbs and exurbs, and all of their issues are precisely the same. (lotsa snark)
The folks in Chicago think Oswego is downstate. The folks in Aurora think Chicago is an eastern suburb of theirs.
They could use more rural representation for sure, but there’s a lot of diversity in that crew already.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 4:21 pm:
- Arthur Andersen -,
Together, the things we could accomplish!
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 4:32 pm:
- A Guy -,
“We” call ourselves “Rural Collar” in Oswego, thank you.
We have a suburban feel, with a farm town lifestyle….
The 8 of 13 in the ‘burbs is what’s at play. That is the fact that stick out. Lots of different school districts.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 4:38 pm:
Willy,
I think you could agree that this list of burbs has pretty vastly different school district challenges. No question they need more geographical representation here.
As a child, Oswego was a day trip away from DuPage. That changed with the “Nickel” It became half a day and 30 cents. lol.
It’s a lovely town.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 4:38 pm:
I actually think Rep. Bourne would be a perfect member for this panel, for exactly the reason OW cites. And I’m by no means a fan of her appointment.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 4:46 pm:
ECI- told today by ISBE cost shift IS coming and not to expect a long ramp. Madigan has always opposed the option of being allowed to levy for cost shift even though we do for SSI/IMRF. Even if you are not under PTELL many/most (don’t have an exact %) are already at max rate and may not be able to adjust.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 5:00 pm:
- A Guy -,
I can’t respond to the makeup of the panel until all members are introduced. The 8 of 13 is a start, now will see how the others shakeout.
- Arsenal -,
After re-reading my comment, I thought it might be good too, but here’s the rub why I didn’t say so.
If Rep. Bourne can hold her own and make it seem she is bringing thoughtful and constructive analysis from that angle, and speak to it well, yep, I’d be all in on it.
If Rep. Bourne comes off “green” and brings naiveté and really been seen if she is lacking the chops to bring something of substance or be constructive, it could be a disaster.
So, do you fall on the side of caution, or roll her out to shine?
Glad it ain’t my call.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 5:03 pm:
“If Rep. Bourne comes off “green” and brings naiveté and really be seen that she is lacking the chops to bring something of substance or be constructive, it could be a disaster.”
- Jasper - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 6:01 pm:
One small voice from Southern IL…..we lose again
- Late Night Reader - Thursday, Mar 5, 15 @ 11:33 pm:
The thing about Ms Bourne is that she is being held on a pretty short leash by the party. She has an aid with her in committees and at events. Someone is holding her hand at all times. Doesn’t give off the image of trust in her abilities to think for herself. Just sayin’
- Toure's Latte - Friday, Mar 6, 15 @ 8:40 am:
Good luck Durkin finding Republicans willing to jam pension costs back into heavy R suburban school districts. Who? Who? Who? Would be willing? Who? Who?
- East Central Illinois - Friday, Mar 6, 15 @ 9:25 am:
JS Mill - Thank you for the information. I am fully expecting the cost shift to happen. As I stated before, I hope that when it does happen, that it is rolled out over a very extended amount of time.
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 6, 15 @ 9:30 am:
No Republicans….? Starting to sound like Obama!
- Louis Howe - Friday, Mar 6, 15 @ 9:58 am:
The purpose of a Political Task Force is to give the impression of doing something real, while never doing anything at all. The school funding problem is caused by the misdistribution of real estate wealth, especially commercial and industrial property. We are not all farmers any more, but still have a 19th century school funding source.
- Georg Sande - Friday, Mar 6, 15 @ 11:40 am:
What really matters here? Crespo, McAsey and Mussman … along with the mostly suburban R’s.