* Tribune…
The governor contends that while the state doesn’t bring in enough money to cover all of its expenses, “the first place that money should go, right off the top, is to our schools.”
* As subscribers have known for a while now, Democrats may be gearing up to hold Rauner to those words…
“I am hopeful that at the end of the day, this assembly will agree to spend more money on the districts that hurt the most without so upending the world that districts that are still trying to do a job find it more difficult for them to get it done,” [House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie said].
That could take the form of lump sum payments to boost poorer school districts without hitting the budgets of more well-to-do schools. While figures are still being worked out, the plan may call for adding as much as $500 million to poverty grants that are distributed based on the number of low-income students. […]
Pumping more money into poor school districts would be hard for some lawmakers to resist, and it could force Cullerton and those in the Senate to take what they can get now or put all schools at risk. While Cullerton has suggested he’ll hold up a school funding bill unless the formula is changed, there’s little in the Senate president’s history to indicate he’ll make good on that kind of threat.
- winners and losers - Monday, May 23, 16 @ 9:51 am:
I have heard that this is the solution, plus passage of SB 318 (in House Exec Committee on Wednesday) which would require new Committee of 12 legislators to recommend new General State Aid formulas by December 31, 2016.
- JS Mill - Monday, May 23, 16 @ 10:17 am:
Yes, Cicero is in desperate straights with only $150 million in the bank. /s
How about helping the districts that REALLY need it.
- Norseman - Monday, May 23, 16 @ 10:21 am:
=== …could take the form of lump sum payments to boost poorer school districts without hitting the budgets of more well-to-do schools. ===
Interesting play. Lump sums to poorer districts while continuing to separately fund the “formula” risks an item veto of those additions by Rauner. If he does so, then Rauner the bad guy in a ton of losing districts. His ability to hold the vetoes is also problematic since there will be a lot of GOP reps who will have winning schools under Dem plan.
- illini - Monday, May 23, 16 @ 11:02 am:
“the first place that money should go, right off the top, is to our schools.”
I can only hope that he was including the UofI and the dozen other state colleges as well as the Community Colleges as well. Oh,I forgot, they will remain hostages!
- Mama - Monday, May 23, 16 @ 12:04 pm:
Rauner does not care about publically- funded higher education.