Look on the bright side
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune on Gov. Rauner’s new task force to study school funding reform…
Critics contend the formula shortchanges districts that serve poor children and doesn’t do enough to compensate districts that can’t rely on high real estate values to cover their spending needs with property taxes. But ideas to fix the problem usually hinge on raising taxes or reducing the amounts that go to wealthier districts in order to boost funding for poorer ones, both of which are difficult to sell politically.
In the meantime, the issue has been studied and bandied about in countless panels such as the one created by Rauner. So-called “blue ribbon” school funding panels were a hallmark of former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar during the 1990s, but he gained little traction.
Rauner tried to put an optimistic spin on the idea Tuesday, saying he thinks that given “the financial pressures that school districts are facing, the state is facing, the city of Chicago is facing, there’s a lot of motivation to try to improve the system.”
Still, the commission’s structure appeared designed to give Republicans a louder voice, even though Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature. Rauner stacked the panel with allies by appointing his education secretary as chair and allowing Republicans to select 15 of the 25 members.
Several commenters were kinda harsh on the governor’s idea yesterday. And I even questioned the timing of the announcement.
* But, after sleeping on it, I’ve decided that we should look on the bright side.
Remember the post I had last week by a reader who offered the governor some unsolicited advice?…
Right now, identify five key issues or problems. Then put his administration on alert to identify five doable things to address those issues. As you solve those problems, let people know. Create the image of competent, professional management of our state. That’s what we need: someone who can identify real problems and solve them, not complain about them. We’ve got 11,999,999 people to complain. We need 1 to step up and solve. He wanted to be that 1.
Rauner’s supporters mostly hated that piece. But, regardless of the politics, regardless of the historical challenges, this new study group allows the governor to do all that. And, who knows, it might actually get something done.
* Why do I think it could succeed? Well, first up, here’s Mayor Emanuel’s react…
“If we were starting from scratch, nobody would design the funding formula we have today penalizing poor kids. The governor is acknowledging the work that’s been going on in Legislature trying to grapple with this problem. That, to me, is a real turnaround,” Emanuel said.
“The fact that he wants to create this commission is an acknowledgment that you cannot double-down on a funding system you say is broken. Righting the wrongs of a broken funding formula demands more attention, not less. More resources, not less. That will be a true turnaround for the state of Illinois.”
* And here’s the governor…
The early 2017 deadline would permit legislators to take up a bill in spring session — a tight deadline, he acknowledged, but one that’s doable “partly because there have been efforts.”
“I think there’s a frustration level of wanting to get something done, I also think the financial pressures that school districts are facing, the state is facing, the city of Chicago is facing,” Rauner said at the Thompson Center. “There’s lot of motivation to try to improve the system. . . . Granted, this is going to be hard. But I’m optimistic.”
He’s right. This could be the right moment. Maybe not, but maybe so.
Either way, it’s a positive step and we should accept it as such.
- Joe M - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 10:55 am:
I am hopeful that it is a positive step. But I am concerned that at the end of the press conference Rauner tied in pension reform to education funding. Will he be tying in his turnaround agenda, CPS bankruptcy and other items into school reform?
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 10:59 am:
I agree Rich. Let’s look on the bright side.
Geiger points out some serious problems, including weighting the panel with Republicans, but the more telling point will be whether Radogno, Rauner, and Durkin give downstate Republicans a voice or whether their picks are heavily weighted to the Chicago suburbs.
Suburban Republicans killed the last serious push for school funding reform, and if they are in the position to, they will do it again.
I also find the timing a little strange.
A Feb. 1 deadline doesn’t leave much breathing room to try to incorporate a revised plan into the budget, particularly if as expected there is a hold harmless.
Once again, let’s tip our cap to Bruce “The Lameduck Hunter” Rauner for pushing off any tricky stuff the public might object to until a time when they will be less accountable.
- Langhorne - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 11:03 am:
Where can we find the membership of the commission?
Who is staffing it?
Someone should ask the LRU to summarize the work of previous education panels.
“Affordable” sounds like a new code word for anti-union elements.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 11:04 am:
===Where can we find the membership of the commission?===
Check yesterday’s live coverage post.
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 11:21 am:
I echo Langhorne’s concern about “affordable” but also anti union conclusions brought about by this committee. Rauners constant perfidy has taught me to simply assume that this commission will magically come up with those recommendations. There is no trust that he can just leave it alone.
- Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 11:43 am:
What stays the same during this commission, that committee, working groups, and study sessions? The formula.
- thunderspirit - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 11:48 am:
I’m hopeful, but also skeptical.
(Which feels bipolar, but perhaps it’s just merely conflicted.)
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 11:54 am:
Can’t hurt much, might help … especially if there are no Turnaround Agenda items attached.
But where’s the money going to come from?
- Mama - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 12:00 pm:
“there’s a lot of motivation to try to improve the system”
Remember Rauner is big on Charter Schools. Lets hope his commission isn’t geared toward setting up more charter schools in IL.
- Keyrock - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 12:00 pm:
To repeat a comment from last night, Rahm’s comments, together with the Democratic appointments to the Commission, make me wonder if this is an agreed-upon strategy to give Rauner a route to supporting a tax-home “for the kids.” If he’s so inclined, he can pivot by accepting his commission’s findings. Everyone won’t talk about his having agreed to a CPS “bailout.”
That’s the optimistic view.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 12:01 pm:
=nobody would design the funding formula we have today penalizing poor kids.=
Here is where the lack of professional journalists is really shows. A little research would reveal the true fallacy of this statement.
Poor kids, or those children living in poor communities are not penalized by the funding formula. That is simply untrue.
While they are victimized by poverty in general and the challenges that poverty creates for them the “formula” as it stands to today provides additional funding for them.
Property poor districts receive higher levels of state funding based on the way the formula works. The lower the local property wealth, the higher the per student state contribution.
Secondly, districts recieve funds through what is referred to as the poverty grant. That funding takes into consideration the number and concentration of students in poverty. The higher the concentration, the higher the per pupil funding. Districts like Cicero 99 receive (roughly) $3,600 per pupil (all students) because their concentration is so high. Our district receives about $600 per pupil (approximately 32% poverty). The funding is an additional amount per pupil within the GSA formula. It can be a game changer.
I post this as a statement of fact and not in support of the current formula. Having worked with many students living in poverty and also high poverty districts, I know the impact of poverty on the lives of children and how much it can impact their education.
The argument about student zip codes and their educational opportunities does not fall on deaf ears and is completely valid. The issue is complex yet critical. Unfortunately politicians are not well suited, at least in Illinois, to solve this issue. They desire problems with solutions that can be summed up in a 30 second sound bite or a two-minute campaign add. This one cannot. The state superintendent, secretary of education, and regional superintendents are all politicians and ill suited for this so called committee.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 12:14 pm:
What the H* did you sleep on? Air mattress spring a leak?
This whole disaster became the latest how to video for the “hiding from trump for idiots” ebook.
From the BigBrain minion movin’ the tape spots for the props…to the props being shuffled off camera..to all the props being put on mute… to not knowin’ how many commissioners there be bein’….and Meeks on or off … the entire stunt was keystone kops…wait we know keystone kops and that is a insult to the keystone kops.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 12:16 pm:
===This whole disaster became the latest how to video for the “hiding from trump for idiots” ebook.===
Then why did MJM appoint anybody?
- Harry - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 12:32 pm:
I agree, we should all be patient, see what they come up with, offer our thoughts when asked (as the public inevitably will be asked).
Rahm needs to be careful, though–Chicago is not a property-tax poor jurisdiction and does pretty well from the block-granted formula money it gets. It is not a given that CPS will be a big winner, after we start hearing from some seriously poor downstate school districts. Pension equity and some modest formula improvements is probably the BEST he can expect–it won’t be like Xmas came early for him.
- Keyrock - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 12:36 pm:
-”Then why did MJM appoint anybody.”
That, and Rahm’s changed tone, are the two tells.
- Rhino Slider - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 1:52 pm:
It bothers me that one person, in each party, can affect so many races. November will be Rauner the neophyte with money going against Madigan the Master.
I wish people from their own district would select their representatives. The reality of politics is that money and campaign expertise trump everything.
I was happy when Berrios’ daughter lost because she got zero funding from her district. I would like to see more of this happen.
- Rod - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 1:57 pm:
Issue #1 from the Tribune quote: “But ideas to fix the problem usually hinge on raising taxes or reducing the amounts that go to wealthier districts in order to boost funding for poorer ones, both of which are difficult to sell politically.” That does not have to be the case, it does not have to be either or. It depends on the time frame and the level of equity Illinois wants to provide for districts.
Part of the reason for the failure of funding reform is that whether it is Senator Manar or the proponents of the researched based reforms they all have to be implemented at once to quickly increase equity. That does not have to be the case.
Our State can increase the fairness of state k-12 funding to the extent it can be afforded. There may be some years were no improvement is made. Just because other states have implemented comprehensive education funding reform all at once, that doesn’t mean Illinois has to do it that way.
If the commission thinks small instead of big something actually may be achieved.
- pundent - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
It’s easy to be skeptical given the first 18 months that we’ve experienced under Rauner. He’s clearly still learning the ropes and holding on to an ideological agenda. But if we want to encourage him to actually govern it is helpful to get behind ideas that have merit. This is one of them. Now it’s up to Rauner to show that he’s actually committed to doing what he’s saying.
- DuPage Dave - Wednesday, Jul 13, 16 @ 7:01 pm:
Rauner has finally come to understand that the key to being governor is to try to govern. This commission is a stale idea, but at least it appears to be untied from the strings of “the agenda” and has at least a snowball’s chance of success.
Go good luck to all those involved.