* Press release…
The Fix the Formula campaign and the Funding Illinois’ Future coalition urge the Governor to sign Senate Bill 444, which clarifies a minor technical error in SB1947, Illinois’ historic school funding overhaul. In August, SB1947 ended an era of the state having the most inequitable school funding system in the nation.
With any major legislation there are technicalities that need clarification so that the language matches the intent of the law. We support SB444 because the clarification meets our core principles as a coalition and preserves the intent of SB1947, which drives dollars to the neediest districts, those that have the fewest local resources and are the least well-funded.
We urge the Governor to sign SB444 swiftly so that the Illinois State Board of Education can start to disburse funding under the new formula.
* Illinois Public Radio did a story on the bill earlier this week…
Eleven Republican Senators voted against the cleanup bill last week. Afterwards, one of those 11 — Sen. Jason Barickman, from Bloomington — said he just wanted to see how the numbers would’ve changed without tying up the loose ends.
“We always said we want to see numbers before we do things,” Barickman said. “So, I didn’t make a big deal out of it today, I don’t think it is a big deal. But it would’ve been nice to stick to the process.”
When I asked him to predict whether Rauner sign this seemingly tiny technical bill, Barickman indicated he had given up predicting the governor’s actions. “Sometimes,” he said, “you don’t even wanna predict your own.”
More cleanup bills are on the horizon. The biggest one would ensure state funding for pre-kindergarten English learners. Lawmakers will likely tackle that topic in January.
- Sue - Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:05 am:
I guess Rauner needs to ask Purvis to return for a couple of days to explain this to him
- PublicServant - Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:43 am:
Don’t make us override you yet again, Bruce.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:47 am:
=== Barickman indicated he had given up predicting the governor’s actions. ===
He’s been thrown under the bus by the governor what, three or four times now? Mr. Barickman, I’m glad to see you are capable of learning from your past mistakes.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:57 am:
===“We always said we want to see numbers before we do things,” Barickman said. “So, I didn’t make a big deal out of it today, I don’t think it is a big deal. But it would’ve been nice to stick to the process.”
When I asked him to predict whether Rauner sign this seemingly tiny technical bill, Barickman indicated he had given up predicting the governor’s actions. “Sometimes,” he said, “you don’t even wanna predict your own.”===
Oh, Mr. Barickman, lol
You and I both know the only thought you have is what Rauner gives you.
That said, you actually can’t predict what you’re going to be told to do, what thought to have AND what the person telling you those things may do.
That means you’d be… thoughtful.
You’re not.
- J - Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:39 am:
It’s such a disingenuous argument. This was clean up to fix a couple typos to align the language of the bill - at ISBE’s request - with the model that ISBE already ran for 1947 and that all four caucuses and the governor’s office agreed on. There shouldn’t be any need to run numbers–numbers were right there. The gov should sign and take the win and get school districts their funding.