* Interesting move…
A few months ago, the Illinois State Board of Education voted to ask lawmakers for $15.6 billion to fund public schools. Now, a newly appointed board wants to change that request, to ask for just under $9 billion.
These board members were appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, so it’s no surprise that the $8.9 billion request they’re proposing aligns almost perfectly with Pritzker’s budget.
At a hearing today, State Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan), questioned the board’s new math.
“I know the governor has his budget,” Mayfield said, “but as an agency, you have a responsibility for the children of Illinois. So you don’t have to necessarily agree with him, but you do have to do what’s best for the children. And I did not see that in your budget.”
Thoughts?
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 10:52 am:
=as an agency, you have a responsibility for the children of Illinois. So you don’t have to necessarily agree with him, but you do have to do what’s best for the children.=
Good lord. So now we know they are toadies to the governor and not smart enough to hide it. Fantastic. (Banned word)
- Exit 59 - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 11:09 am:
OY. What JS MILL said which is way better than my initial thought… That’s dumb.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 11:12 am:
Hello, and welcome to Edu-phone. If you know how much you’d like for education funding, press one.
Using your touch-tone keypad, please enter the first three digits of your education budget now, in billions.
You selected, 0-1-5. If that’s correct, press one.
Why don’t you just tell me how much you want for education?
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 11:14 am:
==So now we know they are toadies to the governor and not smart enough to hide it. ==
Perhaps the previous Board were toadies to the previous Governor and put in a request they knew was too big and would need to be reduced.
- Perrid - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 11:15 am:
I don’t know, there was never a snowball’s chance in heck they were going to get $15.6 billion this year, not even close, so you could make a (strong) argument they decided to cut the bluster. Or yes, you can choose to see it as capitulation.
I mean, won’t the annual funding increase, which JB wants to go above and beyond on, eventually get us pretty close to that number?
- Sue - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 11:31 am:
Part of ISBE budget is TRS so I assume that is where most of the cuts are aimed at- the pension contribution
- notsosure - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 11:41 am:
I’d bet every agency out there would prefer getting more $. The Governor’s people have to balance all of that and come up with a comprehensive plan. What’s unusual, to me, is that the before and after asks were public and not nailed down behind closed doors.
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 11:42 am:
Sad, but not unexpected.
- NeverPoliticallyCorrect - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 12:40 pm:
Good for Pritzker. The 15.6 billion was ridiculous. Most districts in this state don’t need a huge influx of new cash. They need the freedom to spend what they have on programs that work and not on ridiculous legislator vanity education projects.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 1:36 pm:
==The 15.6 billion was ridiculous==
In your opinion.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 1:45 pm:
IMO $15:6 billion is way too much.
- I Miss Bentohs - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 3:22 pm:
Well Rita if “And I did not see that in your budget” is correct, can you do all the math and let us know the correct amount? If not, then I think the number is right.
- Silent Budgeteer - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 8:25 pm:
Years ago, that was exactly how the ISBE and IBHE budgets were brought to the GA. The agency would have a bill introduced at the level it deemed necessary to be “full funding” for elementary and secondary education. They also knew that the Governor’s budget would be lower (significantly); prior to Gov. Edgar, the agency would then help draft an amendment that brought funding to the Governor’s level, and then the GA would take it from there. I think Gov. Edgar was the first governor to introduce an approp bill at his recommended level while ISBE still introduced its budget. Under Blagojevich is the first time I remember ISBE introducing appropriations at the Governor’s recommended level without introducing what was considered a full-funding budget. Maybe this is a reach back to the past and a way to show just what is exactly needed to fully fund all the programs, goals, and needs for elementary and secondary education.
- Silent Budgeteer - Wednesday, Apr 3, 19 @ 8:27 pm:
But, I’m not sure the idea of just withdrawing a fully funded budget and replacing it with a lower budget just because it is at the Governor’s recommendation will help get the point across of what full funding for education will cost.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Apr 4, 19 @ 8:56 am:
The previous board included funding for community schools and afterschool programs after hearing from a large number of advocates, and the new board and Governor didn’t include them. This may have been on oversight on their part, but these programs are making a huge difference in the areas of the state that need them most.