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No business as usual on education funding?

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Illinois

* The governor spent much of yesterday speaking to students about his promise to increase spending on education…

Rauner visited Lanphier High School, where he took questions from the students, mainly about the economy, education and how he came to be governor.

Many of the students who asked questions said they were pleased with the answers, but two said they were not.

Austin Duffie, a 17-year-old junior, wanted to know how the governor would simultaneously lower taxes while raising education funding, something he’s promised since his campaign.

“Even though we’ve got a financial crisis and some departments and some services are going to have to be cut – because we don’t have the money today for them – I’m going to increase education funding,” Rauner said in his answer to Duffie.

* But when Gov. Rauner talks about increasing spending on pre-K-12 programs, it might not be the usual suspects getting more money. Instead, think about things like charter schools…

The governor was received like a superstar as he spoke to a gymnasium packed with students Tuesday morning at Robertson Charter School. With a background setting of cheerleaders and signs welcoming him, Rauner reiterated his support for education and charter schools in Illinois, adding Robertson was the perfect example of why a charter school can be a great thing for the community.

“I want to make sure your parents have good choices and options for where to send you to school,” he said. “I want parents empowered with school choice, and I want schools like Robertson to be fully funded.” […]

The kindness for the students, as well as the support for charter schools, went a long way with Robertson Principal Cordell Ingram.

With that support, Ingram said he is hopeful that Rauner can help charter schools, especially the handful that exist outside the Chicago area, achieve greater success, and possibly more financial stability.

* Also, vocational ed…

He said he would “focus like a laser” on Illinois’ economy and making the state competitive; education, including vocational and technical training

And you pretty much gotta figure he’ll find a way to use the budget to whack teachers unions.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 9:18 am

Comments

I don’t know how Rauner will spin it, but based on Charlie Wheeler’s breakdown of the budget last week, there won’t be any real increase in educational funding under current revenues. The arithmetic is unforgiving.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 9:32 am
Rauner fails to mention public higher ed when he talks about education funding.

Comment by Because I said so.... Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 9:33 am
This would be a great time to make the point that Illinois should modernize its antiquated system of allowing teacher strikes and join the 41 other states prudent enough to prohibit them.

Remove the teeth and claws of the tiger and you don’t have to worry about being devoured.

It’s likely that pension cost shifting to individual school districts will be a necessary reform once SB-1 is shot down by the Supremes. Some of the savings from avoiding new pension contributions should be given as grants to those districts that can truly be shown as “underfunded” and who have been fiscally prudent in salary and benefit negotiations, as well as overhead costs, including administration, clerical and other non-certified staff.

This will technically meet the “increasing education funding” commitment.

Chairman Mao, the “Great Helmsman”, once wrote, “All is in chaos, and the situation is excellent!”

While everything was a mess, he won the revolution.

Once SB-1 is shot down, all will be in chaos since I understand there really isn’t a “plan B” in the wings. If there is any time to get this education reform done, this is it.

Comment by Arizona Bob Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 9:35 am
==Illinois should modernize its antiquated system of allowing teacher strikes ==

As they say, you can wish in one hand and ____ in the other and see which one fills up first.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 9:40 am
@Word:

There can be if he slashes and burns other parts of the budget. I guarantee you that is happening.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 9:44 am
I was amused reading in the SJR that a perceptive Lanphier student stated that he thought Rauner was vague in answering his question in how you can cut revenue and have more money for education. We never got any details during the campaign and we’re still waiting.

Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:01 am
Even kids in high school can figure out he’s not making sense.

Comment by chi Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:05 am
=== some DEPARTMENTS ===

Rauner misspeak. Will we see Arts council get eliminated? NOT.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:06 am
I was at his first stop of the day. It sounded like any other campaign speech to me, & I didn’t appreciate my children being used as a prop for him. He was speaking directly to the parents in the audience to gin up their support.

Comment by Colossus Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:12 am
He’s gonna have some splainin’ to do come budget day.

It won’t happen without sleight of hand and “misspeaking.” The arithmetic is unforgiving, and Rauner’s only option is to pretend that 3-1 = 4.

Comment by walker Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:13 am
Demo, if you read Charlie’s breakdown on the current budget situation on the WUIS website, he concludes that all of state government but education and health and human services could be zeroed out, and those two areas would still have to be cut.

It’s the Willie Sutton Law: that’s where the money is.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:15 am
“you pretty much gotta figure he’ll find a way to use the budget to whack teachers unions.”

Way overdue. It would be great to strip all the public unions of collective bargaining, ala WI.

Comment by Willis Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:33 am
@Dem

=As they say, you can wish in one hand and ____ in the other and see which one fills up first.=

Sad but true, Dem….

Comment by Arizona Bob Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:36 am
===I didn’t appreciate my children being used as a prop for him.===

Were they forced to go to the assembly? If they believe what you believe, they weren’t really props were they?

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:51 am
Feb. 18 can’t come quick enough to see what voodoo economics the Gov. has in store.

Comment by Dee Lay Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:53 am
==- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:15 am: == Which agency(s) is in charge of the pension funds? SERS / TRS?

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 11:09 am
I love the way folks like Brucie and the right wing use “choice” as a term that in fact defines taking away rights of a majority of people to benefit a minority of people…e.g. Charter schools, so-called “right to work”, etc.

Comment by D.P.Gumby Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 11:32 am
Rauner has made it clear that he is going to try to scapegoat unions. That can bode ill for the type of cooperation the state needs to improve.

“Way overdue. It would be great to strip all the public unions of collective bargaining, ala WI.”

Also way illegal. Rauner is violating state law and contracts that allow unions to collect fair share fees. His lawsuit also incorrectly interprets Harris v. Quinn, which did not extend to established state workers. He also has no standing, as he can’t prove that he was injured. He can’t speak for the First Amendment rights of fair share dues payers.

In concern for Illinois’ fiscal condition, how does Rauner prove that anyone is injured enough by fair share to overturn laws and contracts? Gov. Walker said that union-stripping would not or did not save Wisconsin money.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 11:55 am
Banning the right to strike won’t fix anything. There are far fewer strikes recently when strikes have been legal than there were back in the 1970s when they were illegal.

=== the pension should would technically amount to a funding hike ===

How would that be true, unless the state money that would’ve paid the current year’s pension contribution was instead put into state aid?

=== based on Charlie Wheeler’s breakdown of the budget last week, there won’t be any real increase in educational funding under current revenues. The arithmetic is unforgiving. ===

The fact that Rauner keeps repeating this pledge means it would stand out like sore thumb if he violates it.

Comment by anon Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 12:09 pm
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 10:15 am: == Are you saying SOS, AG, Ag, NR, IEA, Rev, IEPA, ISP (just to name a few agencies) budgets will be zeroed out?

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 12:31 pm
M, no, just that you’d could zero them out and would still have to cut education and health and human services.

I highly recommend you read Charlie’s analysis on the WUIS website.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 12:36 pm
I guess one way Rauner could spin it is to count state contributions to the suburban and Downstate teachers pensions as “education spending.”

It’s wouldn’t be new money, but the number would be a whole lot bigger, going from apples to oranges.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 12:39 pm
Wee Lad Mad Brown and Dad Mad Brown saw the Governor at my son’s Springfield elementary school yesterday. Wee Lad gave the gov a hug and told him good luck. He’s such a good kid. Dad Mad Brown did not hug him.

Comment by Mad Brown Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 12:41 pm
Rich is absolutely on this one. My suspicion has been that funds will be flowing to the Governors preferred education pets like vouchers, charters, and even more to early childhood which has seen significant increases (mainly to high poverty urban), and of course he has a powerful lobbyist at the dinner table every evening, and not much headed to regular K-12.

No matter that the decades of comprehensive research shows that charters are no more or less successful than regular schools over time.

I am still betting that he will skip pension payments and use some of that money.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 1:03 pm
=== I guess one way Rauner could spin it is to count state contributions to the suburban and Downstate teachers pensions as “education spending.” ===

But it has not been so counted heretofore. Consequently, it would be easily detected as a convenient rule change to mislead the public and conceal a broken promise.

Comment by anon Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 1:08 pm
“Also way illegal”

Whatever it takes. He should also “Reform” agencies, and layoff workers, as long as those reforms and layoffs reduce the power of the democrats.

Comment by Willis Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 1:12 pm
==I highly recommend you read Charlie’s analysis on the WUIS website. == I just read it and found his views to be informative. Thank you.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 1:50 pm
Dude really needs to stop using this “focus like a laser” line.

Comment by North Shore Joe Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 2:03 pm
Charter schools are NOT the answer. But they make someone a pretty $$ using taxpayer money - something Rauner knows plenty about.

If charter schools produced better (or any different) results than traditional public schools, they’d be worth talking about. But they don’t, so why not invest in making much needed reforms to the funding formula and organizational structure of the school system we have?

Comment by Left Leaner Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 2:08 pm
What many anti-teacher union people don’t realize is that public school teachers have really strong support from the parents (especially mothers) of students in grades preK-grade 8. Ever go watch a striking teacher picket line or attend a school board meeting during a teachers strike? You would see and hear a lot of teacher supporters and not many (if any) with the opposite view. Fact is, many charter schools are indeed good, but the big majority of parents of school age students prefer their neighborhood school (public and private).

Comment by Buzzie Wednesday, Feb 11, 15 @ 3:40 pm