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Statehouse flooded with education funding bills

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Senate Democrats pushed through two new bills to fund local school districts. Both are aimed at propping up funding for poorer districts. One would center around so-called “evidence based models” that would distribute money based on studies that show bilingual education students benefit from higher spending, and all students perform better in classrooms that are smaller in size.

The other would freeze the current school funding formula for three years, instead sending low-income districts an extra $700 million. It was billed as a bailout for Chicago Public School, as the bill also contained a provision to pick up $205 million in Chicago teacher pension costs, and would allow for the city to raise property taxes to the tune of $175 million. Neither plan is expected to advance in the House.

There are actually four education bills out there and Jessica Handy with Stand for Children posted a brief bit on all of them. Click here to read it.

…Adding… Yet another bill has been introduced. Click here.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 30, 16 @ 4:07 pm

Comments

I think I understand the political maneuvering is intended to put Rauner in a “put up or shut up” position on his promises to increase and / or reform school funding.

But at this point, it is a mistake to release any hostages.

Comment by RNUG Monday, May 30, 16 @ 4:16 pm
Good job, Jessica.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, May 30, 16 @ 4:18 pm
4 different ways to dump more money into CPS. Because they have such an exemplary history of managing resources…

Comment by m Monday, May 30, 16 @ 4:31 pm
Let us hope none of the school funding reform bills are signed into law. None of them are understood by those voting on them.

HB 3190, combining SB 231 with the Evidence Based plan, would mean 3 entirely different State funding systems for schools in 3 years. NO estimate of total cost.
NO idea of how much money each school district would receive.

Both SB 231 and HB 3190 will now be heard in House Executive (each with a House Amendment) at 8:30 AM on Tuesday.

Comment by winners and losers Monday, May 30, 16 @ 4:57 pm
=4 different ways to dump more money into CPS. Because they have such an exemplary history of managing resources…=

It’s easy to have “an exemplary history of management” when the state pays your biggest bill (pensions/retiree health). CPS would no doubt be happy to trade places.

Comment by Chicago Schooler Monday, May 30, 16 @ 5:09 pm
@Chicago Schooler - victim much? Math does not support your victim hood. You aren’t on the trib editorial board are you? Would make a lot of sense.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, May 30, 16 @ 5:23 pm
Not to be outdone, Barrickman is touting a BRAND NEW BILL

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, May 30, 16 @ 5:32 pm
JS Mill, you must have done poorly in your grade school math class. CPS has to pay $700 million annually for pensions. No other school district in the state has to pay. The state of Illinois generously pays the pensions for them, and those obligations have skyrocketed. That’s why CPS gets about 70 cents for every dollar of total education subsidies (pensions, poverty grants, general state aid, etc.) that the rest of the state’s schools receive on average.

Comment by Chicago Schooler Monday, May 30, 16 @ 6:04 pm
Chicago Schooler, the Democrats are the ones that created the current school funding formula. If the formula and the rules where not fair why did they not change the formula when we had a democratic governor. This is nothing but a CPS bailout.

Comment by Chicago Schooler Monday, May 30, 16 @ 6:15 pm
Chicago Schooler, the Democrats are the ones that created the current school funding formula. If the formula and the rules where not fair why did they not change the formula when we had a democratic governor. This is nothing but a CPS bailout.

Comment by dandy Edward Monday, May 30, 16 @ 6:24 pm
@Chicago Schooler- look at the entire amount of financial support given to CPS. Enormous amounts of money right off of the top of grants and funding sources. These amounts for Special Ed, PTELL adjustment, CPPRT, ECE and others disproportionately high tha COS should get. Their GSA allotment is not even tied to ADA like everyone else.

So please keep up. Just because you were taught well doesn’t mean you can’t learn.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, May 30, 16 @ 6:28 pm
1. Democrats didn’t “create” the current formula. It was enacted by a bipartisan legislature and a GOP governor.

2. The current formula is almost two decades old. Populations have shifted. The delivery of education has changed. The formula is outdated.

3. Republicans should remember that They created the current unelected school board in Chicago.

4. And yes, if we fully funded schools to the EFAB recommended levels, CPS wouldn’t have any financial problems to speak of.

5. Yes, school districts serving poorer children get more money under the revised formula. If you think we should be sending more money to richer districts, you are in the minority.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, May 30, 16 @ 7:12 pm
why would comments be closed on the pension ramp veto override? Biggest story of the weekend. Humph…

Comment by Allknowingmasterofraccoondom Monday, May 30, 16 @ 7:16 pm
I hope the IL legislators get their act together and vote for fair and equal funding for CPS and other poorer school districts. Enough legislators have got to vote for education funding bills so that they can override Rauner vetoes. Republican have got to compromise instead of being so stubborn. The greatest trait of a good politician is to be able to compromise. Rauner does not possess this trait, and he is,indeed, holding our schools hostage. Face the reality, look at the bigger picture, and do the right thing NOW.

Comment by Chicago Teacher Monday, May 30, 16 @ 9:59 pm