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Another stumbling block

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* From a Monday SJ-R story about the governor’s education funding reform commission’s final report…

Rauner said he’s still digesting the report from the commission. He also said it wasn’t the commission’s job to draft a bill that could be considered by lawmakers.

“What they did was lay out the parameters for a bill to get drafted,” he said. “I’ll talk to the General Assembly about who should draft. My sense is, I think the senators, I don’t know, I think they’re working on something. If they’d like our administration to draft something, we can do that.”

* Emphasis was added above because of what happened today…

When it comes to the complex, politically prickly topic of overhauling public school funding in Illinois, lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office can’t even agree on who should take the first step.

Democrats who run the Senate Education Committee told Rauner’s education adviser Thursday that the Republican governor should draft legislation to reflect recommendations from a school funding report released last week. The adviser, Beth Purvis, countered that the plan should come from the Legislature.

The two sides agree that the formula for financing public education should be changed to ensure poorer districts receive more financial support from the state. The recommendations, which come from a commission created by the governor, said that Illinois must assess how it supports schools on a district-by-district basis but didn’t indicate how legislators could accomplish this.

I’m getting a sore neck from watching this ping-pong game. How about they just find a way to somehow do it together?

Wait, wasn’t that the commission’s job? Apparently not.

…Adding… Hey, maybe they could use this bill…

The Funding Illinois’ Future coalition applauds Rep. Will Davis for his leadership in the introduction of HB2808, which aligns with the Illinois School Funding Commission’s Report. HB2808 makes school funding in Illinois more equitable and adequate and has the potential to end a decades-long problem. The bill aligns with equity principles in last week’s Illinois School Funding Reform Commission Report—and the principles of Funding Illinois’ Future—providing any new money to the neediest schools first and taking local contributions to school funding into account. We urge members of the House to co-sponsor the bill as a first step toward passing bipartisan, bicameral legislation this spring. Illinois must end the chronic underfunding of low-income schools and give all students the education they deserve in order to be ready for college and career.

Illinois needs a funding system that is equitable, adequate and fair. Illinois remains worst-in-the-nation in providing resources for low-income school districts. For every dollar Illinois spends on a non-low-income student, it spends 81 cents on a low-income student. Legislative action is needed now so that students in poverty access to resources so that districts may invest in reducing class sizes, providing updated textbooks and modern technology and offering advanced placement and other classes like art, foreign language and music that make up a well-rounded education. Funding Illinois’ Future remains steadfast in its view that new funding legislation must do the following:

1. Recognize individual student need
2. Account for difference in local resources
3. Close funding gaps in five years and keep them closed
4. Provide a stable and sustainable solution

About Funding Illinois’ Future
Funding Illinois’ Future is a coalition of more than 200 school districts, school superintendents, community- and faith-based organizations working toward fixing Illinois’ worst-in-the-nation school funding formula with the goal of giving every student in Illinois the education they deserve.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:30 pm

Comments

1.4% isn’t going to draft the legislation because he doesn’t want the responsibility for the backlash when things go bad.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:37 pm
C’mon sillies. If the Governor were ever to propose a funding plan, then how could he veto it?

Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:44 pm
Why is it anyone’s job to tell someone else that they should be drafting bills? Geez. Both sides of this really stink almost all the time. And it’s not just education funding. It is everything. I wish I could just not care and stop paying attention.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:45 pm
Whenever I negotiate, I usually want to make the first offer; gives me a little more control. I get that any unpopular elements in that first offer become gristle for the political machine, but let’s be honest, voters will only remember the final bill, if that much.

In other words, cowboy up and do something.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:46 pm
== Rauner said he’s still digesting the report from the commission. ==

Unless it says “privatized charters for all students,” he’s not likely to like the meal anyway.

Comment by thunderspirit Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:47 pm
Good point. How did someone like Rauner make billions doing nothing but deflecting blame? I’ve never seen someone so terrified of actually working.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:48 pm
Rauner won’t draft it because it will have to include a tax increase to pay for it.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:49 pm
- RNUG - Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 4:49 pm:

Rauner won’t draft it because it will have to include a tax increase to pay for it.

Bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by No Longer A Lurker Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 5:02 pm
Anon, he made his billions because he could be ruthless and act essentially without constraint or media attention. The problem he’s found now is that he has a major complex about being blamed for anything publicly, not to mention that he can’t be the CEO of Illinois and watch all the little puppets dance to his tune.

He’s never had to deal with scrutiny or accountability to the public, and he’s wilting under the lights, at least from the perspective of successful governance.

Comment by PJ Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 5:03 pm
Wow, Bruce Rauner spent a fortune to get elected to a job he refuses to do. Strange.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 5:16 pm
Rauner seems to think that doing nothing is the same as doing something. He remains a complete and utter disappointment.

Comment by Juan Bolsa Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 6:06 pm
I think Rauner is waiting to see what DeVos, U.S. Secretary of Education, does at the federal level on charter schools and school vouchers, etc..

Comment by Rauner Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 6:40 pm
- Rauner - Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 6:40 pm: -

This is me not him.
I’m not sure how the heck Rauer’s name popped up..

Comment by Mama Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 6:41 pm
=== - Rauner - Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 6:40 pm:

I think Rauner is waiting to see what DeVos, U.S. Secretary of Education, does at the federal level on charter schools and school vouchers, etc.. ===

Really? Rauner has been waiting for 2 years to see what the next U.S. Secretary of Education will do about vouchers?

OK.

Comment by Cadillac Thursday, Feb 9, 17 @ 8:38 pm
==If they’d like our administration to draft something, we can do that==

Isn’t that called leadership? The Governor should try it sometime. He sure hasn’t shown any leadership for the last 2 years. I think it’s time he start.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 7:51 am
The governor’s reluctance to draft a bill based upon his own commission’s report betrays his lack of interest in ending the regressive education funding system. Why would he be concerned about a system that not only perpetuates inequality, but aggravates it?

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 8:39 am