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Downstate school districts file lawsuit

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Illinois

A coalition of 17 downstate school districts say they filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Gov. Bruce Rauner and his administration, contending the state has failed to provide enough money to deliver a “high quality” education for students.

The suit against Rauner and the Illinois State Board of Education argues that Illinois’ reliance on local property taxes to pay for schools creates a disparity in poorer communities where districts have less of a tax base to rely on. That makes it harder for students to meet educational standards adopted by the state as class sizes increase and programs are cut.

The school superintendents bringing the lawsuit want the state to put in place a different model to determine how much money the state should funnel to low-income districts in order for students to meet those standards, saying current assessments are “arbitrary and capricious.”

“Despite efforts to properly educate our leaders, pleading for change and commonsense solutions at our legislators’ fingertips, when negotiations begin in the Capitol, students’ needs get lost in the political shuffle and the battle for power in Springfield far outweighs doing what is right for children,” said Brad Skertich, superintendent of Southwestern Community Unit School District #9, which serves the towns of Brighton, Medora, Piasa and Shipman

I’ve asked for a copy of the lawsuit and will share when I get it.

* From Illinois Secretary of Education Dr. Beth Purvis…

“Illinois school districts are receiving the highest level of funding ever under Governor Rauner, who has increased school funding by $700 million since taking office. The Governor also created a bipartisan school funding commission to improve the formula, which has recommended changes that will create an equitable school funding formula that will better meet the needs of each students within every school district in our state. The Governor never stops working to increase funding for our students and hopes school districts across Illinois will work with him and members of the General Assembly on this endeavor.”

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:37 pm

Comments

Never stops working to increase funding, but just doesn’t want to pass the budget to pay out said money.

Comment by Stir Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:49 pm
Well, if Dr. Purvis is telling the truth, then there is absolutely no reason for this lawsuit. For some strange reason, I question the facts that she is relating. Can you imagine that? A Rauner appointee giving out misleading facts!! Hard to believe/s

Comment by Big Joe Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:49 pm
Be interesting to see what is different about this attempt; previous tries haven’t worked out.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:50 pm
The downstate school districts have figured out that if there is school funding reform in Illinois, it is not going to come from the legislature, it’s going to be imposed by the courts. So why not get in line.

Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:52 pm
Dr. Purvis is only looking at half of the equation. While General State Aid (GSA)is not pro-rated this fiscal year, school districts have yet to receive a dime for categorical payments such as Transportation and Special Education. This same time last fiscal year, school districts had received 2 of the 4 scheduled categorical payments. This year, same amount of time through the fiscal year, school districts have received ZERO out of 4 payments. Many school districts are actually worse off under this scenario than if the GSA had been pro-rated.

Comment by East Central Illinois Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:54 pm
Yet SCUSD9 can afford to pick-up the entire share of the teachers’ pension payments.

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:56 pm
=Illinois school districts are receiving the highest level of funding ever under Governor Rauner, who has increased school funding by $700 million since taking office.=

She should have said the highest level of “pfantom” funding ever.

Fully 1/3rd of the state dollars are not flowing to our district. No Mandated Categoricals have been paid for the fiscal year.

When asked Dr. Purvis pointed to the Comptroller. Great answer Dr. /s

Much of the increase has not flowed to districts that need it most, especially downstate. Big increases to early childhood have gone to poor communities like Cicero, that have very well funded schools.

And again, much of this funding is not actually being paid.

Look for more of this type of legal action.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 2:57 pm
==Yet SCUSD9 can afford to pick-up the entire share of the teachers’ pension payments.==

Yes, some people actually honor their contracts. A little ray of sunshine.

Comment by Whatever Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:02 pm
“The Governor never stops working to increase funding for our students….” There must be more than 24 hours in a Bruce Rauner day as he is so busy workin.

Comment by don the legend Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:03 pm
===That makes it harder for students to meet educational standards adopted by the state as class sizes increase===

I would love to see the data that shows a negative correlation between class size and outcomes in Illinois schools.

Comment by Illinois Native Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:07 pm
Sure Illinois Native. no problem. For a review of the research go to “Class Size: Waht research says and what it means for state policy.” It’s a readable look at the research that has been done and HOW CLASS SIZE INCREASES DECREASE OUTCOMES.

Comment by Another Prof Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:25 pm
@Whatever - Missed the point entirely. If SCUSD9 can afford to add a 9% expense to their budget for the pension pick-up AND offer a “sick leave balloon” payment of 175 days to apply towards service years, then they have all they need to ” deliver a “high quality” education for students.”

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:40 pm
@Zen - Does it somehow change your math if the district paid 9% more in salary and didn’t pick up the pension contribution? Ever sit in a bargaining meeting?

Comment by Out Here In The Middle Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:47 pm
The Governor never stops pushing media and social media stories that he is “funding more than ever before”… while not doing his job to make sure that “funding” is paid for with real cash payments. Pay the GSA, pay the categorical payments (with real money and not just promises) and then promote your message about funding the schools. Too bad that so many people don’t realize “funding” per the news articles and social media is not the same as “writing the check and paying your bills”.

Comment by Fairness and Fairness Only Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 3:55 pm
Any chance this suit and the CPS discrimination suit get combined? They’re using different arguments but they have the same root cause. I have no ide a, but on the face of it it seems reasonable

Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:03 pm
If Illinois was a horse some kind soul would come along and put it out of its misery

Comment by Sue Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:31 pm
=Any chance this suit and the CPS discrimination suit get combined? They’re using different arguments but they have the same root cause. I have no ide a, but on the face of it it seems reasonable.=

Nope, two completely different sets of facts and legal basis. This case seems to argue the schools can’t meet the state’s mandatory requirements because of state underfunding districts with limited property tax bases. The CPS suit is based on racial discrimination under the State Civil Rights Act (ICRA), because CPS gets less funding for its 90 percent students of color than children in the rest of Illinois receive (which is mostly white).

Comment by Ed lawyer Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:37 pm
City Zen — I got YOUR point entirely. You missed my point that, once you have a contract, you have to fulfill your obligations. Whining about the school district’s contracts is irrelevant at best, because the federal and state constitutions prohibit governments from welching on their contracts, as well as immoral.

Comment by Whatever Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:37 pm
Zen. The pension pickups were the result of bargaining in lieu of salary many years ago, in most cases. I remember those bargaining sessions back in the early 70s. Please do your homework before commenting.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 4:38 pm
What the lawsuits do have in common is a widening belief among citizens and advocates of all persuasions that the state’s legislature is useless and the executive not far behind. The judiciary,if it chooses, will have to make the tough decisions and let the political class off the hook.

Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 5:01 pm
True words, Cassandra. The courts are the peoples’ last hope for responsible public policy. Hamilton, it seems, was entirely correct about the failings of unchecked democracy.

Comment by Skirmisher Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 5:27 pm
” the govenor…hopes school districts across illliois will work with him” see its your fault

Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 6:46 pm
I don’t get it.

It is false to tell people that there is such a thing as an Illinois Secretary of Education. There is not. The office and title do not exist.

Elizabeth Purvis is a contractual employee in Cook County for the Illinois Department of Human Services. She’s a temp (well-paid), not a cabinet officer subject to advice and consent of the Senate. You can look it up.

In reality, she does nothing for Human Services, and is on the governor’s personal staff.

Anthony Smith is the State Superintendent of Education at the Illinois State Board of Education.

Why does anyone in media participate in this falsehood advanced by the governor’s office? Doing so goes directly to independence and credibility.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 6:52 pm
I couldn’t agree with wordslinger any stronger. The Sec. of Education is a “make believe” position. This Governor talks about “cleaning up” waste and “creates” fictional positions for Purvis and Munger that only add to the State’s bottom line. And they are paid quite handsomely I might add. Definition of hypocrisy = Bruce Rauner

Comment by Duct Tape Wednesday, Apr 5, 17 @ 7:30 pm