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* Press release…
Speaker Michael J. Madigan is forming a bipartisan House task force to continue working on an equitable education funding formula and address questions a state commission recently left unanswered.
“The question of how Illinois funds our public schools is one that affects every community in our state,” Madigan said. “As such, the entire process for making formula changes – from crafting an overall outline for reform, to working through the specific details – needs to be carefully considered by legislators from across the state. This task force will continue House Democrats’ commitment to vetting these decisions and making sure all voices are heard.”
Madigan has appointed Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, as well as Reps. Linda Chapa LaVia, Fred Crespo, William Davis, Marcus Evans, Laura Fine, Jay Hoffman, Rita Mayfield, Emily McAsey, Michelle Mussman, Elgie Sims and Justin Slaughter to form an education funding reform task force along with House Republicans. The task force will continue the work of the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission, address unanswered questions in the commission’s final report, and continue to craft equitable school funding reform legislation.
House Democrats serving on the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission recently noted that aspects of the Commission’s final report failed to clearly reflect the group’s discussions. Amongst other concerns, the report did not properly recognize that Illinois’ current school funding system is broken, in large part, because of overreliance on property taxes and underfunding from the state. Illinois’ property tax dollars account for 67 percent of all education spending, while the nationwide average is 45 percent. Without reform that acknowledges this overreliance on property taxes, the current education funding system will continue to be regressive compared to states with less property tax reliance.
“House Democrats played a leading role on the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission, and successfully pushed the Commission to meet more frequently,” Currie said. “While the Commission did not accomplish everything it set out to do, it did show that a bipartisan group of lawmakers can work toward consensus on major issues. There are questions that remain unanswered and points that still need clarification. We look forward to continuing to work cooperatively on this important and complex issue.
The best way to start making this idea into reality is by crafting an actual piece of legislation. That isn’t directly addressed by Madigan’s press release, however.
*** UPDATE *** Illinois Secretary of Education Beth Purvis…
We hope this new education reform task force is not an attempt to delay the positive work and progress of the Illinois School Funding Commission. As was discussed throughout the commission process, the goal was for the framework report to lead to a bill that could pass both chambers and be signed by Governor Rauner. Through bicameral and bipartisan discussions, we stand ready to work together in fixing our state’s broken school funding formula.
Except they can’t even agree who’s gonna write the bill.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:15 am
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Another commission?
What this state really needs is a monorail.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:19 am
Doesn’t Mike know we just had a report from a bipartisan commission on same subject. Anyone else thinks Madigan can’t agree to anything coming from the G?
Comment by Sue Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:22 am
I love the part in “Revenge of the Nerds” when Stan promising a fact-finding panel and blue ribbon commission and then blows off Lewis’s & Gilbert’s request. This is just like that.
Comment by Curl of the Burl Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:31 am
Are they going to start moving schools off property taxes,and on to income and hold harmless current school funding why they make the change?
Comment by independent Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:43 am
Madigan’s deliberate stalling continues, across the board.
He wants no deal of any kind.
Comment by Deft Wing Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:47 am
Sue, what were the governor’s recommendations for education funding?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:48 am
Ugh.
Comment by A guy Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:54 am
Sue IIRC, the bottom line of that Commission’s report was that we need to do something about school funding. They offered no solutions to the problem.
Comment by TominChicago Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:54 am
I guess Sue didn’t bother to read the post before reflexively attacking Madigan. Sometimes you need to read past the headline to fully understand the story. Reading. It’s fundamental.
“House Democrats serving on the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission recently noted that aspects of the Commission’s final report failed to clearly reflect the group’s discussions. Amongst other concerns, the report did not properly recognize that Illinois’ current school funding system is broken, in large part, because of overreliance on property taxes and underfunding from the state. Illinois’ property tax dollars account for 67 percent of all education spending, while the nationwide average is 45 percent. Without reform that acknowledges this overreliance on property taxes, the current education funding system will continue to be regressive compared to states with less property tax reliance.”
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 10:55 am
Word- read the report- I am not your secretary
Comment by Sue Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 11:10 am
Illinois issues extend well beyond this governor. Common denominator, Mike Madigan!
Comment by Educator Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 11:19 am
Although Beth Purvis vehemently claims otherwise, the Rauner Commission was a complete failure.
They got bamboozled by Evidence Based nonsense, which was the school administrators attempt to say just give us the money based on 27 elements that we say are good things to do, but do NOT require us to do any of those 27 things.
All of their meetings are online. If you have the time, listen to them.
The Madigan group will produce legislation, which Purvis did NOT do.
Comment by winners and losers Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 11:35 am
Prediction: This education funding task force will recommend the creation of an education funding task force to study education funding.
Comment by Linus Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 11:39 am
It sounds as if the new committee will draft legislation to implement the general recommendations of the task force. If so, the bill will require a major revenue increase to both boost funding for poor districts while holding rich districts harmless. I doubt all of the Democrats on the Committee are prepared to vote for a tax hike.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 12:05 pm
The Gov’s commission wasn’t specific enough, but it did outline a real framework for an overhaul. That includes: (1) determining individual adequacy targets for each district based on their demographics, rather than having one Foundation Level for anyone, (2) moving to an integrated formula that consolidates most categoricals into a single formula that better focuses state resources to the districts that need it. I know it’s not everything. But it’s not nothing. Rep. Davis has filed a 463-page bill, HB 2808, with Pritchard as a co-sponsor, that adds details. The bill wasn’t approved by the commission, but these concepts got a lot of discussion. THat’s the place to start the next round of negotiations… not another task force.
Comment by J Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 12:37 pm
=Although Beth Purvis vehemently claims otherwise, the Rauner Commission was a complete failure.=
I agree with that statement.
=They got bamboozled by Evidence Based nonsense, which was the school administrators attempt to say just give us the money based on 27 elements that we say are good things to do, but do NOT require us to do any of those 27 things.=
Totally disagree.
The EBM is based on actual research (you can google the National Louis research and read for yourself) that takes into consideration desired educational outcomes and creates a model of what the services would/should be and a cost factor.
All other models and formulas are simply monetary distribution models that are not tied to learning outcomes. They have no educational relevancy in that regard.
You are correct in that the model does not require the districts to adhere to the recommendations. Nor would it, it is not legislation, it simply states that you can expect certain outcomes if you follow this model.
Accountability, supported by the IASA, would come through the Balanced Accountability model and the those required by ESSA once the state is done with their model.
School can choose to staff at the recommended level, high or lower, but expectations would be clear.
It is far from a bamboozle.
The politicians are/were searching for a way to make the model cheaper by changing the inputs (like going with larger class size recommendations) if that happens it is no longer a research based model. They know they cannot fully fund the requirements and so bring the cost closer to what you can afford and get a political win I guess.
A better approach is to fund at the level possible and adjust expected outcomes.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 1:03 pm
Well, someone’s gotta stop talking and start drafting the bills.
Comment by walker Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 1:29 pm
It has only been a few weeks, but Secretary Purvis apparently forgot her commission forgot to run a full report on the fate of all school districts, address special ed funding and a few other points. Last year the Currie Task Force help get the concept of equity grants into the stopgap budget….hard to mount an “attempt to delay” on somethin’ that was mostly unfinished
Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 1:43 pm
Winners and Losers is correct.
Where is the Purvis bill? It doesn’t exist.
When Madigan creates a task force, The task force completes its task, and the task is to come up with a bill.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 2:19 pm
My response ALL IN CAPS as I am responding to several points in this one post.
The EBM is based on actual research (you can google the National Louis research and read
for yourself) SOME OF THE 27 ELEMENTS ARE BASED ON RESEARCH, HOWEVER LIMITED, BUT NOT ALL. AND THE EVALUATION THE COMMISSION RECEIVED IN ITS LAST WEEK OF EXISTENCE STATED THE EFFECTS OF DOING SOME OF THE 27 WAS EXAGGERATED.
that takes into consideration desired educational outcomes and creates a model of what the services would/should be and a cost factor. AGAIN, THIS WAS A VERY CRUDE ANALYSIS. JUST READ THE MIKE JACOBY REPORT PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION.
All other models and formulas are simply monetary distribution models that are not tied
to learning outcomes. They have no educational relevancy in that regard. AGAIN AN EXAGGERATION.
You are correct in that the model does not require the districts to adhere to the
recommendations. YES - IT IS LIKE SAYING IF YOU DO X, YOU GET Y, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO X.
Nor would it, it is not legislation, it simply states that you can expect certain outcomes if you follow this model. BUT WE WOULD BE GIVING STATE MONEY AND REMOVING CURRENT REQUIREMENTS.
Accountability, supported by the IASA, would come through the Balanced Accountability
model and the those required by ESSA once the state is done with their model. HAVE YOU READ THE 3RD RENDITION? PERHAPS SOME ROUGH ACCOUNTABILITY FOR A FEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS, YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
Comment by winners and losers Thursday, Feb 23, 17 @ 2:58 pm