SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) said the Senate adopted a resolution on May 14 to create an Advisory Committee on Education Funding, an idea pushed by the Senate Republicans after publishing a report in March on the education funding inequities in Illinois.
Senate Joint Resolution 32 tasks the Committee to conduct a thorough review of the existing distribution methods and expenditures of education funding and make recommendations to enhance the adequacy and equitability of the education funding system. The resolution was sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar (D-Staunton) and co-sponsored by Sen. Rezin.
Sen. Rezin noted that over the last decade, the leadership in Illinois has quietly redefined how education in Illinois is funded, resulting in inequitable amount of state education dollars being funneled to Chicago Public Schools.
“I found the timing of the resolution to be interesting,” Sen. Rezin said. “As a caucus, the Senate Republicans published an in depth report suggesting this very idea a couple months ago. I’m pleased that the Senate has recognized the need for such an investigation and it’s my hope that the funding disparities in education can truly be addressed for the sake of our schools, and most importantly our children.”
The March report from the Illinois Senate Republicans revealed that while Chicago Public Schools account for roughly 18 percent of Illinois’ public schoolchildren, the state has been providing them with $772 million of additional funding each year through special considerations and grant lines. To read the full report, click here.