Changes advanced to state’s school funding formula

For more than a year, lawmakers have sought a bipartisan fix to the state’s education funding formula—agreed by legislators on both sides of the aisle to be both inequitable and unfair. This week, an amendment was filed in the Senate to change the current education funding system. Senate Republican lawmakers say they are cautiously optimistic about the proposal, and look forward to its thorough review and vetting. The end goal, say Senate Republicans is a modern, streamlined and efficient school funding system.

Working to develop a bipartisan, bicameral solution has been a lengthy process, involving the General Assembly, the Governor’s administration, Illinois State Board of Education officials, local educators and administrators, a vast and diverse array of interested stakeholders, and Illinois residents from across Illinois.