A group of lawmakers has agreed on a framework for making the way Illinois funds its schools more equitable. But whether it will lead to a long-elusive legislative fix remains to be seen.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner created the commission six months ago to address the growing spending gap between low- and high-poverty districts.
The group released its report Wednesday. The framework would create funding targets for each district based on student population needs.
The plan is not without its critics. State Senator Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill, says the governor's plan would take 18 years to bring poor districts up to adequate funding.
“I left that meeting with dozens of questions and I think many others did as well. So fast forward to today, I think it was a good move on the part of the commission not to be specific about one model or another.”
The commission estimates the new funding model would cost Illinois an additional $3.5 billion to $6 billion. The group didn't address how the state would finance the increase.
Overhauling Illinois' funding formula has been politically fraught because bolstering poorer districts would shift money away from wealthier ones or cost the state significantly more.
