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Gov. Rauner Visits Herrin Jr. High School

Governor Bruce Rauner Tuesday visited Herrin Junior High School and discussed the need to pump more funding into K through 12 education.

Rauner says his School Funding Commission recently released a report that includes a framework allowing members of the General Assembly to create a new school funding formula. He says teachers need to be the top priority in Illinois' budgeting process.

"When we spend a taxpayer dollar, it should go to education first. I believe in four of the ten years prior to my coming in, education funding from the state was cut...that's wrong."

Herrin Jr. High School Principal Brad Heuring says maybe the biggest challenge facing the district is that over 60 percent of its students are low income and need extra resources.

"We've only been able to afford one social worker or one guidance counselor. Right now, we could really use two, maybe even three to help with that population that maybe doesn't have all the resources at home that a more affluent family would have."

The governor says having a balanced budget would help education and all of state government. He says the only way to do that is through growing the state economy.

"If the economy is growing slower than government spending, we'll always have deficits, we'll always borrow and have higher taxes.  We got to grow the economy and put our money from our taxes in our schools, with our teachers first. If we do those two things, we're going to have a great future for the people of Illinois."

Rep. Severin sayd he believes all lawmakers realize now is the time to break the 19-month impasse and agree on a spending plan.

"If there is anybody in an elected position in the state of Illinois that doesn't feel pressure, they do not have a pulse."

Rauner also says he hopes newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will do some good things for education. But, he says his focus is on improving Illinois schools, not worrying about what is going on at the federal level.
 

 

As a news producer and news anchor on All Things Considered, Brad provides the listeners with a recap of the day's top local and state news as well as breaking news at any given time. Contact WSIU Radio at 618-453-6101 or email wsiunews@wsiu.org
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