A bill that would overhaul the way Illinois funds public schools passed a procedural hurdle Wednesday with bipartisan support.
With the legislative session scheduled to end on May 31st, lawmakers are jockeying to ensure their bills can move on a moment's notice. State Senator Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat, sponsors a bill designed to achieve more equity among school districts. His proposal earned approval from a House committee on the promise that it can be amended later.
After the vote, fellow Democrat Will Davis said that change would pertain to Chicago Public Schools.
"They just, in my opinion, they just want a bucket of money. And it's just not possible to do so, and certainly not at the expense of helping students in the rest of the state."
Davis sponsors a very similar school funding bill in the House. The main difference between the two — Manar's includes payment for Chicago Teacher Pensions, and Davis's doesn't. Chicago is the only district responsible for its own pensions.
