SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Bruce Rauner encouraged lawmakers who are expected to return to Springfield today to take action on education funding reform.
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“The numbers show my plan is better for the state, making education funding fair and equitable for the first time in Illinois,” Gov. Rauner said. “We have to act now. I urge Senators returning to Springfield today to take up my plan to achieve true education funding reform for all our children, especially those in the neediest areas of the state.”
According to an analysis released Saturday by the Illinois State Board of Education, 97.5 percent of the 852 school districts in Illinois receive more state funding under the governor’s plan compared with Senate Bill 1, as written. Under the governor’s plan, no school district would receive less funding this school year than it received last year.
“Improving education is my mission, and we now have a clear path forward to enacting true fairness and equity in how we fund our children’s education,” Gov. Rauner said. “Lawmakers today have a choice. They can vote to give school districts across the state more money to educate our kids, or they can vote to support another bailout of Chicago.”
The top-10 districts that the governor said will receive more funding under his plan than SB 1 as it is written are:
*Elgin School District U-46: $12.8 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 29 percent comes from state funding, and 61 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*Rockford School District 205: $9.5 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 39 percent comes from state funding, and 92 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*Plainfield School District 202: $7.9 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 30 percent comes from state funding, and 25 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*Waukegan School District 60: $6.6 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 55 percent comes from state funding, and 92 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*Oswego School District 308: $5.4 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 30 percent comes from state funding, and 21 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*East Aurora School District 131: $5.3 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 60 percent comes from state funding, and 100 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*West Aurora School District 129: $4.2 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 32 percent comes from state funding, and 63 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*Joliet School District 86: $4.1 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 59 percent comes from state funding, and 90 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*Valley View School District 365: $4 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 19 percent comes from state funding, and 53 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
*Peoria School District 150: $4 million more under the governor’s plan compared to SB 1; of its total revenue, 35 percent comes from state funding, and 91 percent of its children are deemed to be in poverty
The governor’s changes to Senate Bill 1 ensure enough resources flow to children in the neediest and most disadvantaged school districts across the state. Time is of the essence, especially since Democrats sat on SB1 for two months before sending it to the governor’s desk on July 31.
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