EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville School District #7 announced today it will open all schools on time for 2017-2018, even with the governor's amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1 this week.
"This is possible because District 7 is highly dependent on local property tax revenues to fund its operations and instructional programs," Edwardsville School District 7 Superintendent Dr. Lynda Andre said Wednesday in a release. "While District 7 borrowed funds to finish the 2016-2017 school year due to the failure of the State of Illinois to pay its financial obligations to public schools as promised, it will have sufficient funds to operate through March 2018 before borrowing again. However, if state aid funding is delayed, the District may have to borrow as early as February 2018.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Despite the passage of the first state budget in over two years, Illinois schools do not know how much funding they will receive from state aid for the 2017-2018 fiscal year," Dr. Andre said. "The General Assembly and the governor still need to come to an agreement on a new evidenced-based funding formula to distribute money to public schools. Current state statute does not include wording to distribute funding on an evidenced-based model. However, since the approved state budget does, the current formula for state aid funding is no longer allowed."
While the General Assembly has advanced Senate Bill 1, which would provide District 7 with an additional $228,000 annually, the governor’s veto could mean school districts will receive no state money before schools open in mid-August.
