Illinois State Budget
Elementary and Secondary School Funding
"Education is the most important thing we do as a community," Rauner said in a statement that accompanied the bill signing.
School Funding Issues
- As the state's continued budget crisis looms, it means less general state aid for school districts, and in the last few years, that money has been late on arrival.
- Many school districts are being forced to get rid of teachers from a variety of departments, increasing class sizes by many students. This is in order to compensate for the budget cuts, which leaves school districts in financial downfall.
- For some districts on top of staff cuts, they are resorting to eliminating art, music and gym classes in grade K-8, as well as sports and all district extra-curricular activities.
- About $6,400 teachers and aides have lost their jobs in Illinois in the last five years, according to the State Board of Education.
Gov. Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 3763
Early in 2015, Gov. Rauner signed House Bill 3763, which provides state spending authority for general state aid to public school districts. General state aid is one of the most important parts of the state financial support for public schools. This bill also contains funding for early childhood education programs, bilingual education and required payments to the downstate teacher pension system. The roughly $36 billion spending plan is contained in more than two dozen separate bills, which means that Rauner can sign some of the budget bills while vetoing others. He also has the power to reduce individual items of spending. The Illinois Associate of School Administrators said the budget gives a boost in general state aid that means districts will get 92 percent of the money.
IL Gov. Rauner Budget Address | River Region Evening Edition
Facts about Education Spending
- $28.7 billion in local, state and federal tax dollars was spent on preK-high school public education in Illinois in fiscal year 2012.
- Education spending in Illinois has increased by nearly 200 percent since 1993, and now stands at an average of $13,748 per-student in local, state and federal funding.
- Today, only 50 cents out of every $1 in general state aid spending goes to districts that demonstrate need; the other 50 cents goes to school districts using special subsidies or loopholes to get money into their districts.