Illinois’ Board of Education is asking the General Assembly for a billion dollar increase in the new state budget. This comes even as the state’s already projected to lose at least double that.
Board Chairman Gery Chico says lawmakers have cut funding to elementary and high schools for the past five years, meaning that they’re getting less than what education experts recommend. Chico says it’s time to reverse that.
"If we're not successful, for every dollar that the legislature appropriates less than what we need, there will be proration based on what they give us."
Illinois ranks last in the nation when it comes to the amount per capita the state kicks in for public education.
It’s expected the board will officially sign off on its request for seven point eight billion dollars for schools when it meets again Thursday.