As students across Illinois begin the new school year, their schools are using funds that rely heavily on property tax wealth. IPR's Hannah Meisel reports on a plan to change that.
Illinois' school funding formula works like this: school districts collect property taxes from their residents, then depending on how property-wealthy or property-poor an area is, the state pitches in its share. That frequently means poorer districts stay poor because the state can't give enough, and wealthier districts remain wealthy.
A coalition of local churches, unions and community groups is calling for the passage of a plan to instead distribute state aid based on the amount of impoverished students in a district. The measure passed the Illinois Senate in May, but stalled in the House.
Shelley Heideman, executive director of Faith Coalition for the Common Good, says the plan would drastically improve conditions at schools with high rates of poverty.
"You know, in a small way it's a way to stop systemic racism as we look at how schools are funded."
Opponents to the plan say it's unfair to take state funding away from wealthier schools, especially considering the state funding comes from ALL income taxpayers in Illinois.
