House Speaker Mike Madigan’s renewed push for a constitutional amendment has gotten backing from a variety of education groups that are often at odds with one another.
Madigan’s plan would impose an extra 3-percent tax in income greater than a million dollars. A coalition of education advocates is on board, representing teachers unions, school administrators, and everyone in between.
The state has cut funding to schools for the past three years; the Speaker’s measure would channel an estimated one billion dollars to public schools.
“Our children are being cheated out of their right -- the opportunity to receive a high quality education.”
That’s CindaKlickna, president of a statewide teachers union. She calls this amendment a good first step. But she says it’s still not enough.
Funding schools at the level recommended by a state advisory board would require an additional four billion dollars.
