Illinois' school funding formula relies heavily on property taxes, resulting in deep disparities in districts’ levels of spending. When the state school board met this morning, members talked about a potential change to make the funding formula more equitable.
Staff members told the Illinois State Board of Education that a draft proposal to overhaul the school funding formula is currently being reviewed. The board traditionally avoids taking a position on un-filed legislation, but Superintendent Tony Smith told members that their decision last month to shift $300-million to the neediest school districts showed that they were open to change.
“Obviously, you collectively made a decision at the meeting in January that here’s how we could distribute funds within the way the law is now, recognizing that the funding formula is fundamentally flawed. So we’ve been, as spokespeople for you, saying that the board needs and wants something to change.”
The state’s school funding formula has remained unchanged since 1997.
