Illinois education board vote settles 2008 funding lawsuit

CHICAGO (AP) - The Illinois State Board of Education has voted to approve the settlement of a years-long lawsuit that claimed discriminatory school funding.

The board's Wednesday vote resolves litigation with the Chicago Urban League, which claimed in its 2008 lawsuit that the state's funding model had a "demonstrable, disparate and adverse impact" on minority students.

Under the settlement, the board agrees that if appropriations for schools are inadequate, it will cap per-pupil cuts or use another methodology to distribute funds. That's instead of "prorating" state aid dollars to schools when money is short.

Urban League officials said Wednesday that they're "thrilled" with the settlement and think it will make a "real difference."

ISBE chairman James Meeks said the settlement addresses "one of the many symptoms caused by the state's education funding system that is failing Illinois' students."