Superintendents to call for full budget in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois school chiefs are pressing lawmakers to pass a budget that fully funds schools before the legislative session draws to a close this week.

School district superintendents from across the state will convene at the state Capitol on the General Assembly's Wednesday deadline to urge lawmakers to produce the state's first complete budget in two years.

The coalition is calling on Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative leaders to pay schools the $1.1 billion they say the state owes them for programs like special education and transportation. Payments have lagged amid the state's historic budget impasse.

The 440 superintendents represent two-thirds of Illinois school children.

They are also asking lawmakers to overhaul the state's decades-old school funding formula.

Supporters will gather Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. in the state Capitol rotunda.