Follow state Constitution on school funding

In 2017, Illinois legislators celebrated their new evidence-based funding plan for K-12. EBF was just putting a Band-Aid on the funding problem.

EBF’s first mistake is that the $300 million of new funding each year is not indexed for inflation.

EBF’s second mistake is that school districts will get 10% of their funding from the federal government. Crystal Lake’s Dist. 47 received 8.2% and is budgeting for 5% next year. Hinsdale’s Dist. 181 received about 3%. Springfield’s Dist. 186 received 35%.

Tier 1 districts are the worst funded. Tier 4 districts are the best funded and are considered fully funded at 100% adequacy. In 2018 Crystal Lake’s Dist. 47 was at 79% adequacy and Tier 2. After eight years of EBF funding, Dist. 47 is Tier 1 at 78% adequacy and might lose 30 teachers.

EBF’s third mistake is that there is no accountability for outcomes of districts funded at 80%, 90% and 100% adequacy.

EBF’s fourth mistake is that EBF allocates only $50 million per year for property tax relief. More than a billion dollars is needed.

Our state Constitution says in Article10 Section1 that “The state has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education.” This means that 51% of school funding should come from the state. Crystal Lake’s Dist. 47 receives about 16%. Hinsdale’s Dist. 181 about 4%. Joliet’s Dist. 86 about 62%.

Our legislators should follow the Constitution and fund our schools to Article10 Section1. The evidence-based funding plan has some good points that should be carried over to Article10 Section1. But the overall evidence-based funding plan gets a D.

Jim Yaworski

Crystal Lake