The Network 21 supported HB 3050, raising the foundation level, passes out of House Committee
HB 3050 (Turner-McKeon), calling for raising the foundation level from $4,425 to $4,700 has passed out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Appropriation Committee with bipartisan support (9-1). The foundation level is the amount of school funding that the state guarantees be spent on public education for each student in the state. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Art Turner (D-Chicago) and Larry McKeon (D-Chicago), on Friday passed out of the committee chaired by Rep. Julie Curry (D-Mt. Zion).
The bill brings education funding and reform back to the forefront. The $4,700 level is based on research conducted by the Network 21: Quality Schools and Stronger Communities coalition which found that efficient, high performance schools in Illinois spend between $5,000 and $5,500 per pupil on basic education.
“Raising the foundation level to $4,700 is part of a multi-year plan to reach the level of funding needed for quality schools in Illinois,” said William Burns, education and tax policy manager at the Metropolitan Planning Council and spokesman for the Network 21 coalition. Increased funding, along with quality reforms, are being called for by Network 21 to improve public education for all children in Illinois.
A $4,700 foundation level will reduce disparities between school districts across the state by raising the floor of per-pupil expenditures. The increased level will also dramatically reduce the number of districts in the “hold harmless” category from 315 to 180, and cut “hold harmless” payments by $38.2 million or 58 percent.
The anticipated cost of raising the foundation level is $340.1 million for fiscal year 2002, which can be paid for through natural revenue growth and reallocation of general revenue fund dollars in the State Board of Education proposed budget.
Network 21 recently held town hall meetings sponsored by the Illinois Farm Bureau throughout the state. “Business-leaders, farmers and educators called for reforming education funding, lowering property taxes and implementing quality reforms,” stated Greg Carney, assistant director of local government for the Illinois Farm Bureau.
Network 21 was formed earlier this year by representatives of business, education, labor and civil rights groups to develop and achieve a consensus-based plan to improve education for all Illinois children.