LOMBARD – Some
200 educators and community leaders from across
metropolitan
Chicago gathered at the “Building Consensus for
School Funding Reform” meeting in Lombard this morning to call for a
comprehensive solution
to
Illinois’ broken school-funding
system.
“In
this
land
of Abraham
Lincoln, who represented the
ideals of equality and opportunity, we owe much more to the children of this
state than we are currently providing. The student achievement gap will grow
unacceptably larger the longer we wait to address education funding reform.
We’ve got to get out of bed, get dressed, and face the day on these issues.
Today will be that day,” said Glenn (Max) McGee, superintendent of Wilmette
Public Schools District 39.
The event, which consisted of three panel discussions with audience questions,
was sponsored by A+ Illinois, Better Funding for Better Schools
Coalition, Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Education Association,
Illinois Federation of Teachers, and Illinois Principals Association. In addition
to
McGee, panelists
included MarySue
Barrett, president of the Metropolitan Planning Council; Dean Clark, member of the
Illinois State Board of Education; Kenneth Jandes, superintendent of Ridgeland
School District 122 in Oak Lawn; Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for
Tax and Budget Accountability; Ill. Rep. Will
Davis
(D-30th); and Jerome
Stermer, president of Voices for Illinois Children.
A+ Illinois is a
statewide campaign for education quality and funding reform endorsed by more
than 100 organizations. A+ Illinois advocates that state government take a
greater financial role supporting local education. Restructuring the tax system
to decrease education’s over-reliance on property taxes – and bring property tax
relief – will provide more funds for education and the other human services that
support learning.
Education leaders
from throughout the
Chicago
region agreed it’s imperative that all
school districts get involved in the campaign to reform school
funding.
“All Illinoisans are affected when some children are denied access to a
high-quality education. We must have regional and statewide cooperation to address the
major gaps in student achievement and school funding between kids living
in property-poor communities and kids in more affluent
communities,”
said Katherine Robbins, superintendent of Leyden School District 212 in Franklin
Park.
“It’s
critical that the state provides adequate resources to ensure all
Illinois
schools can
deliver a high-quality education. We must both raise the per-pupil minimum
funding the state guarantees and fully fund the state’s share of special
education mandates,” stated Supt. Jandes.
Eighty percent of
Illinois
school districts are deficit spending and lack adequate funding from the state.
Per-pupil spending varies widely – ranging from $4,000 to over $18,000 per
student – because the funding system relies heavily on local property
taxes.
“Illinois students need a solid education to develop the
knowledge and skills that will enable our businesses to compete,” said Clark,
who is also president and CEO of the Graphic Chemical and Ink Company. “Funding
reform and fiscal and performance accountability reform must be pursued on
parallel paths to ensure Illinois advances from its rank among the nation’s
worst in per-pupil spending gaps across school districts and state funding
support for education.”
“Every
Illinois
child deserves
an A+ education, no matter where he or she lives,” said Bindu Batchu, A+
Illinois campaign manager. “State lawmakers have been talking about the need to
fix the school-funding system since the parents of today’s students were in
school. There are solutions to this crisis. What we need now is the political
will and courage to move forward on them.”