© 2024 WNIJ and WNIU
Northern Public Radio
801 N 1st St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-9000
Northern Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

School Officials Tell ISBE To Reconsider Funds Allocation Method

Flickr user Brent Hoard "ECU School of Education Class Room" (CC BY 2.0)

More than 30 Illinois school officials traveled to Springfield yesterday to tell how budget cuts are affecting their districts. 

These days, it seems like every agency in Illinois is complaining about cutbacks. Public school officials, however, are seasoned veterans, having seen the state slash their funding repeatedly over the past few years.

Now, they argue how the pain is distributed. 

Traditionally, each district loses the same percentage of their state aid. But that method disproportionately hurts districts with low property values and high concentrations of poor kids.

Superintendents from 35 such districts begged the state board of education to use a different method -- a flat per-pupil cut.   

Board members appeared persuaded, but chairman James Meeks said he wanted to notify lawmakers and Governor Bruce Rauner before a vote. The board plans to make a final decision at its next meeting in June.

Related Stories