Gov. Bruce Rauner is criticizing the number of school districts and administrators in the K-through-12 system as too costly.
Rauner is calling for what he calls "education bureaucracy" to be pared down, citing the more than 850 school districts and 13,000 administrators in the state.
The governor said this week in Champaign that not enough of the state's tax dollars actually make it to the classroom.
Two key points in Rauner's gubernatorial campaign were letting the state's temporary income tax hike expire and promising to increase funding for schools.
Now that the state faces a $9 billion shortfall, Rauner says his administration is working on a "package" of ideas for education funding; but he wouldn't provide specifics.
"'Cause the real answer to every challenge we've got is a booming economy, creating great careers and outstanding education. If we do those two things well over the next four years, all of our other problems begin to be dealt with very effectively."
Most levels of bureaucracy in the state's education system aren't under Rauner's direct control. Local school districts would have to vote to consolidate or dissolve, and hiring administrators is up to budgetary discretion of individual school systems.