“Despite
the increasing pressure on
state revenues, lawmakers
put significant new money into K - 12 education that will improve
funding equity and help close the achievement gap,” State
Superintendent of Education Glenn W. McGee said
in assessing the impact of the recently completed session of
the General Assembly.
"Governor
George Ryan once again this year presented a strong budget
that established a high priority on education. After thorough
review and numerous hours of testimony and deliberation, legislators
adopted most of the Governor's recommendations and kept the
central focus on education, McGee said.
McGee said he was
especially pleased that the Governor and General Assembly were
able to continue progress toward an equitable school funding
system by supporting the recommendations of the Education Funding
Advisory Board.
“This budget not only
funds the EFAB recommendations; it actually enhances the recommendations
by providing poverty grants to districts with any number of
low-income students,” McGee said. “The present formula gives
poverty grants to only those districts in which low-income
students exceed 20 percent of enrollment. This action of the
General Assembly recognizes that every child living in poverty
needs special assistance to close the achievement gap.”
EFAB recommendations
approved in legislation this session include increasing the
General State Aid Foundation Level by $135, from the present
$4425/student to $4560/student; authorizing the calculation
of General State Aid using the best average daily attendance
of the last three years and continuing the hold harmless for
FY2002.
McGee also noted that
the FY2002 state budget fully funds the mandated categoricals,
including special education, for the third consecutive year. “Prior
to that time, the mandated categorical programs had never been
fully funded by the state,” he said.
Funding increases
for targeted programs that the State Board recommended to help
close the achievement gap include: Reading Improvement ($1
million increase), Early Childhood Education ($4 million),
Alternative Learning/Regional Safe Schools ($2 million), Summer
Bridges Programs ($3 million), Truant Alternative Optional
Education Programs ($1 million), Jobs for Illinois Graduates
($2 million increase).
"This
budget continues the state effort to direct as much funding
as possible to schools to assist them in helping all students
meet the Illinois Learning Standards," State Board of
Education Chairman Ronald J. Gidwitz said.
“When resources are
scarce, leaders face great challenges in trying to meet the
pressing needs of the state," Gidwitz said. “Legislators
and the Governor overcame those challenges to keep education
as a top priority; they stood tall for the students of Illinois.”