This past week was a historic week in education throughout Illinois with the signing of Senate Bill 1_947 into law! This legislation finally addresses what has been the most inequitable education funding system in the nation. We now can now begin to close the investment gaps that have existed for far too long between wealthy and poor, and between urban, suburban and rural schools. We finally have a school funding formula that is equitable and includes a roadmap to adequacy!
While there are non-Senate Bill 1 pieces in this compromise that are difficult for us, this is a major victory for our schools. Is this perfect policy? Of course not, but it is very good policy and the core pieces of SB1 remain intact. This legislation serves as a major victory for our students, schools, and community!
What’s next? The real work to achieving adequacy begins. We will begin to stabilize our schools from the years of proration that have done great harm to our students. Moving forward, we will have opportunities to make decisions on how to invest our dollars so that the greatest impact can be made for our students.
We still have a great deal of important work ahead of us but I can confidently say our schools and students are better off today than they were yesterday!
We can finally say “WE FIXED THE FORMULA!”
Transform the Norm 