On Governor Pritzker’s Budget Address

Year after year, our scholars are expected to do their absolute best with the limited resources they are given. Yet Illinois remains far from fully funding our schools. Increasing the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula by $550 million this year would put our students on a true pathway to success. We can't expect our scholars to compete on a global scale without providing them with the necessary resources to do so.

Since 2017, the EBF formula has helped reduce funding inequities by directing new state resources to the districts furthest from full funding. But progress has been slow. Today, students from low-income households, students of color, and English Learners are still disproportionately concentrated in the most underfunded districts. On average, Illinois spends $3,755 less per Black student and $3,059 less per Latine student than what is needed for an adequate education. How can we expect better outcomes when we’re still leaving so many students behind?

If Illinois had made school funding a true priority over the past several years, we wouldn’t be left wondering how much our schools will receive each year. Right now, the state is on track to take another 10 to 13 years to fully fund K-12 education at the current $350 million per year investment. That’s an entire generation of students left waiting. But if we increase EBF funding to $550 million annually, we could cut that timeline in half and ensure students get the resources they need much sooner.

I understand that the Fair Tax referendum was not approved in 2020, but that’s an issue the state should revisit—with the right messaging. That’s how we pay for the $550 million increase in the funding formula. If we truly want to address inequities, we must fully fund the EBF formula.

My wife and I are proud CPS parents and products of CPS ourselves. How many more years will our scholars continue to get the short end of the stick when it comes to funding their education? If we truly care about our students, we should do whatever it takes to invest in their futures—starting with a $550 million commitment to EBF this year.