Adequate and equitable funding is an especially high-stakes policy priority for K1C and our parent advocates. Our work to fight for fair funding for CPS students will require a diverse coalition of voices to come together and demand more for students with the greatest needs.

In 2017, Illinois lawmakers passed into law an evidence-based funding model that will funnel more resources to under-resourced districts, which has laid the pathway to adequately funding all Illinois districts. However, at the current state funding levels, it will take another 25+ years for CPS to reach adequacy, and two generations of K-12 students will not have access to the resources that they need.

CPS is only funded at about 75% of what the state calculates its students require. Moreover, the 2017 law set a 10-year horizon to reach 90% of adequacy, which Illinois is unlikely to realize.

K1C is part of the statewide Funding Illinois Future Coalition, working to ensure that Illinois lawmakers fulfill their commitment to fully funding K-12 education by or before 2027. We also advise partners such as Chicago Public Schools on ways to deepen funding at the school levels, based on unique student needs.

Learn more about fully funding Chicago’s schools.