Governor's comprehensive school plan sets higher standards backed by more funds         

[The charts on this page accompany an article posted on another page. Click here for the article.]

[APRIL 1, 2005] 

Proposed high school course requirements

Program area	Graduating class
	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
English	3	3	3	3	4
Math	2	3	* 3	* 3	* 3
Science	1	1	1	2	2
# Writing-intensive courses	0	0	2	2	2
Total credits	16	16	16	17	18

* Includes prescriptive requirements for pre-algebra in middle school, Algebra I and course work with geometry content.

# One writing-intensive course must be in English. The other can be in any subject, including English. The State Board of Education will develop standards for writing-intensive courses. These courses can also be used to fulfill other requirements, such as English or social studies. 

Remaining the same: One year of social studies; one year of elective (music, art, foreign language or vocational).

[Return to the article]

Spending the $440 million

Category	Amount (million)	Comment
Foundation level	$379.9	Raises the foundation level almost $250
Early childhood	$30	Fulfills three-year commitment
Additional advanced placement classes	$8.6	Approximately 32,000 college-bound seniors have not enrolled in a college-level course; this would allow them to
Dual enrollment	$1.4
Career and tech education	$10
Agriculture education	$0.5
Arts and foreign language	$5	Create innovative grant program to help local districts
Bilingual education	$2
"Grow Your Own Teachers"	$1.5
Need critical special education	$1.1	Restores grant programs whose funding was directed to other sources by recent legislation
Total	$440

[Return to the article]

Education spending increases by state,
FY 2003-2005 

These numbers compare Illinois to other states, on the basis of percentage increase from fiscal 2003 to fiscal 2005. Illinois was No. 1 in the Midwest in increasing education funding from fiscal 2003 to fiscal 2005. Source: National Conference of State Legislatures.

Rank	State	Percentage increase
1	Vermont	48.06%
2	Arkansas	23.04%
3	Arizona	20.00%
4	New Jersey	19.78%
5	Nevada	19.36%
6	Virginia	19.06%
7	California	18.30%
8	Maryland	16.29%
9	Florida	13.73%
10	Hawaii	13.56%
11	Illinois	13.00%
12	Pennsylvania	12.49%
13	Wyoming	12.39%
14	Mississippi	11.65%
15	Delaware	11.44%
16	Alaska	10.92%
17	Kansas	10.54%
18	New Mexico	10.42%
19	Tennessee	9.78%
20	Colorado	9.52%
21	Utah	9.21%
22	Minnesota	8.63%
23	Oregon	8.36%
24	North Carolina	8.30%
25	Alabama	7.98%
26	Indiana	7.50%
27	Oklahoma	6.13%
28	New York	6.12%
29	South Dakota	6.09%
30	North Dakota	5.67%
31	Rhode Island	5.51%
32	Connecticut	5.22%
33	Ohio	5.18%
34	Iowa	4.68%
35	South Carolina	4.62%
36	Idaho	3.88%
37	Washington	3.77%
38	Missouri	3.69%
39	West Virginia	3.61%
40	Maine	3.50%
41	Louisiana	2.43%
42	Wisconsin	2.17%
43	Michigan	-1.74%
44	Montana	-1.96%
45	Georgia	-2.03%
46	Nebraska	-2.04%
47	Massachusetts	-2.31%
48	Texas	-5.32%
49	New Hampshire	-10.82%
	Kentucky	(N/A)

[Return to the article]