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 “Education is the most important thing we do as a society, but
Illinois has failed to adequately and equitably fund schools for
years,” Governor Rauner said. “We should put more money into our
schools and focus resources to the students that need them the most.
Today we are ensuring the bipartisan momentum to reform our school
funding formula does not fade away.”
The Commission’s sole task is to recommend a comprehensive solution
to reform Illinois’ school funding formula. The report is due to the
Governor and General Assembly by February 1, 2017 in order for the
General Assembly to take action in 2017 General Session.
The Commission will be composed of five designees from the
Administration and each of the legislative leaders. Secretary of
Education Beth Purvis will be one of the Governor’s designees and
will serve as the Commission’s Chairperson. In addition, Illinois
State Board of Education (ISBE) Chairman Rev. James Meeks will serve
as a liaison between ISBE and the Commission.
“Ensuring our schools are properly funded in an adequate and
equitable way will only improve outcomes for Illinois children,”
Secretary Purvis said. “I’m honored to chair this Commission and
join legislators who are equally as motivated to find a solution to
make our school funding formula more equitable.”
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“Our children deserve the best education possible, but the way in
which we currently fund schools is broken,” said State Senator Jason
Barickman (R-Bloomington). “We must take action now, before a
generation of students lose the opportunity to receive a world class
education that will equip them to compete in this global economy. I
believe the leadership of the Governor and his administration – in
concert with bipartisan, bicameral legislative participation and
input from stakeholders -- is what will allow this effort to finally
be successful.”
“Our schools are funded but our formula remains unfair and
outdated,” Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) said. “Together,
Democrats and Republicans need to move quickly to come to consensus
and recognize a better way and make our state a national example of
how school funding should be done.”
Governor’s Appointees
- Beth Purvis, Secretary of Education (Commission Chairperson)
- Evelyn Sanguinetti, Lieutenant Governor
- James Dimas, Secretary of the Department of Human Services
- Jennifer Hammer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
- Jodi Scott, Regional Superintendent of Schools for
Henderson, Knox, Mercer, and Warren Counties
[Catherine Kelly]
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