Education is a road to a better life. A quality education
allows children to maximize their potential, and providing that for every child
is one of the most important undertakings of state government.
But research shows Illinois is failing to live up to the promise of high quality
or efficient education, as Illinois schools consistently spend more than
neighboring states only to produce worse test scores.
Between 2003 and 2019, Illinois per-pupil spending was the highest among
neighboring states, despite worse outcomes. Illinois spent between 8% and 25%
more per student, only to fall behind every neighboring state on reading
assessments according to the Nation’s Report Card. Similarly, all but two
states, Kentucky and Missouri, outscored Illinois on math assessments.
To boot, all Illinois’s neighbors also boasted higher graduation rates between
2003 and 2019.
When benchmarked against each state in the nation, Illinois
ranks 15th in per student spending, but falls to 27th in both math and reading
assessments since 2003.
Fifteen states spend less per student while producing better results on the NAEP
in both math and reading.
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Much of the divide between Illinois high
educational spending and lackluster student achievement on
standardized tests stems from chronic overspending on the
hierarchical bureaucracy above schools. While there
is a strong statistical link between improved student outcomes and
spending on instruction in the classroom, there is no such link
between spending on administration and student achievement.
Consider that Illinois was the only state to spend more than $1
billion on general administration at the district level in 2018.
Comparatively, California, which serves three times as many students
as Illinois, spent $780.5 million on general administrative costs, a
third less than Illinois.
Illinois $631 of per pupil spending on district administration in
2019 was more than double the national average.
From an excessive number of school districts to generally bloated
administrative costs, far too many tax dollars are pulled away from
students and classrooms, the very place educational spending can go
the furthest.
Lawmakers must put students first and ensure tax dollars find their
way to the classroom where they can have the greatest impact.
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