| I am committed to adequately funding education for all the children of Illinois.
This is a top priority. Having worked extensively in the School Finance arena I am committed to maximizing state revenues to education and support and encourage local control of our public schools, along with a guaranteed adequate level of per-school funding statewide.
Over the past six years more than $2.2 billion in new state revenues have been allocated to education and since 1999 over $2 billion has been spent for local school construction projects. Sadly, however, not all of that money reaches the classroom. I will fight to pay our teachers a compeitive salary so we can attract and retain the brightest for our children's future.
Unfunded mandates, that require schools to spend money on pet projects like those approved by my opponent--take dollars out of the classroom and result in increased administrative and overhead costs. I support common sense financing for schools and returning more money to the classroom where it can do the most good. In addition we need a comprehensive capital bill that will help our schools by providing needed funds to renovate buildings, laborartories and classroom space.
As your Representative I will not back away from advocating for solutions to these issues.
The Illinois Constitution provides that "the State has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education." In carrying out the financing responsibilities, a system of funding based on a mix of local property tax, general state aid and targeted categorical aid has been established. To provide for "an efficient system of high quality public education," the State delegates certain responsibilities to local Boards of Education. Consistent with the constitutional intent I support the following principles:
1. A State funding system should support an adequate educational program for all students.
- The State should guarantee that each public school district annually has a sufficient combination of state and local resources to provide an adequate educational program for all students.
- The State should provide funding that is stable, reliable and predictable over time.
- The annual funding level should be a function of actual costs of providing an adequate education, not an arbitrary appropriation amount.
- The State funding system should reflect actual regional cost differences.
2. A State funding system should enable local Boards of Education to meet their delegated responsibility.
- Access to the local property tax base should be maintained by local school boards since local decision-making best provides for the governance of community-based schools and the efficient use of local tax dollars.
- The State should not limit the ability of local school boards to fund education.
- State funding should be neutral with respect to school district organization.
- State funding should provide a minimum base of support for all school districts.
- The State should not penalize school districts for local property tax effort beyond the minimum.
3. A State funding system should recognize that some students need supplemental resources in order to achieve their learning potential.
- The State should recognize that not all children come to school ready to learn.
- The State should provide additional funding for students with special needs. Categorical funding should remain separate from general state aid. School districts should not be required to implement state mandates without full state funding. The financial support to address the needs of any one student should not jeopardize the learning opportunities of another student.
|
