Mimi Rodman, Executive Director of Stand for Children Illinois, issued this statement today in response to House Speaker Michael Madigan’s proposed constitutional amendment for a 3% surcharge on income over $1 million to fund education:

“We commend Speaker Madigan’s focus on the desperate need to increase education funding. Schools have lost almost a billion dollars in the last five years, which hurts the education that our children receive and the professionals in the classroom. However, Illinois schools need adequate funding invested effectively -- increased funding alone is not the silver bullet to improving schools.

Stand for Children supports increased early childhood education opportunities, equitable funding and accountability for public schools -- whether they are traditional or public charters, interventions for struggling schools, and continued pension reform that directs more dollars to the classroom.”