Governor Bruce Rauner and the leaders of the Illinois House and Senate have enacted HB3763, the new state education budget. While the state is still falling short of fully funding our schools, this budget is still an improvement, funding general state aid to school districts at 92 percent as compared with the 87 percent this past year. It also sets aside $85 million to recoup the losses of our neediest districts.
We commend Governor Rauner and the General Assembly for adhering to their commitment to prioritize public education in the latest budget. In the midst of our state’s fiscal crisis and competing spending priorities, this budget demonstrates that progress remains possible when both sides work together. While we have not yet achieved the goal of full and equitable public school funding, the governor and General Assembly have eased some of the burden on our local school districts, particularly in our most underserved communities. We hope this healthy collaboration will continue as all Illinoisans work together to ensure every child has access to a great public education that prepares them for the future.
