Illinois advocates call for more funding for early ed and K-12

Treasa Howard-Collins loves her job at Joliet Township Excessive Faculty’s Baby Care Heart, however regardless of having 12 years expertise and a grasp’s diploma, she says she’s “incomes an unlivable wage.”

“Not solely am I working a second job, however I’m additionally doing gig work to complement the earnings for the job that I really like,” Howard-Collins instructed state officers throughout a finances listening to Tuesday. 

Howard-Collins and a number of other different audio system need the Illinois State Board of Schooling to  enhance funding for early childhood training by 20% – or $120 million – to extend wages for early childhood educators. 

All through the listening to, college leaders, educators, dad and mom, and advocates pushed for a rise of about $700 million — $120 million for early training and $550 million towards Okay-12 faculties — to the state’s general training finances for fiscal yr 2024, which begins in June 2023. The state training finances helps early training, Okay-12 public faculties, after-school packages, and agricultural training. 

Lawmakers authorized $9.7 billion for the state’s training finances within the spring with $350 million extra {dollars} heading towards Okay-12 public faculties and $54.4 million {dollars} towards the state’s early childhood block grant. 

State legislation calls on the legislature to extend Okay-12 funding by $350 million yearly by 2027 to get each college district to “adequacy,” or be sure that faculties have sufficient funding to supply sources to college students. For the reason that funding method was created in 2017, it has resulted in a rise of $1.5 billion general.

And whereas advocates applauded new funding in training, many mentioned the state’s funding method ought to enhance by at the very least $550 million {dollars} this yr to be able to appropriate funding gaps extra shortly. 

Summer time Butler, an elementary college trainer at Bellwood Faculty District 88, mentioned that her college is taken into account 70% “adequately funded,” in accordance with state information. However her college is understaffed and overflowing with college students. 

Butler mentioned that her college students aren’t excelling in core topics like math and studying, with about 14% assembly math and studying proficiency requirements. 

Butler famous that astronaut Eugene Cernan, commander of the Apollo 17 that went to the moon in 1972, attended her college within the Forties. 

“At this price, we’d not ever have one other Eugene Cernan amongst us any day quickly, as a result of we don’t have the entire essential sources to make that doable,” she mentioned.  

Bob Chikos, an educator at Crystal Lake Central Excessive Faculty in District 135, additionally requested for a rise of $550 million in Okay-12 funding as a result of he desires to finish funding disparities between college districts. He pointed to variations in funding between his district, which is 77% funded, close by Elgin’s U-46, which is 63% funded and beneath adequacy, and Libertyville Excessive Faculty in District 128, which is 171% funded — far above adequacy. 

“Disparities, reminiscent of this, have exacerbated academic, racial and wealth gaps. We dwell in a state during which there’s a useful resource race amongst adequately funded districts to supply the very best training doable,” mentioned Chikos. “Whereas not adequately funded, districts attempt to maintain on to the minimal sources they’ve to satisfy their college students’ wants.”

Final week, Partnership for Fairness and Schooling Rights, PEER IL, and the Schooling Regulation Heart requested the state to extend funding for the evidence-based funding method by $1.5 billion a yr to hit the 2027 aim written into legislation.

Whereas a majority of audio system requested the state to extend funding for early childhood training and Okay-12 public faculties, a couple of audio system requested the state to spice up funding to after-school packages and group faculties.

Susan Staton of Afterschool for Youngsters and Teen, ACT Now, and different advocates requested $20 million {dollars} for after-school programming and $15 million to go towards group faculties. 

“These packages all all through Illinois are bettering attendance, bettering grades and serving to to show social-emotional studying expertise,” mentioned Stanton. 

The state board of training is planning to host two extra finances hearings. One might be held in particular person at 4 p.m. Thursday on the state board’s workplace in Springfield, Illinois, and the opposite might be digital at 4 p.m. Oct. 24. 

In earlier years, the state board of training introduced its suggestions for the training finances throughout its December board assembly. The board then despatched its proposal to the governor and legislature in January. The governor then made a finances proposal in early February and the legislature authorized the finances by the top of spring legislative session in April. 

Samantha Smylie is the state training reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago, overlaying college districts throughout the state, laws, particular training, and the state board of training. Contact Samantha at ssmylie@chalkbeat.org.