The state’s new school funding package may have been billed as a way to funnel more money to poor schoolchildren in Illinois, but it actually could benefit diverse districts from Chicago to DuPage County to Dolton.
But other Chicago-area school districts with fairly high poverty rates and limited resources will receive little or no additional funding under Gov. Jim Edgar’s $485 million plan.
Al Grosboll, Edgar’s senior education adviser, said the reason is the plan is designed to guarantee that every school district in Illinois spends at least $4,225 a year on each student. That means districts with strong tax bases but a large number of students are just as likely to receive large sums of money as districts serving poor communities.
“The reason some school districts in DuPage County are receiving more money is because they are experiencing extraordinary enrollment growth,” Grosboll said.
“The reason Chicago is receiving more money is because of the large number of poverty children in the district.”
In general, south suburban schools fared well under the plan. Of the 44 south suburban school districts, 33 including one high school–Homewood-Flossmoor– will get more money next year.
The state’s formula for allocating money to individual districts considers three main factors: the property tax base, enrollment growth and poverty. The 1998 allocations will be made in August based on the latest figures available. The plan passed by the General Assembly on Dec. 2 is being financed by increases in telephone, cigarette and riverboat-casino taxes.
Illinois Board of Education spokeswoman Kim Knauer said projections show that Chicago will receive the most additional money next year, about $105 million. In addition, Chicago officials expect to see another $10 million from grant money distributed by the state and $15 million from a revamping of the pension fund.
Paul Vallas, chief of the city schools, said the district will use the additional funding to expand preschool, after-school and tutorial programs; extend mandatory summer school programs to 1st and 2nd graders; and strengthen the district’s principals’ and teachers’ academies.
In addition, the district plans to build 20 schools to replace run-down buildings and to renovate 62 schools.
“Because we have a balanced budget, this money will go toward sustaining and expanding the new programs we put in place in the last couple of years,” said Vallas, who lobbied extensively in Springfield for the plan.
Still, many school districts in the Chicago area will not see any additional funding come their way–including several high school districts that are grappling with large classes and the costs of expensive counseling and athletic programs.
Unlike the current school aid formula, the new plan favors neither elementary school nor high school districts.
The current formula favors high schools on the theory they need more money for sophisticated equipment, Knauer said. But officials now reason that money spent in the formative years is just as important.
And while the new law guarantees that no school district will lose money next year, that provision expires after the first year. Some school officials fear they may ultimately lose hundreds of thousands of dollars unless the legislature votes to provide more money.
Among the biggest winners in the south suburbs, according to projected figures provided by the state, are Dolton Elementary School District 148, which is expected to receive $2.7 million more; Dolton Elementary School District 149 (nearly $2.4 million more); Homewood Elementary School District 153 (about $1.4 million); Blue Island School District 130 (nearly $1.3 million);
Also: Prairie Hills Elementary School District 144 in Markham (about $1.1 million); Harvey-Dixmoor Elementary School District 147 (about $1 million); and Country Club Hills Elementary School District 160 (about $1 million).
However, while most south suburban elementary schools will receive a windfall next year, the loudest complaints about the new legislation have been coming from the south suburban area. That’s because, with the exception of Homewood-Flossmoor High School–which is to receive $270,640 in additional funds because of growing enrollment–the area’s high schools, like most, won’t see additional money next year.
“This legislation raises some real serious concerns about the future of high school education in this state,” said Thornton Fractional High School District Supt. Douglas H. Long.
For many south suburban districts, the added funds mean enough money will be available to replace outdated textbooks, establish computer laboratories, hire more teachers to reduce class size and beef up gifted programs.
In Midlothian Elementary School District 143, where Edgar stopped last week to sign the funding legislation, district officials propose to use the $890,558 in new money the district will receive next year to improve reading programs, buy textbooks and upgrade outdated computers.
The new legislation also provides funding for school construction and other capital-improvement programs. District 143 will use its share in part to complete construction of a new gymnasium at the Kolmar Elementary School in Crestwood, said District Supt. Bill Small.
“The foundation for the gym was laid 20 years ago and never finished because of a lack of funds,” Small said.
