PEORIA (25News Now) – Governor JB Pritzker’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year includes a $653 million funding increase for education compared to the previous year.

It’s part $18 billion allocated for the State Board of Education.

“We used to be at the bottom of the list in terms of state funding for education,” said State Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria). “We have now come up to 41st from 50th. That’s progress, but that’s still not good enough.”

The proposal also included:

• $350 million increase in evidence-based funding (EBF). EBF is a program that uses metrics to determine how much funding school districts receive based on specific needs.
• $1 billion for transportation and special education
• $400 million for early childhood education

Regional Superintendent of Schools for McLean, Livingston, Logan, and DeWitt Counties, Mark Jontry, hopes more education funding will help attract and retain teachers.

“We just really need to make and continue to make the profession attractive to young people to come into the profession and support and also provide certainly an adequate wage for them to live off of,” Jontry said.

Jontry said increased funding could also help districts update classroom technology, and it could expand arts programs which are traditionally cut from school district budgets.

Sen. Koehler said tuition rates at universities and colleges are too high. He said the state is losing too many students because of it, which in turn, affects the number of skilled workers in Illinois.

“Once your son or daughter goes out of state to get their college education, the chance of them coming back is not as good,” Koehler said. “We need that talent.”

Lawmakers still need to approve the budget. Rep. Travis Weaver said the House Speaker plans to have the budget submitted for Gov. Pritzker’s approval by May 31.

You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.

Copyright 2024 WEEK. All rights reserved.