Governor: Time to hike school funding

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By Kurt Erickson | Wednesday, March 7, 2007 1:03 AM CST | () comments

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois’ public schools would receive an unprecedented $1.5 billion infusion of new cash under Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s proposed budget.

The 23 percent funding increase, which is expected to be bankrolled primarily by a proposed new tax on Illinois businesses, would triple the amount of new money that schools received last year and nearly double what was formally requested last month by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Word of the potential windfall began trickling out Tuesday in anticipation of the governor’s budget speech at noon today.

Key to the additional dollars for education will be a proposed restructuring of Illinois business taxes, which could bring in an estimated $6 billion next year. More than $2 billion of that will go to a major expansion of the state’s health care programs, leaving the remainder for schools, construction projects and myriad other government operations.

State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, said he’s not getting too excited about the potential new dollars for schools because the plan relies on a funding source that hasn’t yet been approved by lawmakers.

“A lot of dominoes have to fall before we get to that point,” Mautino said

Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said the governor hopes the additional money allows the state’s 870 school districts to lower their property taxes.

“We think it can,” Rausch said. “We’re talking about a massive infusion of cash.”

For schools, the $1.5 billion in new money will help raise the base level of funding for each student in Illinois by $686 per pupil to $6,020 per year. That’s still about $400 per pupil less than what a task force has recommended as the proper amount needed to educate a child.

The new money would raise the total spent on education to $8 billion.

The governor also wants to earmark $500 million for a statewide school construction program and launch a first-ever $10 million-per-year plan to build more preschools around the state.

In all, the governor wants to increase education funding by more than $10 billion over the next four years.

In addition to boosting the amount of spending for each student, the governor’s proposal will include:

* A 65 percent increase in dollars to reimburse school districts for the cost of special education teachers. The additional $209 million marks the first time in two decades that the rates have risen.

* $60 million to add 12,000 children to preschool programs.

* $40 million to encourage teachers to work in underperforming schools.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 217-789-0865.