Illinois school funding measure advances

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By Kurt Erickson | Wednesday, January 9, 2008 11:40 PM CST | () comments

SPRINGFIELD — More than 800 school districts across Illinois may finally see $560 million in added funding that has been held hostage for months by the state’s lingering political stalemate.

In action Wednesday, the Illinois Senate voted unanimously to accept changes Gov. Rod Blagojevich made to the budget implementation legislation on Friday.

The measure now awaits action in the House, where House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has signaled that it would have little problem being approved.

The legislation has been caught in the middle of a battle among Democrats who control state government.

The governor altered the legislation Friday to correct a drafting error in order to allow school districts to collect a special education funding increase during this school year instead of next year.

The delay in approving the legislation has affected about 800 school districts. But not all of them have been counting on receiving it.

Given the gridlock that enveloped Springfield last year, some districts did not write the additional funds into their budgets.

The proposal boosts the minimum amount that schools must spend on each student to $5,734, up from $5,334.

The legislation is Senate Bill 783.

— Kurt Erickson