The state system of funding public schools in Illinois is an unfair, discriminatory and inequitable mess.
Believe it or not, that’s pretty much a consensus opinion. Our elected officials admit it openly, yet do nothing. Virtually all citizens know it. Mayors, school boards, teachers, community leaders, parents and students have known it and experienced it for years.
Illinois has failed to provide adequate state funding for its schools and higher education institutions. Instead, the state shifts primary funding responsibility for schools to local property taxpayers – a failed system that ensures unequal, inequitable, unfair disparities in public school funding and quality. Those in property-rich areas enjoy fine public schools and low property tax rates while those in less-wealthy areas pay higher taxes and struggle to fund their antiquated schools at even basic levels.
It’s not fair. It’s discriminatory. It’s hurts students and our state.
It’s bad public policy!
The children and students in the State of Illinois deserve better.
This blog is devoted to the doctrine that all students and all citizens in Illinois deserve high quality preK-12 public schools and affordable public colleges and universities.
We invite you to join hands with the Illinois Education Association in the fight for fair funding. Check out the links in the Blogroll for the IEA Invest In Excellence Campaign, A+ Illinois and the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. You’ll learn a lot about this mess.
Our students and our state are worth no less than our best efforts to fix it.
