PEER Coalition Statement, ISBE 10.4.22

PEER Illinois Coalition 

Illinois State Board of Education Budget Hearing 

Tuesday October 4th, 2022 

Dear Members of Illinois State Board of Education, 

Hello, my name is Naoma Nagahawatte. I am a CPS parent and a member of the PEER IL coalition. Before I begin, I’d like to thank the Illinois State Board of Education for the opportunity to share how chronic underfunding of the Evidence Based Formula continues to negatively impact school districts across Illinois. It’s my hope that this body will work with us to raise current EBF funding to meet the state’s 2027 full funding deadline - allowing the public school students in Illinois, including my own child, to receive, at minimum, an adequately funded public education. I am proud to call Illinois my home, however I am not proud of Illinois ranking 45th out of 50 states for equitable school funding. 

Currently, Illinois school districts face some of the most unequal funding in the nation  - with over 83% of school districts in IL, attended by more than 1.7 million students, considered poorly funded.  Currently, sixty percent of all school funding in Illinois comes from property taxes. Dependence on local tax money has built inequality into school funding, as districts with more property wealth receive more while districts with less property wealth get less. EBF legislation was intended to ameliorate this harm by committing the state to fully fund schools by 2027 - but the state continues to fail to provide students and schools with what they are owed. As of 2022, the EBF was underfunded by more than 7 billion dollars -  and at its current rate won’t reach full funding until 2054. Two-thirds of school districts in Illinois, covering more than 1.5 million students, were owed $3,000 or more per pupil in state aid in 2022.  At the current rate, that means at least two more generations of public school students will be denied their right to a quality, fully funded public education. It’s time to come together and demand all Illinois public school students receive a fully funded education by 2027. 

The first step in doing so is to raise the minimum amount of money dedicated to the EBF so full funding can be achieved by 2027, as required by law. In addition, we ask that the EBF formula be adjusted to reflect inflation and current public education needs in Illinois. Finally, we ask that EBF funding goes directly to public school classrooms and students versus debt servicing and other related items. Every child, no matter their race or whether they live in an urban, suburban, or rural area, deserves a quality education. It will take all of us to make this a reality. Fixing how we fund schools will allow schools to provide resources like nutritious meals, mental health support, and career training for the children that need them. This ensures a better future for our children and that we all live in healthy, thriving communities. 

Please learn more about this matter, read our brief and use the data tool we have developed that shows how EBF underfunding has impacted districts across Illinois. Both can be accessed at www.peerillinois.org. Thank you for listening, I look forward to working with you to ensure the state provides equitable and fully-funded public education for all  Illinois students. 

Naoma Nagahawatte

Advocacy Director

Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education