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Barickman: Fix School Funding And Move On

Barickman on the Senate floor
senatorbarickman.com

Governor Bruce Rauner has proposed sending school districts the full amount of state aid the law says they're supposed to get.

That would mean a funding increase, because for the past seven years, the state has pro-rated -- or cut-- school funding by as much as 13 percent. The issue has turned into a partisan battle. Democratic lawmakers say before just sending more money, they want a complete overhaul of the state's school funding formula.

State Senator Jason Barickman, a Republican from Bloomington, said there's no time for that now.  He said school officials need to know what their budget will be for next year.

"Fully fund the formula, do away with pro-ration, send predictability to our school districts, and let's move on!"

The current plan relies heavily on local property taxes, leaving districts with low property values dependent upon state aid.

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