The Prospective of a Student
Illinois has the worst-funded K-12 schools in America. The state suffers from most inequitable funding model in the country. Schools with high local property-tax revenue prosper, while rural and/or poor districts scrape by. Illinois is ranked 50th for the percentage of school funding that comes from state government. Illinois state government has not been meeting its obligations to an already outdated and ineffective funding formula. For decades, this issue has been discussed and solutions have been proposed. The Illinois General Assembly is posed to vote on an evidence-based solution to this crisis at the end of the 2017 spring session. Unfortunately, political realities make this solution virtually impossible to achieve this session. Engaged citizens need to share their ideas and solutions with their representatives and each other to drive change. Detailed on this website is the school funding formula I created, based upon my own experience and knowledge as a high school student, feedback from teachers and administrators, and multiple meetings with state officials.