Gov. Bruce Rauner comments on the school funding bill that benefits every child in Illinois

From Governor Rauner’s guest column in the Daily Herald:

Illinois now has a more equitable funding structure that provides all children with the opportunity for quality education, regardless of their family’s income.

…Our administration came into office with an ambitious agenda for education, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. State funding of public schools has increased by over $1 billion under our administration. We have increased funding for early childhood education to its highest levels ever. Through the Every Student Succeeds Act, Illinois now has one of the most rigorous student accountability plans in the country.

…The new evidence-based school funding formula acknowledges that it takes more money to educate children who live in under-resourced communities and guarantees that new state dollars are distributed equitably. At the same time, it holds all 852 school districts harmless from cuts in state support and presents avenues for property tax relief for homeowners. After years of being 49th among states for state support of education, Illinois is now poised to fulfill our obligations to our children regardless of race, income or geography.

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