SR0431 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0431 LRB098 12673 AMC 47195 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois serves over 2,000,000 students in 862 school districts statewide; and

WHEREAS, State funding for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education in Illinois has been reduced by $861,000,000 since fiscal year 2009; of that amount, general State aid has been reduced by more than $320,000,000; and

WHEREAS, Illinois ranks 50th in terms of the state proportion of kindergarten through grade 12 funding, providing for just 32.5% of all funds spent on kindergarten through grade 12 public education, despite the plain language of Article 10 of the Illinois Constitution, which states: "The State has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education."; and

WHEREAS, In 2007, 23% of Illinois school districts reported deficit spending, and today more than 67% of Illinois school districts report deficit spending; and

WHEREAS, Reductions in State spending have increased school districts' reliance on local resources, impacting classroom services and financial stability, at a time when school districts are required to do more necessary improvements and initiatives, such as teacher and principal evaluations, new and higher learning standards, and assessments; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly must stay engaged in public education issues and be prepared to make legislative and administrative recommendations; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the Advisory Committee on Education Funding, consisting of members appointed as follows: 4 members of the Senate majority caucus appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom shall be designated as a co-chair, and 4 members of the Senate minority caucus appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, one of whom shall be designated as a co-chair; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Advisory Committee on Education Funding shall do the following:

(1) conduct a thorough review of the existing distribution methods and expenditures of all pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education funding, with a focus on general State aid as defined in Section 18-8.05 of the School Code;

(2) make recommendations to implement an education funding system that:

(A) is adequate;

(B) is equitable;

(C) prepares students for achievement and success after high school; and

(D) supports teachers and school leaders; and

(3) consider the following when making its recommendations:

(A) the number of students in a school and school district and the level of need of those students, including special needs populations;

(B) a school district's ability to provide local resources to pay for basic educational needs;

(C) transparency and accountability;

(D) revenue predictability to support sound planning and budgeting by school boards and administrations; and

(E) the long-term implications and outcomes of the funding system, along with provisions that require the system to be monitored, publicly reported, assessed, and improved over time; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Advisory Committee on Education Funding shall seek input from stakeholders and members of the public on issues and possible improvements to the existing funding system; and be it further

RESOLVED, That members of the Advisory Committee on Education Funding shall serve without compensation, and the State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the Advisory Committee on Education Funding; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Advisory Committee on Education Funding shall meet at the call of the co-chairs, but shall meet a minimum of 4 times per year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Advisory Committee on Education Funding shall share its legislative and administrative recommendations with the President of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the Senate no later than February 1, 2014; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the Chairperson of the State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall provide a copy of this resolution to school districts in this State.