HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTIONS-2014-108-R-1412/1 /2014
108-R-14
A RESOLUTION
Opposing passage of Senate Bill 16 —
Education Funding Reform Act of 2014
WHEREAS, The 1970 Illinois Constitution States in Article X, Section 1
that the State has primary responsibility for financing public education in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Local school districts have seen a 10% decline in State
funding for education over the last 14 years; and
WHEREAS, Local school districts are responsible for bearing the costs of
complying with over 140 unfunded State mandates; and
WHEREAS, Underfunding of existing grant programs has resulted in late
and skipped payments to local school districts; and
WHEREAS, Evanston's public school Districts 202 and 65 are alternate
grant funded schools, which receive only a relatively small portion of State funds for
schools; and
WHEREAS, The bulk of funding for Evanston schools comes from
property tax revenue; and
WHEREAS, The amount of funding schools may levy from property tax
revenue is limited by tax caps set by the legislature; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 16 does nothing to increase overall State funding
for public education in Illinois; and
108-R-14
WHEREAS, The funding changes proposed in Senate Bill 16 include the
elimination of State funding for special education programs and services required by
State and Federal law; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 16 would eliminate supplemental low-income
grants for districts with high concentrations of poverty, including Districts 65 and
202; and
WHEREAS, approximately half of all Illinois school districts, including
District 202 and District 65 would lose State funding under the formula proposed in
Senate Bill 16; and
WHEREAS, The funding formula proposed in Senate Bill 16 would result
in a loss of $6.5 million per year for District 65 and $2.2 million per year for District 202;
and
WHEREAS, The cuts in State funding for Districts 65 and 202 that would
result from passage of Senate Bill 16 would represent a loss of 80% of State funding for
public schools in Evanston; and
WHEREAS, Districts 65 and 202 would be unable to make up for the loss
in State funding through property taxes due to existing tax caps; and
WHEREAS, The loss of this funding would force Evanston's public
schools to increase class sizes and make cuts to student services and staff; and
NOW BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
EVANSTON, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS:
SECTION 1: The foregoing recitals are found as fact and incorporated
herein by reference;
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SECTION 2: The City of Evanston opposes Senate Bill 16 and urges the
Illinois General Assembly to instead adopt legislation that provides adequate,
equitable, transparent and accountable distribution of funds to all Illinois school
districts.
Eli ab th B. Tisdahl, Mayor
Att
F(odney eene, City Clerk
Adopted: IQannlr�2r-� , 2014