Regional Superintendent of Education Jodi Scott is continuing to give guidance towards reshaping Illinois’ school funding formula.
She was appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner as one his choices for the 25-member commission to study the issue as a bi-partisan group.
They’ve already met four times and need to come up with a reform plan by February of next year.
Scott says they’re specifically aiming to have their work result in a bill that can be voted on.
She tells Galesburg’s Morning News on WGIL that based on what’s she heard from local representatives and commission members, she gets the feeling compromise on school funding could be soon coming.
“I’ll my fingers when I say this but things are coming together,” Scott says. “And people are starting to look at how do we bring our differences together and bring it to the table in a non-partisan way and how do we make decisions that are best for students. That’s why we’re here.”
The Springfield State Journal Register reported that last week’s meeting revolved around the issue of “hold harmless.”
The concept, that Rauner has said he supports, is that under a new funding formula no district would lose money.
Why that’s controversial is that by proxy means more money needs to go into education.
In the meantime, District 205 Superintendent Ralph Grimm has said he lacks confidence that Illinois won’t prorate General State Aid funding in the middle of the year, after it was fully funded for the first time in seven years.
