Funding Bills Filed

It is still early in the new legislative session and some bills with great potential for school finance have been introduced for consideration. HB 309 introduced by Representative Elizabeth Coulson and co-sponsored by Representative Roger Eddy and Representative Sandra Pihos of Glen Ellyn to increase the amount of funds available to reimburse school district for personnel costs associated with special education students. This formula has not been updated since 1985 and does not begin to cover the additional costs borne by districts to educate those children with special needs. This reimbursement level is currently set at $8000 per certified teacher and was set in 1985 when $8000 equaled about 1/3 of a teachers’ salary. Twenty-two years later that figure is obviously not adequate.

Representative Roger Eddy has also filed HB 424 that calls for a “shortfall levy” to cover excess costs for special education services and transportation that are not covered by state reimbursement. This bill would allow districts to add a “shortfall relief levy” to cover mandated expenses not covered by state reimbursement. District would include in their annual audit a figure representing the difference from the actual cost of providing special education services less the actual state reimbursement. This levy would not be subject to the tax cap nor create any new discretionary funds for districts. Proponents of this bill state that this method would be cheaper for local taxpayers than selling bonds to cover these mandated expenditures. This solution could allow the legislature to move forward in solving the funding crisis without adding burden to the state’s structural deficit. Naturally there will be political attacks about this option.

The noteworthy element of these bills is that they exist at all, considering the Governor’s rigid opposition to new taxes. If the legislative leaders can come to an agreement there may be a slim chance of movement in the area of finance this year which will not require the support of the Governor. Wait and see… Click on the link on the left to review these bills at the General Assembly Website.