Illinois State Board of Education Budget Request for FY 2008

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) adopted and published its FY 2008 budget on January 18th and recommended it to the Governor and General Assembly. This budget reflects an increase of $801 million over the FY 2007 budget. It recommends an increase of $299 million in General State Aid, a $338 million increase in Mandated Categoricals and an increase of $209 million in Special Education Personnel Reimbursement. This emphasis is supported by smaller requests in the Early Childhood and Professional Development, as well as increased staffing at ISBE. ISBE has shrunk over the past four years to under 500 employees and now an additional 60 employees are requested.

There are several interesting points about this proposed budget. The first point is that since the Governor controls ISBE, he is strongly endorsing an increase in the Foundation Funding level which would increase by $355 per student but still leave the foundation level below that recommended a few years ago by the EFAB Report. I think the increase in special education funding demonstrates that the Governor has accepted that the 20-year old reimbursement formula needs revision.

Since the Governor basically calls all of the shots at ISBE, I wonder if this is not what he will present in his budget address to the legislature on March 7th. The question for all of us is how will he pay for it? There is no way to fund this proposal without additional revenue for the state. Will the Governor finally relent and raise taxes in Illinois which has the nation’s lowest income tax? Will he sell the Illinois Lottery or the Illinois Tollway? There is no way to continue the smoke and mirrors that have marked budgets for the past two years. The state is on the verge of a financial nightmare.

If there is good news in this announcement it must be that public education continues to be a priority of the Governor and that it will continue to receive more than other areas in the proposed budget.