Post by d204mom on Jan 14, 2008 11:30:59 GMT -6
Local schools to benefit from additional funding
January 14, 2008
By BRITT CARSON and Tim Waldorf Staff writers
Naperville school districts will finally see part of nearly $560 million in increased funding for Illinois schools outlined in a budget passed in August.
Until Thursday, legislators hadn't passed a budget implementation bill that would allow the Illinois State Board of Education to cut checks for most of that additional funding. The Illinois House voted 114-0 Thursday to approve the funding bill, ending a long-running dispute between legislative leaders.
The state board could implement some of the budgeted increases without passage of the implementation bill, but about $300 million of those increases were contingent upon its passage. According to state lawmakers, that $300 million would increase the general state aid foundation level by $400 per pupil, to $5,734.
However, had the implementation bill not passed in time, the state would have had to continue calculating its general state aid payments to school districts according to 2007 levels. In most cases, that would have reduced the amount of money distributed to schools when, in fact, the General Assembly approved a budget that allowed them record increases.
For example, if the implementation bill hadn't passed, Naperville School District 203 would have received $6.2 million in state aid this year, compared to $6.4 million last year. Now that the state board can access the additional funding provided in the 2008 budget, District 203's state aid will increase to $6.9 million.
The difference is bigger in Indian Prairie School District 204. Without passage of the bill, the district would probably have received $12.4 million in state aid, down from $16.7 million last year. With passage of the bill, though, District 204's state aid increases to $23 million.
"This is good news," said David Holm, assistant superintendent of business and finance for 204. "We have been living with a lot of uncertainty since last July and August. We took the additional monies we thought we would get and set them aside so it wasn't impacting our day-to-day operations."
Schools should start seeing the extra money in payments starting Jan. 20, said Illinois State Board of Education spokesman Matt Vanover.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact Britt Carson at bcarson@scn1.com or 630-416-5269.
January 14, 2008
By BRITT CARSON and Tim Waldorf Staff writers
Naperville school districts will finally see part of nearly $560 million in increased funding for Illinois schools outlined in a budget passed in August.
Until Thursday, legislators hadn't passed a budget implementation bill that would allow the Illinois State Board of Education to cut checks for most of that additional funding. The Illinois House voted 114-0 Thursday to approve the funding bill, ending a long-running dispute between legislative leaders.
The state board could implement some of the budgeted increases without passage of the implementation bill, but about $300 million of those increases were contingent upon its passage. According to state lawmakers, that $300 million would increase the general state aid foundation level by $400 per pupil, to $5,734.
However, had the implementation bill not passed in time, the state would have had to continue calculating its general state aid payments to school districts according to 2007 levels. In most cases, that would have reduced the amount of money distributed to schools when, in fact, the General Assembly approved a budget that allowed them record increases.
For example, if the implementation bill hadn't passed, Naperville School District 203 would have received $6.2 million in state aid this year, compared to $6.4 million last year. Now that the state board can access the additional funding provided in the 2008 budget, District 203's state aid will increase to $6.9 million.
The difference is bigger in Indian Prairie School District 204. Without passage of the bill, the district would probably have received $12.4 million in state aid, down from $16.7 million last year. With passage of the bill, though, District 204's state aid increases to $23 million.
"This is good news," said David Holm, assistant superintendent of business and finance for 204. "We have been living with a lot of uncertainty since last July and August. We took the additional monies we thought we would get and set them aside so it wasn't impacting our day-to-day operations."
Schools should start seeing the extra money in payments starting Jan. 20, said Illinois State Board of Education spokesman Matt Vanover.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact Britt Carson at bcarson@scn1.com or 630-416-5269.
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