Ted Sanders, state education superintendent, Thursday proposed increasing state spending for Illinois elementary and high schools by $299 million for 1987-88, including more than doubling funds to expand education reform measures.
Sanders conceded that the preliminary budget request probably cannot be funded without either a tax increase or a greater share of state revenue for schools.
The proposed budget, which the Illinois State Board of Education could vote on in January, comes on the heels of Gov. James Thompson`s warning Wednesday that the state cannot afford spending increases for the current fiscal year.
The preliminary budget for the next fiscal year is the opening round of the annual school spending battle that will end next June when state lawmakers approve the final figures.
”The budget request is realistic in terms of what is required to adequately fund just the ongoing programs in our schools plus the reform programs that desperately need to be funded,” Sanders said.
He requested $2.8 billion in state school spending, an 11.9 percent increase over the current year`s spending. Local property taxes and state funds during this school year will generate $6.5 billion for the state`s public elementary and high schools.
Sanders wants a 122.5 percent boost in education reform funds, from $90.4 million to $201.1 million, emphasizing that his ”highest priority” is preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds. Preschool education has ”the single greatest payback” among education reform programs, he said, because it reduces the need for remedial education and cuts the dropout rate.
Illinois has 360,000 children who are 3 and 4 years old, and 112,000 need an early boost in their schooling, Sanders said. This year $12.7 million was approved by legislators for preschool classes for 5,500 youngsters, but Sanders wants an increase to $74.7 million to serve 37,000 children, one-third of the target group.
Among other education reform increases proposed are dropout reduction funds, from $10 million to $20 million; staff development, from $3 million to $5 million; and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, from $3.5 million to $10.9 million.
The figure for the academy, a special statewide high school boarding facility in Aurora for students wanting an accelerated math and science education, was approved by the academy`s board and has not yet been reviewed by Sanders and his staff.
More Top Picks Best Screen Filters For Blue Light
Sanders also proposed a $92.9 million increase in general state aid, a 5.1 percent boost, but said that figure probably will be higher after the board approves a new state aid formula.
State aid increases especially are crucial for the Chicago Board of Education to provide added revenue to help fund new contracts with the Chicago Teachers Union.
The current budget includes a one-time special $10 million appropriation for city schools that was needed to help pay for a 3 percent teachers` salary increase in the second year of the current two-year contract.