The Illinois State Board of Education proposed a 10 percent increase in state spending for public schools Tuesday, as its members acknowledged the severe financial crisis facing Springfield.
The preliminary $6.78 billion education budget, which must be approved by the legislature, includes significant boosts for teacher recruitment and retention, special education, early childhood and general state aid for schools.
“I know this sounds like a lot of money, but I’m not going to apologize for that,” state Schools Supt. Robert Schiller said during a board meeting. “It’s an increase, but not nearly enough for our schools to move forward in closing the [achievement and teacher quality] gaps. However, we have to be mindful of the state’s revenue stream.”
The request comes as state officials scramble to plug a gaping budget hole, and Gov.-elect Rod Blagojevich faces a $2 billion to $3 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.
Asked what he thought of the board’s budget request, Doug Scofield, a senior Blagojevich adviser, said, “It was just huge.”
Scofield said it was too soon to determine what Blagojevich would do with the request.
“We think the state board of education could spend its money much better,” Scofield said. “We want to spend as much money on education as we can, but we want to spend it better.”
Board Chairman Ron Gidwitz said most local districts have been hit by budget shortfalls and have descended into deficit spending. He also said schools face significant requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind law.
“We must provide greater state support, or they will continue to run deficits and be forced to cut vital programs necessary to help students achieve state standards as required by federal law,” Gidwitz said.
The proposed budget calls for a $273 million increase in general state aid, money that flows to district with few strings attached, and a $200 million bump for special education.
It also includes an additional $2.7 million for early childhood education, $1.7 million for programs to help schools in academic difficulty and $5 million for technology.
The board unanimously approved the budget, but split mainly along geographic boundaries over a proposal to give Chicago more money for teacher retirement.
The budget sets aside about $1 billion for the state’s teacher retirement system. Chicago has roughly 20 percent of the state’s teaching force but receives only about 6 percent of the total.
Gidwitz suggested giving Chicago an additional $30 million, a move supported by board members Judy Gold and Marjorie Branch, of Chicago, and Marilyn McConachie, of Northbrook. But Downstate members Bev Turkal, Janet Steiner and Richard Sandsmark, and Connie Rogers of Buffalo Grove defeated the motion.