Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has proposed a $56 billion budget for the next fiscal year, which includes a $305 million increase in funding for K-12 schools through the state’s evidence-based formula. This brings the total investment to $9.2 billion, but it is $45 million less than what the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) had requested.
The proposal marks the beginning of budget negotiations, with lawmakers expected to finalize decisions by May. The funding plan has drawn criticism from major teachers unions, who argue that it falls short of fully funding the formula by 2027 as originally planned—a goal that would require an additional $3 billion. Some education advocacy groups have described the proposal as responsible given current economic challenges and potential threats to federal funding.
Pritzker’s plan does not include property tax relief grants for school districts, which were also omitted last year. ISBE spokesperson Lindsay Record stated that a state panel is reviewing these grants and will release a report by March 1 to guide future decisions on the program.
In addition to core school funding, Pritzker’s proposal suggests a $51 million increase for special education, transportation, and other expenses—about $100 million less than ISBE requested. Overall, his budget allocates approximately $10.7 billion for K-12 education.
A new social media fee is also proposed, targeting companies that collect and sell consumer data; it is estimated this could raise about $200 million in the next fiscal year for educational expenses.
During his State of the State speech Wednesday, Pritzker said: “We prioritize school funding, putting billions more into public education to improve the student teacher ratio and get better outcomes for our children.”
Progressive lawmakers from Chicago have introduced a bill backed by unions calling for full formula funding by 2027 with additional reimbursements to districts. If passed as written, this measure would cost Illinois an extra $3.9 billion annually according to Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. A recent report from this think tank found that at current levels schools will not be fully funded under existing formulas until at least 2034.
Since 2017, Illinois has increased its school funding via this formula by around $2.5 billion; about one-third of districts now receive at least 90% of what is considered adequate support. Chicago Public Schools—the largest district in Illinois—has gained nearly $390 million in overall state funding increases over five years but remains about $1.6 billion short of what is deemed adequate.
Pankaj Sharma, secretary and treasurer of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, criticized the governor’s plan: “Each day that our Governor and members of the General Assembly fail to deliver valuable resources to students, educators, and their families, they are shortchanging our young people according to their own funding formula,” Sharma said in a statement. “It is another day where a student’s zip code — not state policy — determines whether they have what they need to succeed.”
Robin Steans, president of Advance Illinois, offered measured support while noting ongoing gaps: “Governor Pritzker has consistently prioritized education, and past investments have served Illinois well,” Steans said in a statement. “We hope the General Assembly can find ways to build on the Governor’s proposal to ensure that Illinois students do not lose ground.”
For a second consecutive year during his address Wednesday, Pritzker called on lawmakers to ban cellphones from classrooms after similar legislation failed last year.
Chalkbeat contributed reporting.
