Prairie Grove Junior High School is part of the Prairie Grove CSD 46 (Crystal Lake) school district, which is projected to experience the second largest decrease in state funding in McHenry County under SB1.
Prairie Grove Junior High School is part of the Prairie Grove CSD 46 (Crystal Lake) school district, which is projected to experience the second largest decrease in state funding in McHenry County under SB1.
McHenry County schools would be net losers of state funding under a bill that passed the Illinois State Senate on Wednesday.
Collectively, the county's 18 school districts would get approximately $8.5 million per year less from the state's school funding formula, a 10 percent decrease from their 2015 funding levels, according to an Illinois State Board of Education analysis obtained by the McHenry Times.
None of the three McHenry County state Senators voted "yes" on Senate Bill 1, which passed 35-18 with three Senators voting present. Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry) voted "present" while Sens. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) and Karen McConnaughay (R-West Dundee) voted "no."
Riley Community Consolidated School District 18 (78% decrease), Prairie Grove Consolidated School District 46 (77% decrease), Nippersink School District (77% decrease), Alden Hebron School District 19 (52% decrease), Crystal Lake Community Consolidated School District 47 (40% decrease), Cary Community Consolidated School District 26 (40% decrease), Johnsburg School District 12 (39% decrease), Richmond-Burton School District 157 (17% decrease), Fox River Grove School District 3 (13% decrease), Crystal Lake School District 155 (12% decrease), Huntley School District 158 (10% decrease), McHenry School District 156 (9% decrease), Marengo School District 154 (8% decrease) would all be losers if Senate Bill 1 is enacted into law.
Harrison School District 36 (25% increase), Harvard School District 50 (21% increase), Marengo-Union School District 165 (11% increase) and McHenry School District 15 (2% increase) all stand to receive more state funding from the bill.
Senate Bill 1, sponsored by State Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), includes a $385 million bailout of Chicago Public Schools, which face bankruptcy due to years of deficit spending.
The state funding cuts wouldn't take effect immediately. Manar's bill also includes a temporary "hold harmless" clause that would effectively delay them for two years.
The ISBE analysis was conducted last summer, after Manar unveiled his school funding proposal. It is the last known analysis of the bill.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has vowed to veto the legislation should it reach his desk.
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How does your district fare under the state's new proposed school funding formula?
Senate Bill 1 promises a fairer distribution of state funding to local school districts. In McHenry County, it takes from some and gives to others.
| Rank | School District | Current State Funding | New State Funding | Change |
| 1 | Harrison SD 36 (Wonder Lake) | $956,671 | $1,197,369 | 25% |
| 2 | Harvard CUSD 50 | $9,815,467 | $11,832,120 | 21% |
| 3 | Marengo-Union ECD 165 | $1,311,340 | $1,456,931 | 11% |
| 4 | McHenry CCSD 15 | $5,717,013 | $5,805,227 | 2% |
| 5 | Woodstock CUSD 200 | $13,871,324 | $13,977,214 | 1% |
| 6 | Marengo CHSD 154 | $857,484 | $787,123 | -8% |
| 7 | McHenry CHSD 156 | $3,317,354 | $3,033,057 | -9% |
| 8 | Huntley CSD 158 (Algonquin) | $20,621,386 | $18,472,484 | -10% |
| 9 | Crystal Lake CHSD 155 | $10,624,581 | $9,405,880 | -12% |
| 10 | Fox River Grove CSD 3 | $721,590 | $630,919 | -13% |
| 11 | Richmond-Burton CHSD 157 | $1,052,907 | $869,362 | -17% |
| 12 | Johnsburg CUSD 12 | $2,070,619 | $1,258,118 | -39% |
| 13 | Cary CCSD 26 | $2,438,361 | $1,476,197 | -40% |
| 14 | Crystal Lake CCSD 47 | $9,207,468 | $5,518,723 | -40% |
| 15 | Alden Hebron SD 19 | $437,369 | $209,257 | -52% |
| 16 | Nippersink SD 2 (Richmond) | $979,445 | $222,324 | -77% |
| 17 | Prairie Grove CSD 46 (Crystal Lake) | $661,252 | $150,116 | -77% |
| 18 | Riley CCSD 18 (Marengo) | $236,664 | $53,182 | -78% |
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