McHenry Times

As 600 members of the Chicago Teacher’s Union rallied at the Capitol for an additional $1 billion in state funding for Chicago Public Schools, Senate Republican Caucus leaders countered that recent funding figures challenge many of the union's assertions.

At a State Capitol press conference on May 15, Senate Republican Deputy Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris), State Senator Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles), and State Senator Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett) pointed out that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has received numerous special financial arrangements in recent years that other schools have not been granted. They also highlighted that many more school districts throughout Illinois are grappling with significantly worse financial difficulties.

State Senator Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) was scheduled to attend the press conference but had to chair a last-minute committee meeting as a Labor Committee Spokesperson.

Senator Rezin noted that Illinois uses the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) model, which categorizes school districts into a four-tier system. Tier One school districts are those most in need of new state funding to adequately educate their students. Since the implementation of this funding formula, along with additional state support, CPS has already advanced to Tier 2.

“The law was designed to provide a roadmap to get all schools in Illinois to adequacy,” Rezin said.

Senator DeWitte criticized CPS for receiving a disproportionate share of the state’s education resources through special carve-outs and unique grants over many years.

“It is simply outrageous for the Mayor and now for the Chicago Teacher’s Union to come down here and try to bully lawmakers into money they claim they are being shortchanged,” DeWitte said.

In response to claims from the Chicago Mayor and CTU members that they are owed more than a billion dollars, Senator Lewis argued these demands are tone-deaf given Illinois' current fiscal challenges in crafting the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

“Chicago needs to start paying its own bills. It’s time Chicago started playing by the same rules everyone else is expected to play by,” Sen. Lewis said.

Senator Wilcox criticized CPS for continuing to negotiate a contract that would guarantee members 9 percent raises every year, despite facing a $400 million deficit.

“CPS has made some bad financial decisions, not the least of which is using temporary pandemic relief funds for recurring costs within the school district. Those poor decisions have had consequences and now CPS faces a massive budget shortfall,” Wilcox said.

The Senate Republican Caucus leaders pledged to continue advocating for taxpayers and equal funding for schools throughout Illinois.