20170222 - School Funding (HRB)

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com Huntley High School student Alyssa Cantu examine simulated blood samples made from food coloring in Gerry Marchand's human anatomy class. A blue-ribbon panel in Springfield has sounded off on how to reform the inadequate school funding formula in Illinois.

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com Marlowe Middle School seventh grader Evan Kirchman in trumpet rehearses with the orchestra under the direction of music teacher Alexander Meza at the school in Lake in the Hills. While Illinois ranks 15th in the nation in average per-pupil public school spending, according to 2013 data, only two states have larger gaps between spending on the wealthiest versus the poorest school districts, according to the final report issued last month by the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission.

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com Marlowe Middle School cellists Aliyah Skippergosh (cq) (left) and Alan Taylor rehearse a number under the direction of orchestra teacher Alexander Meza at the Lake in the Hills school. “The cost to educate a child is different in Chicago than it is in St. Charles or Crystal Lake or Decatur or Ottawa,” Sen. Karen McConnaughay said. “When you take a one-size-fits-all approach, what’s going to happen? You’re going to have winners and losers.”

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com Huntley High School students in Gerry Marchand's human anatomy class record their findings while observing simulated blood samples. While Illinois ranks 15th in the nation in average per-pupil public school spending, according to 2013 data, only two states have larger gaps between spending on the wealthiest versus the poorest school districts, according to the final report issued last month by the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission.