Andrade’s Education Funding Reform Pumps Millions of New Dollars into Neighborhood Schools

CHICAGO – State Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago, recently supported landmark education funding reform that will provide up to an additional $466 million annually to Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

“Without a new education funding formula, our neighborhood schools were facing the unprecedented prospect of not being able to open their doors for the new school year, which is why we had the responsibility to every student in Illinois to change the formula,” Andrade said. “The reform that we passed ensures our neighborhood schools will have the necessary funding and resources to give children in our community the educational opportunities they deserve.”

Andrade supported Senate Bill 1947, the new school funding formula, which increases annual funding for CPS by up to $466 million. The new reform stands to benefit CPS by prioritizing new funds be sent to districts like CPS that have a higher proportion of students from low-income families, English learners and students receiving special education services.

Under the previous education funding formula, CPS pensions were paid exclusively by Chicago taxpayers. Under this inequitable system, Chicago taxpayers unfairly shouldered the burden for both CPS pensions and the pensions of every other district in the state. Andrade fought for a provision in the reform that created pension equity for CPS, so that CPS receives annual state funding for its pension system just like every other school district in the state.

“For over ten years, schools in Chicago have been shortchanged, receiving disproportionately less funding than schools elsewhere in the state,” Andrade said. “The new, progressive formula that we enacted secures hundreds of millions more for CPS annually, and treats our pension system just like every other school district in the state.”