Statement from Speaker Madigan

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – House Speaker Michael J. Madigan released the following statement Wednesday:

“The Illinois House of Representatives has long demonstrated its commitment to improving public schools throughout the state of Illinois, including reforming Illinois’ school funding formula to provide more money, equitably distributed, to schools across the state. Another part of our commitment has been our effort to support the Chicago Public Schools and ensure that Chicago’s voters, as well as Chicago’s teachers and school staffs, are treated equitably. To that end, I have supported—and the House has passed three times—a bill to bring an elected school board to the city of Chicago. Moreover, I have supported—and the House has twice passed—a bill to ensure that Chicago’s school personnel can negotiate over the same issues that educators in every other school district in Illinois can negotiate. The House of Representatives will continue to advocate for equitable treatment for all schools in Illinois, and will again give full consideration to these proposals in the upcoming spring session.”