Governor Bruce Rauner signed an education funding plan on Wednesday that would ensure that schools would be able to get the school year underway in August. The funding plan included an increase of $244 million for education and a $25 million increase for early childhood programs. Schools across the state had been receiving general state aid funding at a rate of 89% proration, but will see that figure got to 92% this year. Schools have also been placed in a formula to determine how much funding they will receive from an $85 million loss cap which could take some schools in the area up to a combined rate of 96% funding.
The Vandalia School District will see the largest increase in funding out of the area schools as they are forecast to receive a total increase of $145,274. Mulberry Grove District is expected to see an increase of just under $81,000 while Ramsey School District and Patoka School District will see increases of just under $75,000 and just under $66,000, respectively, and St. Elmo is forecast to see an increase of $32,519.
Two area schools are forecast to take hits in their funding for the coming fiscal year. The South Central School District is expected to see a decrease in general state aid by about $18,000. The Brownstown School district will take a large hit with a total decrease of $198,000 after the addition of the loss cap added to their general state aid.
Fiscal Year 2016 will begin on July 1 and school districts are expected to their first general state aid payments on August 10.