The Illinois Senate on Tuesday approved legislation creating a new method for determining how much state funding local schools receive. The sponsor of the measure, Senate Bill 231, State Senator Andy Manar says the plan makes sure state money is distributed based on need, not zip code.
There were some critics of the bill, including State Senator Kyle McCarter, who says he doesn’t think this new formula works to evenly distribute state funding.
Manar’s bill, which passed the State Senate by a vote of 31 to 21, would be phased in over a couple of years and would mean less money for some schools, and more for others—like Chicago Public Schools. Opponents do argue this is just a bailout for Chicago. The bill now moves to the Illinois House.