Illinois Lawmakers Take Action to Correct Special Education Funding Mistake

Legislation now pending in the Illinois Senate could restore millions in funding to area schools for special education funding.

The bill sponsored by Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, is meant to correct an error that meant the loss of state funding for special education passed the House in three days last month and is now waiting for Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, to usher it through the Senate.

The problem arose because of a change in how funding for special education is figured. The funding formula changed four years ago. The law changing it said that for the first three years after it changed, no school district could receive less money than it had the year the bill was passed. But that law expired last spring and proposed legislation to change it was not passed.

That meant area schools got less state help than last year. For the Williamson County Special Education District, that meant $1.3 million less state money. So, it's five member school districts were forced to attempt to make up the difference. That meant $519,000 out of the budget in Marion, $200, 000 in Carterville and large amounts in Herrin and Johnston City as well.

Elsewhere in the region, Trico School District lost $30,000 and Dongola faced a $7,000 cut. "When you compare it to what Marion lost, $30,000 doesn't sound like a lot, but for a district like Trico, that's huge," Superintendent John DeNosky said.

The legislation passed by the House on Thursday would correct the problem and assure that the districts don't face the shortfall again. Companion legislation introduced by Bradley authorizes the spending of the $21 million statewide that is needed to fix the problem.

"$21 million sounds like a lot of money to you and me, but I figured out that it is less than three ten-thousandths of the state budget," Bradley said Friday. "That's a very small figure, but it means a lot to our schools."

Bradley was very proud that the bill's passage took just three days in the House, the minimum amount of time it can take according to the Illinois Constitution. "Those districts need to get their money as soon as possible," he said.