About Our Coalition
Funding Illinois’ Future (FIF) is a coalition of school districts, superintendents, parents, educators, community- and faith-based organizations focused on the goal of equitable and adequate funding for all public K-12 schools.
Needed to fully fund K-12 education in Illinois.
Quality Education Research shows that high-quality educational experiences from birth through postsecondary make a dramatic difference in individuals’ success in school, career, and life. Adequate, equitable state funding for K-12 public schools is necessary to provide these opportunities.
Equity Imperative Despite gains made by investments in the formula, students who are Black, Latinx, English Learners, or from low-income households are still the most likely to be in underfunded districts.
Learning Renewal While the need was great pre-pandemic, it has only grown since the onset of COVID-19. COVID-19 has had profound effects on teaching and learning that will be felt for years to come. Supporting the academic, social-emotional, mental, and physical needs of students, families, and staff is vital to our state’s recovery and ability to build back better.
Federal Relief Funds
One-Time funds cannot and should not replace or mitigate the state’s role in funding schools through the Evidence-Based Funding formula. Federal recovery dollars are for addressing additional resources needed to respond to and recover from the pandemic and EBF funds build a foundation for long term, sustainable funding for Illinois’ students and schools.
We Need You!
With your help, we can ensure children receive the education they are deserved no matter where they live.
Data Dashboard
See what happens to funding for Illinois school districts as new dollars are added to the new formula. Brought to you by Advance Illinois’ Data Desk.
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Prioritizing $550M for EBF in the Governor’s FY25 Budget and State of the State Address.
Use this informational sheet in your engagement to help communicate the need for additional EBF funding.
The organizations listed below are members of Funding Illinois’ Future. This list is not exhaustive. FIF is proud to have hundreds of additional community members not listed below.
A big thank you to those who provided oral and written testimony for a $550M boost to #EBF at this year's FY26 ISBE budget hearings! With the support of advocates like you, we're building strong momentum. Let’s keep it up and show our Governor that $550M for EBF is essential for…
Thank you to all the supporters who testified for a $550M investment in EBF at the final ISBE hearing! There's still time to make your voice heard—submit written testimony by 10/31 to share why EBF matters to your school! https://bit.ly/3Y837u6 #FundtheFormula
"If you take the percentage of adequate funding for each school district and convert it to a letter grade, we have: 47 school districts that are funded at or below a D, and 333 funded at a C..."
#FundtheFormula
Joshua Stafford, Vienna Public School District
"I am here to recommend that ISBE request at least $550 million in new funding through EBF in FY26 in order to make progress toward ensuring all students have a high-quality education, regardless of their zip code." #FundtheFormula
Jelani Saadiq, Advance Illinois
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