FIF Response to Governor Pritzker’s FY27 Budget Address

In his FY27 Budget Proposal, Governor Pritzker put forward a $305M increase in the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula and an increase of $51M in Mandated Categoricals. 

The Governor’s proposal is deeply appreciated in a challenging fiscal climate. We commend his continued investment in public education and his leadership on EBF. Since its bipartisan passage in 2017, the EBF formula has transformed the way Illinois funds its schools by prioritizing equity and directing resources to districts furthest from adequacy. These investments have delivered meaningful progress across districts. Schools have expanded access to rigorous and culturally responsive curriculum, strengthened support for English Learners, increased student support personnel, enhanced academic intervention services, and improved educator recruitment and retention efforts.

However, the work is far from complete. Despite notable progress, three out of four Illinois students still attend districts that remain underfunded. Illinois public schools still face a $3 billion gap to reach full adequacy. That gap translates into fewer resources and fewer opportunities for students across the state. Mandated Categoricals (MCATs), which fund legally required services like transportation, special education, and free and reduced-price meals, are vital to schools and remain stubbornly underfunded by an estimated $1 billion. 

This year, stable, adequate state funding is of the utmost importance, as underscored by increasing instability at the federal level, including budget cuts and policy decisions beyond education that have already had devastating impacts throughout school communities. As federal investments face growing uncertainty, Illinois must step up to ensure that public school districts are not left to grapple with funding gaps that compromise student learning, well-being, and opportunity. In this climate, it is critical that we double down on support for students’ mental health, safety, and stability.

These destabilizing effects come at the same time that both research and experience tell us that student needs are growing. Mental health concerns are on the rise, with more than 40% of students reporting feeling sad or hopeless in 2023, up from 29.6% in 2009. And, while Illinois has made efforts to expand the number of counselors, psychologists, and nurses in schools, the need far exceeds current capacity, when only 13% of students statewide attend a school with enough counselors to meet recommended ratios. These realities underscore the importance of sustained and increased investment in EBF. 

EBF is working, and substantial progress has been made. But the funds spent on essential elements outlined by EBF have been minimized due to the underfunding of Mandated Categoricals. We applaud the Governor’s efforts to address this need by increasing this budget line item to maintain proration levels. At the same time, additional investment will be needed in the years ahead to prevent districts from diverting EBF dollars away from classroom instruction in order to cover required services such as transportation and free and reduced-price meals. 

We look forward to working with the General Assembly in ensuring they protect and expand on what is working. Funding Illinois’ Future will continue to advocate for an investment of at least $550 million for schools. This would move Illinois closer to a system where every student, regardless of zip code, has access to a high-quality, well-resourced public education.

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Funding Illinois’ Future (FIF) is a coalition of more than 100 school districts, leaders, parents, educators, community, civic and faith-based organizations that helped fix Illinois’ school funding formula in 2017 with our advocacy for the historic implementation of the K-12 Evidence-based Funding Formula (EBF). We are now focused on the goal of equitable and adequate funding for all K-12 schools, and providing every Illinois student with the excellent education they deserve.