Lanterna Rally

Author: R. E. Everett

Publisher:

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 9781883559038

This book has been prepared so that taxpayers, school board members, and administrators may learn more about school finance in their own districts. It will equip them with the information necessary to understand and evaluate both the statewide system of education in Illinois and how this system relates to their own school district. Despite state-level adjustments and property-tax-relief measures at the local level, the overall funding system for Illinois schools has remained relatively unchanged for over 20 years. The current system depends heavily on local property taxes for the majority of its dollars, produces funding disparities among per-pupil expenditures, offers no incentives for schools to produce positive academic results, and offers no consequences for schools that do not. This guidebook was designed to help Illinois citizens understand how their local schools receive and spend money. It first describes how Illinois schools are organized, then discusses the source of state monies. Next, it explores the property tax system and the local revenue base for schools. The state school-aid formula is discussed to demonstrate how individual school districts receive state dollars, which are then combined with local and federal funds to form the total revenue base. The guidebook ends with a look at the local school budget to determine how that money may be spent. A glossary, nine figures, and six tables are included. (Contains 11 references.) (LMI)