Eye On Illinois: Properly funding public schools should always be a long-term process

Although the ultimate reality is that the people government serves care about outcome, process remains an important component of administration.

This thought comes to mind in the context of a Capitol News Illinois story about the State Board of Education fielding increased funding requests. Matt Seaton, ISBE’s chief financial officer, said at its monthly board meeting the agency has fielded requests for extra money exceeding $1.7 billion.

Of that, the largest amount calls for more money entering the pool of evidence-based funding, a system in place since 2017 designed to get every district up to an adequate funding level. Back then, lawmakers committed to increasing the EBF allocation by $350 million each year. But in recent years, some are suggesting the annual increase should be more like $550 million.

I certainly support more money into public education. Many disagree, but I have my reasons. The kids benefit first and foremost. An educated society is a general good. Property values (and yes, property taxes) tend to stay higher in communities with desirable schools. There is a positive economic impact in terms of classroom and support staff jobs as well as the ripple effects of businesses that sell to and through schools. And so on.

Money isn’t the only thing, but it’s a major factor. Illinois’ best high schools rank among the top public or private schools anywhere in the country, but far too few students have the geographical opportunity to attend such institutions. So in broad strokes, I personally don’t need to be convinced you can do a lot of good by putting more money into public schools.

However.

Government funding is never a zero-sum game. In normal economic conditions, asking one agency to increase spending requires either extra income or cutting in other areas. While it’s fair to debate what constitutes normal, and if Illinois is fully on the other side – financially at least – of COVID-19′s budgetary implications, we’re clearly fresh out of money trees.

“It does appear that revenue will be a little bit tighter in the next four to five years,” Seaton said last week. “And with other state pressures, whether that be pension payments or what have you, it would be our anticipation that the budgets are going to start to restrict a little bit.”

All of which is to say the process here matters. If that additional $350 million per year doesn’t go as far as it needs to, the proper course is going back to the legislative negotiating table to recalculate and fully consider the impacts across the spending spectrum, then plan accordingly.

The schools aren’t going away and neither are the needs. Long-term challenges demand long-term solutions with sustainable, reliable and predictable funding.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Media. Follow him on Twitter @sth749. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.