Resolving the School Funding Debate: Metropolitan Planning Council Recommendations for Education and Tax Reform in 2007

For over 30 years, Illinois leaders have debated how to properly fund education to ensure a quality education for all children no matter where they live. Through economic boom and bust, school districts with inadequate resources have been unable to provide the level of education that more prosperous districts provide.  Areas with high property tax rates have struggled to attract investment from businesses and homeowners. During this time, some schools have fallen chronically short of state learning standards, often the very same ones without local tax base to support their schools. The state’s fiscal position also has deteriorated, especially in regards to its unfunded pension liability.