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School Funding Reform NLU forum turned focus toward long-term solutions As many Illinois educators entered their classrooms for the start of another school year, stretched budgets dampened their excitement. After a contentious extended legislative session, Illinois' lawmakers passed another one-year budget rather than adopting a long-term solution to address the inequities of the Illinois school funding system. As a result, school administrators and teachers were again asked to strike a balance between providing a quality education for the state's children and cutting arts and after school programs and going without necessary resources like updated textbooks and supplies. To provoke further discussion and action in Springfield about needs of Illinois' public schools, National-Louis University, the Golden Apple Foundation and A+ Illinois convened six leading school funding experts for a forum on October 6 to pinpoint current concerns and review viable solutions for Illinois school funding reform based on successes in other states. This meeting brought a new, broader perspective on this important issue to educators, school administrators, parents and other concerned citizens from Chicagoland and across the state. "One of the things we've talked about at National-Louis is getting back at the policy table," said Dr. Pappas. "We know this is more than just equal funding as an issue. We know it's equal access to quality education for all children." Cornelia Grumman of the Chicago Tribune editorial board moderated the forum, which featured Allan Odden, professor of educational leadership and policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and co-director of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE); Honorable Miguel del Valle, City Clerk of Chicago; Ralph Martire, executive director for The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability; Honorable Luther Olson, Wisconsin State Senator; Honorable Kathy Ryg, Illinois House of Representatives; and Dr. Donald Schlomann, superintendent, School District 303, St. Charles, IL. "I'm thrilled that National-Louis, Golden Apple and A+ Illinois thought enough to keep this conversation going," said Grumman. "It's just so important to keep the dialog continuing with forums like this." Clerk del Valle initiated the discussion by exploring how to get communities to understand the link between Illinois' current school funding system to inequities across the state. "We haven't been able to convince enough individuals that this really does matter," said del Valle, "and that they are the ones that have to be able to then convince their legislators, the government and other policymakers that change—significant, radical change—is necessary." Martire then explained how Illinois funds education. "We are a large, affluent state," he said. "We are richer and bigger in our economy than Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Greece, Norway," he continued. He noted that Illinois ranks 49th in the portion of school funding provided from state sources. "Guess how many kids are passing tests in Illinois today?" asked Martire. "Fifty-one percent. We are getting exactly what we are paying for in this state," he said. "[The education system] is delivering what we're giving it the capacity to do." Representative Ryg said that, during the last session, legislators leaned on solutions identified by groups outside of advocates within the General Assembly. "It actually came from the Tribune series," she said, referring the 2007 Chicago Tribune "From Here to Excellence" editorial series about school funding and quality schools. She went on to explain that had there been more cooperation among the elected leaders during the last session, legislators could have had more success with the issue of school funding. Professor Odden, Senator Olsen and Superintendent Schlomann then turned the discussion toward promising solutions for school funding in Illinois. Odden, a national expert in school finance whose research has been the catalyst for a number of school funding reform efforts, introduced the notion of adequacy. "Adequacy is an odd word," said Odden. "Because it is sounds something like barely enough." He clarified that in the school community, it is a much more ambitious term. "Because what it really means is what does it take programmatically –and what are the costs of those programs and structures—to teach kids to world-class standards," he said. He explained an evidence-based approach; 10 steps that would double results of students without doubling costs to school districts and the state. Part of that approach is to focus class time more efficiently. For example, if a student is struggling with a core skill like mathematics or reading, he said, give that student a double of that subject. Olsen then discussed how other states have successfully moved to a model based on adequacy, and how it could work in Illinois. According to Olsen, leading policymakers and legislators in Wisconsin launched a study on whether Wisconsin provides an adequate education. The study, lead by Odden, determined necessary funding and how those dollars should be spent to create quality, higher performing schools. "I believe that we need to continue to do the kind of work that Allan has done and work on this thing so that when the time is right," Olsen said, "we have a plan in place." He added, "Unless we engage the business community," referring specifically to manufacturers, chambers of commerce, realtors and homebuilders, "we get nothing done." Superintendent Schlomann offered his perspective on how the plan Odden detailed could be implemented in Illinois. He echoed Olsen's call to work closer with the business community, and help those groups understand the benefits they would receive from an adequately funded and higher quality school system. "Until East St. Louis is as successful as St. Charles, or at least has the same opportunities," he said, "we aren't successful in Illinois." During the forum, Grumman encouraged attendees to make comments and ask questions. One asked whether and how legislators could use stronger tactics to push long-term school funding reform. Another asked Odden whether his plan included a pay-per-performance policy for teachers. Grumman closed the forum by pointing out that there is hope. She called for increased—and very strategic—funding. "We advocated seven major strategies that have been proven and, in most cases, that are shown to be pretty effective in raising student performance," she said, referencing the Chicago Tribune's "From Here to Excellence" editorial series. Those strategies, she said, include smaller class sizes, intensive tutoring, rewarding excellent teachers, more school choice, intensive mentoring and induction for new teachers, longer school days and longer school years. "There are no silver bullets, but it doesn't have to be that complicated," she said, explaining that there are plenty of examples of strategies that have worked around the country. "If we focus on the vision and we focus on what works, then maybe there will be movement in the future."
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