IL schools could close without funds from Senate Bill 1
ILLINOIS (KFVS) - Illinois has its first budget in more than two fiscal years, but Governor Bruce Rauner has yet to sign off or veto the school funding reform bill.
With less than a month from the start of school, this bill affects the schools across the state of Illinois.
Rebecca Marlow, a mother of 4, thinks about the possibility of schools not opening in the Fall and worries about her kid's education.
"It's scary. That's kind of a scary thought actually, [and] I honestly don't know what to make of that..i don't know what my children would. I mean…I don't know. Homeschool?" Marlow chuckles.
Senate Bill 1, known as the evidence-based school funding reform bill, passed the General Assembly on May 31 but Governor Bruce Rauner has vowed to veto it.
"It is a little uneasy, but hopefully it does get passed and we will get the funding that we need...For the sake of my children and my 2-year old who is not in school yet and the future of all children," she continued
Marlow's daughter is on the dance team and the honor society at Herrin Middle School, which is one of the schools in Illinois that is still waiting on that state aid.
Superintendent Terry Ryker, explained that more than half of its schools funding comes from state aid in Senate Bill 1.
"An evidence based model is not passed fully and signed by the governor OR its veto is overridden by the governor, that 50% of our money is not coming in. Our school district would run as long as possible with the funds that we have but we would be out of money by around November," Dr. Ryker said.
Without knowing how much money the school will get, Dr. Ryker said it's tough to budget.
"I'm still a little nervous, but I'm feeling better," Ryker said. "Because I think cooler heads are going to prevail and the states going to do something. They are not going to allow thousands upon thousands of school children, not to go to school. That's just ludicrous."
Lawmakers filed a motion to reconsider (or "hold" the legislation), which will give the governor more time to think if over.
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