Unit 5 superintendent: New funding bill would be ‘devastating’

Posted on May 11, 2016

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – Unit 5’s superintendent is not in favor of the new school funding formula legislation the Illinois Senate passed this week.

Superintendent Mark Daniel said under that legislation, Unit 5 would stand to lose over $8 million in state funding.

“If you look at what we have per student, we’re already one of the lowest in the area,” said Daniel. “So this would be devastating for us.”

Daniel said he hoped this is just the beginning of the process for changing the funding formula, which he agrees needs to be reformed. Daniel added Unit 5’s education fund is already being pushed to the limit and under the new proposal they would have to put 50 students in a classroom.

The bill, which was put forth by State Sen. Andy Manar (D-Decatur), has been criticized by Republicans as a bailout for Chicago Public Schools. They said it takes money from downstate schools and gives it to CPS.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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