Week to 10 Days: Illinois schools to see new formula money soon

Jason Barickman
State Senator Jason Barickman is the Senate Republican point man on school funding. (Photo Cynthia Grau/WJEZ)

By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – A week to ten days for some, by the end of the school year for everyone.

State Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, said that’s the simple answer as to when Illinois schools will see money from the new school funding formula.

“The Illinois State Board of Education is making plans to start issuing checks,” Barickman said. “I think we’re behind, at least two if not three payments have been missed. So immediately the State Board is going to catch up.”

Barickman said ISBE will cut some checks this week, though it will take some time to make sure every school gets what it’s owed.

“The State Board [will eventually] collect data that may contradict slightly the checks that have already been cut,” Barickman said. “So they will true that up. But (ISBE) will do that during this school year. So at the end of this school year, every school should receive the money that they’re owed under the new formula.”

Illinois lawmakers approved the new formula that makes need to biggest driver of who receives new state dollars, but guarantees no school will get less from the sate than they’re getting now.

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