The Oak Park District 97 Legislative Advocacy Committee

(reprint with permission from the Legislative Action Committee.)

It’s time to end the Illinois school funding crisis

Here’s why we’re going to Springfield - and why you should, too.

Over the past three years, budgetary pressures have forced Oak Park’s public elementary schools to cut $3.6 million from the school budget. Cuts include more than 25 classroom teachers and academic support staff. The result is an increase in class sizes and a reduction in programs such as world language and language arts support.

Oak Park isn’t alone in paring such programs. School districts across the state are making similar cuts. Some are even closing schools early to close budget gaps. But it’s not enough - nearly 80% of Illinois schools face budget deficits this year and next year looks even worse. Among the major factors driving our schools’ growing fiscal crisis:

• Insufficient state funding. The Illinois constitution designates the state as the "primary source" of public education funding, requiring it to provide at least 50% of school budgets. But the state currently provides only 18% of District 97’s revenue. The shortfall must be made up though a combination of school program cuts and increased local taxes - usually property taxes.
• Inadequate and unreliable property tax revenues. While state funding shortfalls force school districts to rely heavily on local property taxes, state law also caps how much those taxes can be raised. When combined with an unpredictable property tax appeals process, which reduces total property tax revenues by as much as $1 million annually in Oak Park, District 97 funding typically can grow no more than 2.5% annually.
• Spiraling insurance and payroll costs. Two-thirds of Oak Park public elementary school revenues go to pay teachers’ salaries and overhead costs, including health insurance, liability insurance, property upkeep, unemployment and workers’ compensation insurance - all of which are rising faster than overall inflation. Even with staff and program cutbacks, District 97 operating costs are rising about 3.5% annually.

These factors, along with state-mandated curricula and other unfunded requirements, conspire to effectively cut the budget for Oak Park’s public elementary schools by about 1.5% every year - an ongoing structural deficit that threatens the ability of District 97 and school districts throughout Illinois to carry out their vital educational mission.

Since this structural deficit is largely a creation of state law, it must be addressed by changing state law. The District 97 Legislative Advocacy Committee was formed in January 2004 to influence state tax policy and legislation to achieve the following goals:

• Stabilize school district revenue streams through existing property tax and other funding mechanisms
• Encourage the state to meet its constitutional obligation to fund public education
• Reform state tax policy to reduce reliance on a property tax system that is of questionable fairness and is becoming economically unsustainable

With these facts and goals in mind, the Oak Park District 97 Legislative Advocacy Committee analyzes policy initiatives and legislation, develops recommendations to support or oppose measures, and issues alerts to community members to advocate for such measures.

High-quality public schools are a major reason many residents choose to live in Oak Park. Good schools are widely viewed as benefiting not only students, but as improving the atmosphere and property values of the community by attracting residents committed to educational excellence, and promoting tolerance, cultural richness and diversity. To meet these high expectations for our schools, Oak Park Elementary School District 97 is dedicated providing effective instruction and special assistance when needed to enable our children to reach appropriate, measurable, academic goals in pursuit of their full educational potential.

You can help achieve these goals by signing up for the D97 Legislative Advocacy Committee Listserv and contacting state legislators on pending legislation. You’ll receive by e-mail:

• Action alerts on proposed legislation affecting school programming and funding
• Issue briefs and information on how public policy affects local schools
• Contact information for local representatives so you can make your views known in Springfield - where it counts most.

You’ll also have access to extensive information on Oak Park and state school budgets, legislative proposals and school funding reform initiatives.

To sign up for the D97 Legislative Advocacy Listserv go to www.op97.org, [select] the "Legislative Advocacy Committee" link and follow the directions.

-Or-

E-mail majordomo@smtpgate1.op97.org with the message "subscribe d97-lac." Be sure to leave a space between "subscribe" and "d97". You’ll receive confirmation by e-mail. Stay informed on proposed school law changes and help shape legislation. You’ll be glad you did.