Illinois doesn't need more money for education, it just needs to distribute it better, Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) said in a press release recently.
“The total amount we are spending is comparable in the Midwest,” McCarter said. “The portion coming from the state is lower than what it should be, but the amount coming from property taxes is higher than it should be. The funding per student is not equitable.”
McCarter’s comments come in the wake of a recent report from the Chicago City Wire that shows spending on Illinois public schools has increased at a rate 12 times higher than the rate of student enrollment over the past two decades. McCarter said that some school districts in his constituency spend just over $6,200 per student, as opposed to Chicago Public School’s rate of just over $15,300. The Chicago City Wire reported that the average amount spent per student in Illinois in 2016 was nearly $20,200.
Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon)
“What is really needed to improve our schools and deliver greater outcomes is parental involvement and stable home environments with mothers and fathers,” McCarter said. “Unfortunately neither of these can be legislated or appropriated.”
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