Usually, on June 1st, the IL legislative session closes for the summer. However, this year, there are bills that didn’t move forward on time and state elected leaders are continuing to work beyond June 1st. We’re continuing to watch these bills as they make their way through the  legislature. 

 

As an Elevate Chicago family member, we’re writing to provide our debrief of this year’s legislative session. There were a number of bills that we followed that impact our schools, our kids, and their futures. See below for where we were successful, and what we’re still watching.

 

Silencing voices in school communities (HB114/SB577) – Success!

• Many charter public school family members sent messages to their elected officials, voicing out against this bill. The outreach of Elevate Chicago families, other charter public school families, and advocates managed to put a stop to SB 577 – a great victory for Chicago’s charters in the short-term. 
• While this bill is not a threat right now, we’ll be keeping an eye out for it in case it comes back in the future. 

 

Elected School Board (HB2908/SB2497) – Still watching

• Several weeks ago, the Senate passed a compromise elected school board bill that would establish a 21-person school board and kick off elections beginning in 2024. This legislation would bring the first elected school board in Chicago history.
• On Wednesday, this bill passed out of its House committee. This bill now requires a full House vote before heading to the governor’s desk. 

 

Evidence Based Funding (EBF) – Still watching

• The general assembly passed the FY22 budget which included $350M for Evidence Based Funding (EBF). After initially proposing no increase in school funding due to the economic toll from the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. J.B. Pritzker reversed course and recommended that the general assembly boost the state’s almost $9 billion education budget by $350 million. Making that move would keep with a bipartisan pledge to put at least $350 million into the state’s evidence-based funding formula each year.