Illinois Federation Of Teachers Blasts FY27 Budget Proposal For Underfunding Education

IFT and CTU President Stacy Davis Gates: Lawmakers Have One More Day to Make Education in Illinois the Megaproject it Ought to Be

“Today’s budget proposal reflects not enough compliance with Illinois' own evidence-based formula, not enough revenue for schools and services, and not enough courage from Governor Pritzker and lawmakers at a time when it is needed more than ever.

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“There’s already significant pain in our school communities. Governor Pritzker’s underfunding of education to the tune of $6 billion is hurting students’ classroom experience and causing school districts to cut student programs, close schools, and raise property taxes on homeowners from Naperville to Rockford to West Frankfort to Chicago. Universities are slashing positions, cutting student supports, and ending programs of study, all while tuition keeps going up.

“Massachusetts, Washington, and just yesterday, New York, are setting an example with workable solutions, and legislators in both chambers in the legislature are putting forward ideas - like taxing big tech, ending unfair tax shelters, and rolling back Trump tax cuts for billionaires - that would fund schools, healthcare, and vital programs. We need to use those ideas. It is inexcusable that the budget released today doesn’t fix these problems. Lawmakers have one day left to improve the budget, treat our children’s education as the megaproject it ought to be, and prevent repeating another year of shortchanging the children of this state and our school communities once again.”

The Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) represents 105,000 teachers and paraprofessionals in PreK-12 school districts throughout Illinois, faculty and staff at Illinois’ community colleges and universities, public employees under every statewide elected constitutional officer, and retirees.

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