CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner is set to sign legislation Thursday that will change the way the state funds schools, a plan he said will ensure every child “gets a chance at an excellent education regardless of their parents’ income” or where they live.
Besides distributing state aid more equitably, the long-sought deal the Legislature approved this week gives districts more flexibility on state mandates, allows residents in well-funded districts to reduce their property taxes and creates a new tax credit for donations to private school scholarships.
It also provides more than $430 million in new funding to Chicago Public Schools. That’s roughly $150 million more than the amount Rauner stripped from an earlier plan and railed against as a “bailout.” Asked Wednesday about the turnaround, the Republican said the measure is a compromise and includes “many of the goals I recommended.”
Here’s a look at the plan:
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