Springfield – A historic bipartisan agreement to replace the state's broken school funding formula with a more fair and equitable evidence-based model has now passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly, according to State Senator Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington).

"My goal has always been to put together a school funding reform measure that fairly and equitably funds all schools," said Senator Barickman. "The Governor’s signature is now the only remaining step to making that happen and replacing our state's antiquated system for funding schools."

The new agreement utilizes an evidence-based model to distribute funding to schools, a requirement of the recently passed budget. If signed into law as anticipated, schools will soon begin receiving their state funding.

Senator Barickman was the first legislator to introduce evidence-based school funding legislation back in the spring of 2015. The legislation was an attempt to fix the state's woefully outdated funding mechanism with a system that sends dollars to where they are needed most, and where the funding has the best chance of ensuring the success of students. Barickman’s legislation provided an alternative to competing bills that preserved the status quo of taking funding away from some schools and redistributing it to others.

94.1 WGFA