Members of the Illinois General Assembly concluded their special session early Sunday (May 24, 2020) after approving a new budget and taking other action.
State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) noted the new budget fully funds education at all levels. The budget preserves P-12 education funding, ensuring that the pandemic does not strip students of the opportunity to succeed in the future, said Bennett. The plan provides $12.6 billion dollars to P-12 education and $7.2 billion dollars specifically for the state’s evidence-based funding model.
Senator Bennett (shown in photo) says the plan also represents level funding for higher education and MAP grants, which many college students depend on to fund their education, as well as $35-million dollars for the AIM HIGH Pilot Program, which provides additional assistance to Illinois students to remain in the state and attend Illinois public colleges and universities.
Bennett emphasized that funding for state colleges and universities was held flat, helping protect them from destructive budget cuts. ‘’I’m grateful for the hard work that was put forth to negotiate a budget that prioritizes education even in these difficult economic times,’’ added Bennett. ‘’That said,’’ the Senator noted, ‘’this budget gives certainty to the University of Illinois, Parkland College and Danville Area Community College.’’
But some lawmakers are disappointed. ‘’In this unprecedented time, I believe the General Assembly has fallen short of the public’s expectations of how we respond to the issues facing our constituents,’’ said State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington. Barickman said ‘’instead of doing its job, the Legislature adjourned after passing an unbalanced, partisan budget that includes billions of dollars of borrowing and new spending, and no oversight of the Governor.’’
