Herscher District 2
Herscher District 2
Kankakee County schools would be net losers of state funding under a bill that passed the Illinois State Senate Wednesday.
Collectively, the county's 12 school districts would get $1.15 million per year less from the state's school funding formula, a two percent decrease from their 2015 funding levels, according to an Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) analysis obtained by the Kankakee Times.
Both Kankakee County State Senators-- Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields) and Sen. Donne Trotter (D-Chicago)-- voted "yes" on Senate Bill 1, which passed 35-18 with three Senators voting present.
Herscher District 2 (44% decrease), Grant Park District 6 (37% decrease), Manteno District 5 (19% decrease), Bourbonnais District 53 (19% decrease), St George District 258 (17% decrease) and Bradley-Bourbonnais District 307 (16% decrease) would all be losers if Senate Bill 1 is enacted into law.
Kankakee District 111 (+9 percent), St. Anne District 302 (+8 percent), Pembroke District 259 (+7 percent) and Momence District 1 (+4 percent) all stand to receive more state funding from the bill.
Senate Bill 1, sponsored by State Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), includes a $385 million bailout of Chicago Public Schools, which face bankruptcy due to years of deficit spending.
The state funding cuts wouldn't take effect immediately. Manar's bill also includes a temporary "hold harmless" clause that would effectively delay them for two years.
The ISBE analysis was conducted last summer, after Manar unveiled his school funding proposal. It is the last known analysis of the bill.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has vowed to veto the legislation should it reach his desk.
Editor's note: This story was updated on May 19 with the addition of the seventh and eighth paragraphs, which were added after the initial publication of this story on May 18.
---
How does your district fare under the state's new proposed school funding formula?
Senate Bill 1 promises a fairer distribution of state funding to local school districts. In Kankakee County, it takes from some and gives to others.
| School District | 2015 State Funding | New State Funding | % Change |
| Kankakee SD 111 | $27,649,473 | $30,220,588 | 9% |
| St Anne CHSD 302 | $1,038,542 | $1,122,547 | 8% |
| Pembroke CCSD 259 | $1,804,828 | $1,930,735 | 7% |
| Momence CUSD 1 | $3,865,737 | $4,012,210 | 4% |
| St Anne CCSD 256 | $1,132,695 | $1,166,359 | 3% |
| Bradley SD 61 | $4,828,177 | $4,916,478 | 2% |
| Bradley Bourbonnais CHSD 307 | $4,658,622 | $3,917,136 | -16% |
| St George CCSD 258 | $1,171,121 | $972,978 | -17% |
| Bourbonnais SD 53 | $5,167,566 | $4,194,182 | -19% |
| Manteno CUSD 5 | $4,767,743 | $3,843,264 | -19% |
| Grant Park CUSD 6 | $676,373 | $427,198 | -37% |
| Herscher CUSD 2 | $2,524,191 | $1,417,442 | -44% |
| TOTAL | $59,285,068 | $58,141,116 | -2% |
Source: Illinois State Board of Education
Alerts Sign-up