As officials with the Illinois State Board of Education propose their budget request, they say they are not complying with President Donald Trump’s order to end diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
Despite the total number of students in Illinois going down over several years, ISBE is asking for more tax dollars. State Superintendent of Schools Tony Sanders told a House committee Tuesday that the $11.4 billion request is an increase of nearly half a billion dollars from the current fiscal year and helps with three main goals.
“One, to ensure that each student increases in their knowledge, skills and opportunities each year; two, to equip all schools with the necessary resources to provide safe, healthy and welcoming learning environments; and three, to prepare, support and celebrate our educators,” Sanders said.
The increased spending request includes mandated spending for things like buses that local districts are largely responsible for. There’s also more money for early childhood education programs, teacher vacancy grants and even continued funding for so-called “affinity groups.”
The budget request also takes into account funding for meal programs, including during summer months.
State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, said student adequacy rates aren’t anything to brag about. Sanders acknowledged there’s more work to do.
“I will always say that we have opportunities to continue to grow in public education,” Sanders said. “We certainly want to see the numbers increase.”
The next budget year begins July 1.
Sanders was asked during a House committee hearing about the possible impacts to special education funding under the Trump administration’s efforts to close the U.S. Department of Education. He said it could be a lump sum to each state.
“That said, if there was a funding shortfall or a reduction in funding from the federal government, our budget does not predict for that,” he said. “We don’t have any way of making up for that loss.”
Wilhour asked how ISBE is responding to Trump’s efforts to withhold funding for agencies continuing DEI policies. Sanders said they’re not complying because of ongoing litigation, claiming the letter does not have the force of law.
“I have encouraged districts to continue forward with teaching the way they’ve always taught and doing work the way they’ve always been doing it,” Sanders said.
The impact could be more than $2.2 billion in federal tax funds not coming to Illinois.
Trump has said DEI policies are “anti-constitutional and deeply demeaning” and contrary to being “colorblind and competence-based.”
