Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for January 11, 2008 WE'RE IN THE MONEY!

Passage of BIMP provides bump in IL General State Aid. This new law provides an extra $300 per student.

Lawmakers approve changes so schools will get extra money

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois schools should start seeing millions more in state aid later this month after lawmakers Thursday finally ended a long-running dispute that held up a record money increase.

The Illinois House voted 114-0 Thursday to approve the "budget implementation," or BIMP, bill that authorizes spending hundreds of millions of dollars on schools and other state needs.

State legislators included a record increase of $560 million in school funding in last summer's budget but didn't pass the language needed to let them receive and spend the money.

Disputes among legislative leaders held the language up until November. Gov. Rod Blagojevich then waited until the final day he could act last week to make technical changes to the measure, requiring lawmakers to accept the revisions. The Senate approved the changes Wednesday, so they now become law.

Legislators said it was a shame it took several months to resolve the issue.

"But we are where we are. What has taken place has taken place," said Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville. "It is now time to move forward."

Schools should start seeing the extra money in payments starting Jan. 20, said Illinois State Board of Education spokesman Matt Vanover.

Blagojevich's staff said the governor's changes would save schools $50 million this year by correcting a mistake in the legislation that would have tied up some special education money.

The governor in a statement thanked lawmakers for their "swift action" in protecting special education money and said he is "proud that the months-long effort to provide the largest annual state investment in education ever is now complete."

One of Illinois' major teachers' unions said schools can't afford to wait again for months on state cash but welcome the money.

"Finally, the desperately needed funding is going to start reaching our schools," said Ken Swanson, president of the Illinois Education Association.

The bill is SB783.