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What is A+ Illinois?
A+ Illinois is a statewide campaign, bringing together concerned groups and individuals that recognize that Illinois education is in crisis. A + Illinois is committed to the real reforms required to improve the declining quality of public education that affects every student in every community in our state. A+ Illinois advocates that state government take a greater financial role supporting local education. Reforms are needed to ensure that we can improve education outcomes at the same time we reduce the reliance on local property taxes to fund our schools. A+ Illinois includes a broad range of statewide and local civic, education, child advocacy, business, labor, civil rights, religious, human services, and community organizations.

What is wrong with schools in Illinois? Is there really an education crisis in Illinois?
About 1,000 Illinois schools failed to meet federal academic requirements, and the failure rate is higher in schools with large numbers of poor students, minority students, special education students, and students who speak limited English. There is a public education crisis that has reached epidemic proportions. All types and sizes of school districts are in peril, in every part of the state. Next year, eight in 10 districts will have budget deficits, and this year, the list of schools on the financial "watch" list, the most serious financial profile designation, nearly doubled from last year. Many schools have been forced to make tough decisions that compromise the quality of education, including increasing class sizes, laying off teachers, cutting programs such as teacher training, cutting important course offerings, and relying on outdated textbooks and equipment. Under-funded schools that don't meet academic standards threaten the futures of students and communities throughout Illinois. Unless lawmakers take action now, the quality of student learning and the quality of life in our communities will only get worse.

How does the quality of education in Illinois compare to other states?
Illinois is falling behind the nation, ranking 49th among the 50 states in the amount of funding the state provides for education. In the latest national report card, Illinois ranked among the three largest achievement gaps between low-poverty and high-poverty students in the nation in three of four tests in reading and math. Over one-third of Illinois public schools failed federal academic standards, reflecting a deplorable achievement gap, leaving far too many students behind. Illinois is not keeping its teachers. High levels of teacher turnover and attrition contribute to a shortage of high quality teachers and chronic low student achievement. Illinois' attrition rate for new teachers over a five-year period is nearly 40 percent.

How does education funding affect the quality of our schools?
The issues of adequate funding and school quality are intricately connected. Smaller class sizes, teacher training, and adequate textbooks and equipment are all key factors in student achievement. Inadequate funding has a direct impact on those factors. A huge investment gap exists between school districts. Some schools spend more than $23,000 per student per year, while others spend less than $5,000. A+ Illinois believes in "bringing the bottom up" by providing additional funds to those children and schools struggling to meet state learning standards while preserving high-quality education in wealthier districts.

How does Illinois' funding for education compare to other states?
Illinois ranks 49^th among the 50 states in the amount of funding the state provides for education. State funding in Illinois covers, on average, less than 30 percent of the cost of educating a student, far less than the national average of about 50 percent. Illinois has the second worst per-pupil spending gap in the nation between wealthy and poor school districts. This troubling spending gap has persisted for far too many years.

This isn't the right time to tackle school-funding reforms. Shouldn't we wait until the economy improves?
The quality of Illinois education has been a concern for years, and the student achievement gap between wealthy and poor kids is growing at an alarming rate. As the governor has said, fixing this problem must be our top priority. Investing in better education for our children is the most important investment we could make in our state's future, helping today's students to get better jobs tomorrow, raise strong families and contribute to their communities' well-being. Better schools would ensure a vibrant Illinois economy, over the long haul, generating a strong workforce that will help Illinois companies and communities stay competitive. The quality of schools is a key factor when corporations make decisions about where to locate facilities. Failing schools hurts Illinois' chances to bring new business and revenue to the state. We've been talking for 30 years about the need to fix school-funding problems; change is long overdue. It is time to act.

Why didn't the Illinois Lottery provide enough funding for schools?
Lottery profits are often touted as a cure-all for Illinois' inadequate education budget, but in fact these funds make up just 8% of the state's contribution to schools, and less than 3% of the total funds dedicated to education. We must avoid the shell game that occurred when lottery funds simply replaced general revenue funds, resulting in no real increases in education funding. A+ Illinois believes that ensuring that any new revenue generated is strictly earmarked for education must be a core part of any plan to reform school funding in Illinois.

How does taxation in Illinois compare to other states?
Illinois has some of the highest property taxes in the nation, which puts a heavy burden on local residents, especially seniors, and hurts local economic development. At the same time, Illinois has a very low income tax rate, the lowest of the 41 states that impose an income tax. In general Illinois remains a low tax state overall, ranking 47th in the nation, and increasing the state commitment to education would not change that.

Don't you think schools first need to be made more accountable for their spending?
We agree that accountability, improving administrative efficiencies, and raising the quality of schools are essential parts of the conversations we must have about education reform. We must guarantee that we're spending our dollars wisely - getting the biggest bang for our school buck. Across Illinois, schools have been cutting administrative costs and on programs - even core academic courses. More can be done in certain districts, but overall, the fat is being cut and we are beginning to cut into the meat of basic education. But the most fundamental questions we face are these: How can we increase funding for struggling schools? And how can we make funding fairer among schools?

We need to learn from past mistakes like the lottery. All of the money that comes from the lottery is spent on education. The problem is that those funds replaced other state funding sources. A+ Illinois proposes to guarantee increased revenue be put into a School Funding and Property Tax Relief Fund that can only be spent for these two purposes. In addition, we will insist on legislation called a "continuing appropriation" that will guarantee that these new funds supplement, not replace existing state support for education.

The governor has said he will not increase taxes. How do you plan to deal with that?
The governor must stand behind his promise to make education his top priority. The state must increase its support for education from a dismal 30 percent to at least 51 percent. If it doesn't come from a mix of income and sales taxes, then the governor must tell us from where it will come. A+ Illinois has been in touch with the governor's office and are looking forward to continued collaboration with him and his staff. We have explained that voters throughout our state want the state to pay a greater share for public education and to pay less in local property taxes. We need a solution to the state's education and fiscal crises now.

Do schools need more than additional funding to address their most pressing concerns?
Improved school funding helps create better school quality, providing the critical resources to decrease class size, attract, train, and retain high quality teachers, and update textbooks, equipment and materials. A+ Illinois supports proven strategies that build schools' capacity to help children learn, such as expanded early childhood learning opportunities, efforts to develop and retain more qualified teachers, and more effective use of individual student and class data to improve student learning.

What are the key components of a good plan for reform?
A solid plan must:

1. Increase the level of state funding through new revenue sources and direct those dollars toward proven education strategies
2. Relieve the pressure on ever increasing local property taxes to support education
3. Ensure that the poorest and lowest achieving schools have a chance to compete, while preserving the quality of education at wealthier and more successful schools.

How do you propose that we change our state's tax structure?
A+ Illinois supports common-sense solutions for making our tax structure work better for Illinois children and families. Any package must decrease the burden of property taxes on local property taxpayers. All options to generate revenue should be on the table. We will support plans consistent with our principles and priorities.

Won't higher taxes hurt the business climate?
Extremely high property taxes and increasing taxes on businesses have already driven employers from Illinois. Restructuring school financing so we have a fairer system and improving student achievement will help turnaround the state's business climate and start creating jobs.

Will schools in wealthier communities be hurt?
No. A+ Illinois advocates "bringing the bottom up," providing additional state funds to those schools struggling to meet state learning standards while preserving high-quality education in wealthier districts.

Will A+ Illinois introduce a bill or bills in the General Assembly this year?
Our biggest job now is to develop broad public and political support for meaningful solutions to our school funding and tax structure problems; it's important that we engage the public, legislators, and the governor in the discussion. Or leaders have said that education is their top priority, yet the governor and the legislature have yet to address the crisis in a serious way. We expect our leaders to act this year.

How can we ensure the job of reform gets done soon?
First, join A+ Illinois. We need every voice in support of this cause. Our political leaders have the tools to solve the crisis in our schools and communities. Yet, they need to hear from people like you that our children and property taxpayers cannot afford to wait any longer for a solution. A+ Illinois is encouraging people to take active steps in contacting the governor and state legislators to demand a special session this fall, after elections, to focus on improving education quality and funding and reforming our tax system.

How is A+ Illinois different from other education funding and quality reform campaigns in Illinois?
As the magnitude of the problems in schools and communities grows larger, more organizations are forming to advocate for serious change in our education system. A+ Illinois is the only statewide campaign that is proposing a comprehensive agenda that supports strategies to improve learning for our students struggling the most, improves school funding, reforms our tax system to decrease the burden on property taxpayers, and creates a more fair and stable tax structure. We intend to join forces with other parents, employers, local elected officials and community leaders who share this goal.

How can I get involved?
There are a number of ways to support A+ Illinois. You can endorse the A+ Illinois principles and talk with lawmakers and others in your community about the need to adopt long-term solutions to Illinois’ education and state budget crises. You can publicize campaign news in your organization’s newsletter, host a town meeting, or make a financial contribution. Explore this Web site or contact any of the people listed below to learn more.

Mary Ellen Guest, A+ Illinois
312-516-5575

Sean Noble, Voices for Illinois Children
312-516-5566