State senator and Joliet native Rachel Ventura has announced a 6.6 million dollar boost in funding for Will County schools for the 2024 fiscal year. Ventura campaigned as a progressive last year, vowing to represent working people and young people in Springfield. After being elected her work and many others in Springfield have led to a $350 million increase in the Evidence-Based Funding program’s budget, bringing it to a total of $8.28 billion.
The money is distributed to schools across the state to assist in paying for programs and additional expenses related to ensuring an equal opportunity to education in Illinois. For Joliet, the money will be going to assist students from low-income families, the special education program, and English language learners.
Like many states, Illinois schools are funded by property taxes which leads to significant disparities in opportunities for students who live in lower-income communities. The EBF program aims to end those disparities. District 204, for example, was only 58% adequate for funding all the programs we needed in 2018. Now after the state more than doubling our total funding as well as increased revenues from the city due to our growing economy, District 204 is now 82% adequate. This takes District 204 off the tier 1 list meaning our school won’t need as much help in the future.
As of 2024 District 204 will be receiving $25.3 million from the state, a $600,000 increase from 2023. Dr. Hampton, District 204’s Assistant Superintendent for Business Services is entering his 11th year with Joliet Township and he is very pleased with the improvements seen at the schools as a result of the funding. In an interview regarding the $600,000 boost in state funding, he said, “Now with a little bit more money we will be able to provide more for our students.”WHe was also proud to announce the opening of a new transition center for 18 to 22-year-olds in Joliet. The center is a major investment in young people in Joliet because it will assist in the transition period from school life to work life for students who need it most.
It’s these types of investments that build up a community. In addition to the transitional center Dr. Hampton also said, “We started providing bus services for summer school to try helping those students who might be lower income who don’t have the opportunity for transportation in the summer, or can’t afford summer school tuition.” The additional funds from the state and the growing Joliet economy will ensure all students in the area get a quality education and all students have an equal opportunity to learn.