IL Freedom Caucus calls for accountability in education spending

Photo from Education Press Conference with the Illinois Freedom Caucus. Photo submitted.

For Immediate Release – February 22, 2023

Springfield, IL – The Illinois Freedom Caucus today held a press conference to call for a more focused results-oriented approach to education spending in Illinois.

“The Governor wants to create new education programs and new permanent spending lines in the budget, but he has not bothered to even ask questions about the effectiveness of current education programs,” said State Representative Jed Davis (R-Newark). “Every Governor going back to George Ryan has made early childhood education a priority. There is nothing wrong with making education a priority but when only 30 percent of kids can read at grade level and barely 25 percent can do math at grade level, just how successful has all of this spending on early childhood education really been? We have been putting money into these programs for a long time and there is little evidence to suggest that these programs are accomplishing anything in terms reading or math proficiencies. It is time we demanded more accountability in how we spend money before we go and create new programs and new spending. We need results not more political hyperbole and empty rhetoric.”

Illinois’ education spending is more than any other surrounding state, but outcomes are not commensurate with spending.

K-12 spending in Illinois is $16,277 per pupil for a total of $32,207,915,000 annually.
Indiana K-12 schools spend $10,256 per pupil for a total of $10,823,183,000 annually.
Iowa K-12 schools spend $11,935 per pupil for a total of $6,143,589,000 annually.
Kentucky K-12 schools spend $11,278 per pupil for a total of $7,646,150,000 annually.
Wisconsin K-12 schools spend $12,694 per pupil for a total of $10,904,913,000 annually.

Wisconsin has the eighth-best public schools in the U.S. The state ranks fifth for quality, tying with Minnesota for the highest median SAT score. Wisconsin’s pupil-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, lower than the U.S. average. Illinois is ranked as the 15^th best schools with Kentucky Iowa ranked 19^th and 20^th and Indiana ranked 22^nd.

“Illinois is spending substantially more per pupil than surrounding states and yet in terms of academics is producing very similar results,” said State Representative David Friess (R-Red Bud). “There is no correlation between money spent and outcomes. Again, we have no issues with spending money on education, but given what we are spending on education and given the fact that surrounding states are doing as much and in one case – more – with fewer dollars being spent, we must demand accountability in education spending. It is time we asked what are we getting with all of this state spending on education? Results matter.”

Median tuition for private Christian schools ranges from $5,000 to $8,000. Data from the US Department of education shows that reading and math scores for grades 4 and 8 were on average 11-14 points higher for kids in private schools than kids in public schools.

“There is no question that private schools are able to create better outcomes with far less resources than public schools,” Davis said. “The idea that we should continue spending without demanding any kind of meaningful results helps no one least of all our students.”

State Representative Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) said the solution is school choice.

“We have continued to fund failed programs in our education system for too long,” Wilhour said. “It is time to adopt policies that will produce good results with minimal investment. It is time for our education dollars to follow students and give families real choices in their kids’ education.”

Wilhour is sponsoring House Bill 1142 which creates a voucher program to empower parents and provide real help to families who want to escape failing public schools. He also is sponsoring House Bill 1640, which creates the Efficient School District Commission and would require the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the electorate on the number of school districts in this State and where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial.

“Illinois has the fourth highest number of school districts in the nation,” Wilhour said. “We need to look at ways to bring that number down and do it in a strategic way which is what House Bill 1640 is all about. We need to make the Invest in Kids program permanent and we need to increase the tax credit to 100 percent instead of 75 percent which is what House Bill 1642 does. Making the Invest in Kids program permanent, funding voucher programs and reducing the number of school districts are ways we can improve outcomes and lower costs.”

Finally, State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) said it is time for those in the education arena to stop the double speak when it comes to education funding.

“We are told that the current spending is working but then at the same time we are also told that if we really want to make a difference in education then we need to increase evidence-based funding from $300 million to $912 million,” Halbrook said. “Which is it? You can’t say something is working and then demand to triple the size of the program. We need to demand accountability and there needs to be real evidence that evidence based funding is working and so far that is not the case.”

The Illinois Freedom Caucus is comprised of State Representatives Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich); Chris Miller (R-Oakland); Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville); Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City); Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur); Jed Davis (R-Newark) and David Friess (R-Red Bud). The members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus are members of the Illinois General Assembly who are advocating for limited government, lower taxes and accountability and integrity in government.

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