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ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK

The Illinois State Board of Education is expected to soon release its analysis of Gov. Bruce Rauner's suggested changes to the Democrats school funding reform bill.

Once the numbers are out, school districts will know how much money they can expect from the state under the plan put forward through Rauners amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1, which passed in May but wasn't sent to the governor's desk until last week.

With more than 850 school districts across the state, Rauner said it takes time for the education board to crunch the numbers.

Its very complicated, Rauner said. It's not easily done and the majority of the General Assembly knows it takes time and knows the state board of education wont run new numbers until theres a specific bill to run numbers from.

Despite the numbers not yet being available, the sponsor of the Democrats school funding reform bill said some school districts across the state will lose under the governors changes.

During a news conference last week, state Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, had maps showing numerous school districts that would receive less funding under Rauner's plan.

When asked where he got his numbers, since official education board numbers werent available, Manar said, You dont need numbers to know that thats gonna make school districts lose. You just dont.

Senate Democrat spokesperson John Patterson did not immediately respond to a follow-up inquiry from Illinois News Network as to where Manar's numbers came from.

Despite the unclear origin of his own numbers, Manar took to Twitter last week saying, "Prepare for fake ISBE numbers" on Rauner's amendatory veto.

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Rauner said the numbers from ISBE on his amendatory veto are expected soon.

So they [Democrats] delayed it [SB1] as long as possible because the truth isnt very good for the bill in its original form, Rauner said. I think the truth will be very good for the [amendatory veto] when it comes out.

Republicans say the Democrats plan included hundreds of millions of dollars more to bail out Chicago Public Schools pension system at the expense of other school districts.

Following Rauners changes, lawmakers can either do nothing and the bill dies, or they can agree with his changes or override his changes. The deadline for the Senate to act is next week. The House would then have 15 days to act on what the Senate sends over, if anything.

A change in how the state funds schools is required in the budget lawmakers imposed on the state last month, meaning if SB1 or something similar isn't approved, schools don't receive this year's funding.

Read more:
Rauner ed funding numbers criticized by Senate Democrat who won't reveal basis for his own - Illinois News Network