Rep questions state ed board’s higher budget request, proficiency standards

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The Illinois State Board of Education wants more taxpayer funding to address inequity and boost public school students’ progress in math.

Illinois State Board of Education Chief Financial Officer Matt Seaton told the Illinois House Appropriations-Elementary and Secondary Education Committee on Tuesday that the board’s $10.9 billion budget request for the next fiscal year includes a continuing $3 million appropriation to implement the state’s literacy plan.

“This line will be expanded in FY27 to include implementation of a numeracy plan modeled after the literacy plan to boost lagging progress in math,” Seaton said.

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, asked State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders about changes in state testing standards.

“Why did the State Board of Education dumb down proficiency expectations in the last year?” Wilhour asked.

“So we didn’t dumb down the proficiency expectations. We changed the cut scores for the statewide assessments,” Sanders said.

The latest Illinois Report Card says 38% of students demonstrated math proficiency last year, up from 27.9% under the previous benchmarks in 2024.

Illinois State Board of Education Chair Steven Isoye told the committee that evidence-based funding is at the heart of the agency’s $10.9 billion budget ask.

“Roughly 75% of the requested increase, $350 million, is dedicated to EBF because it remains districts’ top priority and the state’s most effective tool for addressing inequity,” Isoye said.

Wilhour said the board should do its due diligence about federal tax credit scholarships that would not cost the state a dime.

“I really don’t want to hear people come in here and talk about inequity in education and all this when you’re just leaving that stuff off the table because of politics,” Wilhour said.

More than 20 states have opted into the program, but Sanders echoed Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday by saying Illinois officials are waiting for rules from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Sanders also echoed Pritzker when Wilhour asked why property taxes are so high in Illinois.

“That’s a local issue,” Sanders said.

Greg Bishop contributed to this story.

###