LM Jan 2020

Series Part XIII

MakingaDifference: ANewYear,More Progress

River Grove SD #85.5

Indian Prairie CUSD #204

FiveMoreSchoolDistrictsShare HowEBFBenefitsTheirStudents

Cumberland CUSD #77

Brownstown CUSD #201

By Jason Nevel IASA Director of Social Media and Publications

Last August, we launched our Making a Difference series to better understand how Evidence-Based Funding is helping Illinois students. We profiled 50 school districts and one thing was abundantly clear from our conversations with superintendents. The state’s investment into public education is making a difference. STEM programs were created, social workers and counselors hired, class sizes reduced, electives restored and student safety improved, all as a result of just two years of additional state funding.

Centralia HSD #200

This month, we continue our series on how school districts across the state are using Evidence-Based Funding dollars to improve student outcomes. The series this time around, however, has a new wrinkle. In addition to learning how the dollars have already made a difference, superintendents shared what continued support of the Evidence-Based Funding Formula would mean for their school districts going forward. Telling these stories is important as IASA continues to advocate for the EBF formula to be properly funded over time. You can also find an interactive map on our website with the stories of all 70 schools we have profiled so far.

Brownstown CUSD #201

“It’s unfortunate that when you are forced to make cuts that those programs are one of the places you have to look,” Superintendent Michael Shackelford said. “Art and music are such an outlet for kids and being able to bring those back has taken us from an institutionalized feeling to much more of an educational environment.” The district also used new state funding to hire a fourth grade teacher, reducing the classroom size from 35 to 17 students. A junior high math and science teaching position was also restored, providing the district with much needed flexibility. Other pressing needs EBF addressed included hiring another custodian and replacing the driver’s education vehicle. “EBF has had a huge impact and has relieved the need to pinch pennies just to keep the doors open,” Shackelford said.

Enrollment: 394 FY18: $166,212 FY20: $142,803 Type: preK–12 FY19: $113,166 How EBF has made a difference A boost in state funding has been transformative for Brownstown CUSD #201. Due to proration in General State Aid, the district eliminated its music program, scaled back its art program to part time and reduced teaching positions. With its new EBF dollars, the district hired a full time music teacher and full time art teacher. Restoring the music program and rejuvenating the art program has provided students with a creative outlet they desperately needed.

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LM January 2020