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As you all know, the more than 2 million students in Illinois’
public schools bring diverse backgrounds and experiences
to their classrooms. Each student has unique strengths and
dreams and faces unique challenges at home, at school, and
in the community. Our unique work is to find ways to meet
students where they are and get them ready for the world
they live in today and the one they will encounter tomorrow.
As educators, we have a responsibility to ensure our students
and families feel a deep connection to our schools. We know
that children learn the most when they are safe and healthy.
Every child in Illinois deserves to feel a sense of belonging
and that they are well cared for at school.
We have reached an exciting moment of opportunity in
Illinois—one that I hope we can seize to create the conditions
for every school community to nurture the whole child, the
whole school, and the whole community.
The new system of funding for our Illinois public schools,
approved by the General Assembly and then signed into
law by Governor Bruce Rauner on Aug. 31, takes a historic
step toward more equitably distributing state resources.
The new law acknowledges that where students live in the
state impacts the resources they have access to. Students
need different types of support to meet the same goal. The
new system will differentiate resources, providing more for
the students who need it. Schools will have more of what
they need to ensure the academic excellence, emotional
well-being, and postsecondary success we want for all of
our students. The entire state benefits when the students in
the greatest need receive the most support. I believe equity
in education funding in Illinois is an important move toward
guaranteeing our long-term economic and civic success.
Over the past 2 1/2 years, ISBE has moved the focus of our
work with the aim of fortifying the health of Local Education
By Tony Smith
State Superintendent
It’s time toseizeexcitingmoment
of opportunity