Rahm Cheers State's 'Fair' Education Compromise, As Critics Worry About Vouchers

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 25, 2017 3:00PM

Demonstrators in front of Chicago Public Schools headquarters on Madison Street during the Chicago Teachers Union "day of action" on April 1, 2016. Photo by Aaron Cynic.

Update:
State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Daniel Biss on Friday also came out swinging against the "private school vouchers."

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) similarly let his displeasure known and called for negotiations for a new compromise. He wrote, according to the Sun-Times:

“We oppose any effort to create private school vouchers in Illinois. No self-respecting Democrat should accept this brazen Rauner-Trump-DeVos tactic to decimate public schools, rob our children’s classrooms of resources and weaken teachers’ unions. Democrats in Springfield and Mayor Emanuel must unite to reject this unacceptable proposal, and force the parties to get back to the table to negotiate a new deal.

"In the interim, Mayor Emanuel should have already taken stronger action to surplus the TIFs to at least temporarily plug the widening CPS funding gap. To surplus only $20 million in TIF, when as much as $100 million is available, is irresponsible.”

Original:
With little time to spare before the start of the school year, lawmakers in Springfield announced on Thursday that an education funding deal had finally been reached. There's no official word on what the compromise entails, but we do know a few reported details: Mayor Rahm Emanuel, for one, seems thrilled that Chicago Public Schools appears to be getting at least the funding that was hoped for. At the same time, some public-education corners delivered responses ranging from apprehension to ire at a reported multimillion dollar tax credit that will pay for private-school scholarships.

Emanuel at a news conference said that the deal will cover the $300 million the district was hoping to get from the state, plus more—at least $7 million more, a source told Politico, though of course everything is still being worked out.

"Our benchmark as a city has been clear from day one: That the state of Illinois has to step up and fairly fund education for all children in the state. Meaning that low income children of Chicago and across Illinois were no longer going to be treated as second class citizens, and that clear benchmark has been met," Emanuel said, according to ABC7.

The deal will also reportedly shift Chicago teachers' pension costs away from the school funding code and into the pension code.

Speaking of local educators, the Chicago Teachers Union came out vociferously against the private-school scholarships tax credit—which reportedly will number $75 million. CTU said in a statement:

"Senate Bill 1 was designed to fix the inequitable school funding formula for the state of Illinois and remedy the state’s position as last in the nation for education. This current deal is a naked attempt by billionaire right-wing ideologue Gov. Bruce Rauner to push through a reverse Robin Hood scheme that siphons money from poor school districts and lets the wealthy avoid paying their fair share in taxes.

The Chicago Teachers Union, along with a broad-based group of education organizations throughout the state, rejects this latest scheme and calls on legislators to vote this idea down."

The union also accused the mayor of "shameful, tacit support of school vouchers."

Members of the Latino Caucus on Thursday also took the opportunity to push back against a voucher funding apparatus. "Thankfully, Mayor Emanuel has not come out in support of school vouchers," said Ald. Gilbert Villegas (Ward 36) in a statement. “At the same time, it is frightening to think that the Mayor did not condemn a voucher program, given Chicago Public Schools’ financial mess.”

“The mayor should disavow the idea of a voucher program, which would clearly harm an already deeply underfunded, indebted system,” added Ald. George Cardenas (Ward 12).

Lawmakers will gather on Sunday with a House vote slated for Monday.

For more information about the funding compromise, the Sun-Times has a thorough rundown here that is worth your time.