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Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s finances proposal for subsequent fiscal yr consists of will increase to early childhood schooling and extra funding for Ok-12 faculties at the same time as federal COVID-19 reduction funds have dried up and faculties fear about federal funding underneath the Trump administration.
Pritzker introduced a $53.9 billion spending plan for the state to the Common Meeting on Wednesday. The plan would enhance funding for the state’s Ok-12 faculties by $350 million, early childhood education schemes for low-income households by $85 million, and the state’s scholarship program for school sure college students by $10 million.
Nevertheless, there have been some elements of the proposal that stored funding flat for sure packages, such because the state’s Early Childhood Block Grant, which has helped increase public preschool.
In his seventh finances handle since turning into governor, Pritzker touted the success of Illinois college students. He cited the features the state’s eighth graders made in studying and math on the nation’s report card in 2024 and highschool commencement charges reaching an all time excessive as represented on the state’s report card.
“I imagine in constructing on what works,” Pritzker mentioned. “So, regardless of the problem we face this yr, my finances proposal will increase our dedication to evidence-based funding for public schooling in order that we put new sources in underfunded faculties first.”
State legislators should negotiate the ultimate particulars of the fiscal yr 2026 finances – which begins on July 1. The final meeting is scheduled to finish on the final day of Could, in accordance with the overall meeting’s calendar.
The state’s finances course of might tackle heightened significance with President Donald Trump’s administration reducing or scaling again federal funding. In the case of schooling. Trump has vowed to dismantle the federal Division of Schooling, which administers federal funds to Ok-12 faculties, collects knowledge, and ensures faculties are following federal legal guidelines such because the People with Disabilities Schooling Act.
In 2024, the U.S. Division of Schooling gave Illinois $1.2 billion for Title I funds, cash allotted to varsities serving a majority of kids from low-income households, and virtually $1 billion for educating college students with disabilities.
Since taking workplace in January, Trump has filed government orders that resulted within the division inserting workers on paid depart, cancelling contracts, and eradicating paperwork and knowledge from its web site. Linda McMahon, the president’s choose to move the Division of Schooling, mentioned in her affirmation listening to final week that she wouldn’t reduce billions of {dollars} in funding to varsities, however didn’t say whether or not faculties would lose federal funding in the event that they educate African American historical past.
Lt. Gov. Julia Statton instructed Chalkbeat earlier this week that Illinois officers are watching developments on the federal degree intently.
“It doesn’t matter what occurs on the federal degree,” Statton mentioned. “We’re definitely going to attempt to do every part that we are able to to make it possible for Illinoisans and college students in Illinois get entry to the schooling that they deserve.”
Right here’s what it is best to find out about Pritzker’s fiscal yr 2026 finances:
Early childhood schooling continues to see will increase
Underneath Pritzker’s proposal, the Illinois State Board of Schooling’s Early Childhood Block Grant will keep flat for a complete of $748 million. The state board hoped to obtain an extra $75 million to bump this system from $748 million to $823 million.
For the state Division of Human Companies, the governor requested for an extra $10 million for Early Intervention, a program for youngsters with disabilities ages 0 to three, and a rise of $85 million for the Baby Care Help Program, a program to assist low-income households entry baby care. The state’s residence visiting program funding will stay flat.
Whereas some early childhood schooling advocates thanked Pritzker for his continued funding in packages for households with younger youngsters, they’re disillusioned that many packages gained’t see will increase.
“Once we fail to supply ample state funding for packages like Early Intervention and residential visiting, we fail youngsters throughout their most vital developmental intervals, and we depart households unsupported in caring for his or her little ones,” Celena Sarillo, Govt Director of Begin Early, an advocacy group primarily based in Chicago.
Over the last Common Meeting session, lawmakers permitted the creation of the state’s Division of Early Childhood and allotted $16 million in funding to arrange the brand new company. This yr, Pritzker is proposing $21.7 million for the brand new division.
That is the third yr of Pritzker’s Sensible Begin Illinois initiative, which goals to increase public preschool to serve 20,000 extra 3- and 4- yr olds all through the state. Pritzker introduced the initiative after being reelected in 2022 with a promise to get common preschool again on monitor after the coronavirus pandemic hindered a few of his preliminary plans.
Within the first yr of this system, Pritzker and State Superintendent Tony Sanders introduced that the state was ready so as to add 5,800 public faculty seats for younger youngsters.
Ok-12 might stay regular for the subsequent yr.
Pritzker requested the Common Meeting to extend the finances for Ok-12 faculties from $10.8 billion to $11.2 billion. That’s much like what State Superintendent Tony Sanders really useful in January.
Included in his request was a $350 million finances enhance for the state’s Ok-12 faculties to be distributed via the state’s evidence-based funding system, which supplies funds to native districts primarily based want, drawing on metrics such because the variety of college students from low-income households, college students with disabilities, and English learners and in addition elements what faculties can elevate via native property taxes. In 2017, state lawmakers made a bipartisan promise to extend funding by at the very least $350 million yearly till all districts reached “sufficient funding.”
Native schooling advocates have been calling on the state to extend funding by at the very least $550 million to assist get faculties to “sufficient funding” extra shortly. A report final yr discovered that the state won’t hit its funding aim by 2027, however by 2034 if the state continues so as to add $350 million every year.
Regardless of the continued will increase, many faculty districts throughout the state will grapple with smaller budgets no matter what the state kicks in. That’s as a result of $7 billion in federal emergency COVID-19 reduction funding is now gone.
Scholarships for college kids to entry faculty
Pritzker proposed growing a scholarship program for school sure college students by $10 million.
The proposal to spice up the Financial Award Program will help college students from low-income households who’re planning to attend or already in class. The rise would convey this system as much as a complete of $721.6 million. The utmost quantity of help a scholar might get yearly could be $8,604, up from $4,869 in fiscal yr 2019.
Correction 2.20.2025: This story has been up to date to indicate that the utmost MAP award would develop from $4,869 in fiscal yr 2019 to $8,604 underneath the governor’s proposal.
Samantha Smylie is the state schooling reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago protecting faculty districts throughout the state, laws, particular schooling and the state board of schooling. Contact Samantha at ssmylie@chalkbeat.org.