State Stix

School finance promises to become a significant issue in the fall gubernatorial campaign. In its recent session, the General Assembly appropriated $4.7 billion for Illinois elementary and secondary schools this year, an increase of nearly $365 million over the appropriation in fiscal year 1994.

According to figures compiled by the state comptroller's office, the source for all charts on this page, total receipts from local, state and federal sources have risen steadily since 1983. For most of that period, the share of local taxes supporting public schools has also increased, particularly since 1989.

However, the percentage of local and state spending on education varies considerably by geographic region, as depicted in Figure 2. Suburban school districts receive a significantly higher portion of their revenue from local taxes while downstate schools are able to rely on general state aid to a greater degree. In the 1991-92 school year, Chicago received 26.3 percent of its revenue from general state aid, 10.1 percent from other state dollars (primarily so-called "categorical" grants such as special education), 13.7 percent from federal assistance, and about 50 percent from local sources. Suburban districts, in contrast, received nearly 82 percent of all revenues from local taxes and other sources, just 15.6 percent from state sources and 2.6 percent from federal aid. Downstate districts received 51.4 percent of revenues from local taxes and other sources, 42.6 percent from general state aid and other state support and 6 percent from federal aid. 

Donald Sevener

September 1994/Illinois Issues/31