🚨 PEER Illinois Launches New Funding Tool to Highlight Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) Gaps Across IL School Districts

Illinois’ EBF formula remains underfunded by $5.7 billion, leaving thousands of students without the resources they need to thrive.

🔗 Explore the tool: peerillinoisfundingtool.org

How do Illinois schools receive money, and why are we still one of the most unequally funded states in the US? Evidence-Based Funding was meant to remedy chronic underfunding of public education, but we're still almost $5.7 Billion behind.

Have you signed up for our school funding training yet? It's this Thursday! Make sure you're on the list: bit.ly/LearnEBF

It's been a very busy fall for PEER Illinois! We recently traveled to Mississippi for our annual national convening, supported East St Louis parent Alexandra Graham in her speech for progressive revenue to fund public education, and held an EBF training in Rockford. We love connecting with you all!

How does Illinois determine the $ your school district receives? Why are many districts still struggling to make ends meet? PEER Illinois is hosting a virtual EBF training on 11/6 to answer these questions & more. Join us to learn about school funding equity! bit.ly/LearnEBF

Yesterday, PEER Illinois coalition coordinator, Maddy Wheelock, provided testimony at the FY2027 Illinois State Board of Education Budget Hearing to ask for full funding of the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula. Read the full statement here:

Join our partners at IRRPP on 8/26 for the launch of their latest State of Racial Justice in Chicagoland report on education, shifting focus from outcome gaps to inequitable policies & school funding driving disparities. Register: go.uic.edu/IRRPPEduReportLaunch

🚨 Parents across the country overwhelmingly support increased funding for public schools. However, the Federal administration’s policy initiatives and the new “Big Beautiful Bill” are moving us in the wrong direction.

🔗 Read our full blog post here: www.peerillinois.org/newsroom/des...

🚨 A federal voucher program moving through Congress aims to further privatize education, divesting from public schools that already struggle with budget shortfalls and leaving most low-income students and middle-class families worse off.

We're so grateful for the 50+ parents, students, and public school advocates that joined us from around the state to advocate in Springfield! We can't wait to host more Advocacy Days with our incredible partners. The time to fully fund EBF is NOW! #AllinforILstudents

📣 This week, 50+ parents from across the state joined us in Springfield to advocate for full funding of our public schools.

Illinois families are urging lawmakers to fully fund EBF and invest in our children's futures.

Hear directly from the folks who joined us! ⬇️

#AllinforILstudents

🚨 The latest executive order to dismantle the DOE threatens the future of public education and marginalized students will suffer most. Stay tuned for more information about an upcoming virtual event and read our full statement here: bit.ly/PEERDOE

🧵 Illinois made the right call by ending vouchers. Vouchers don’t cover the cost of private school—you do. When vouchers divert taxpayer money towards private schools, public schools lose vital programs, increase class sizes, and sometimes shut down, harming students the most.

📣 PEER Illinois Responds to Governor Pritzker’s FY26 Budget Address

At a time when public education is facing significant challenges at the federal level, Illinois students deserve more than the minimum $350M increase for EBF.

Read our full statement here: https://buff.ly/4i5ohjE

Our panel about the recent Executive Orders targeting public education is just 2 days away. We'll be joined with panelists from The Chicago Lawyers' Committee and Raise Your Hand. Register now! https://buff.ly/40RpT9D

The recent Executive Orders targeting public education could have real consequences for Illinois. Join us Thursday, Feb 20 for a panel discussion with attorneys and organizers on what this means & how we fight back.

🔗 Register: https://buff.ly/40RpT9D

We've been busy this month running EBF trainings, assisting with mutual aid events, and tabling at resource fairs! Many thanks to our partners at HACES, Youth Crossroads, and Rockford Urban Ministries for hosting us. We're getting the word out about school funding in IL!

The expansion of school choice will only drain those resources from those who need it most. Students deserve fully-funded schools staffed with educators who support and love them for exactly who they are. Check out our Coalition Coordinator's op/ed in the Chicago Tribune:

The latest edition of the Education Law Center's "Making the Grade" report gave Illinois an "F" for funding distribution. Especially as attacks on public education increase, we must invest more into our schools. Send a letter to your legislators demanding more: bit.ly/PEERAction