Illinois teachers union wants Meta settlement to go to schools
- 13 hours ago
- 1 min read
The majority of public school students across the state attend class in an underfunded district, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
Kurt Hilgendorf, chief of staff for the Illinois Federation of Teachers, said some schools are operating with just 75 cents for every dollar needed.
Illinois is set to receive funds from a multistate settlement with Meta over a 10-year period. The money is supposed to go toward youth mental health and online safety programs. The federation is calling on state lawmakers to consider using the money toward filling the K-12 education budget deficit even if it will not solve the entire problem.
Hilgendorf stressed shortages from underfunding are hitting communities from Rockford to Belleville, with larger classes and gaps in special education services, leaving students with fewer opportunities. He pointed to state data showing Illinois’ education funding gap is now nearly $7 billion. The deficit grew by more than $1 billion in just the last year.
"The reality around Illinois is that there is a lot of pain in schools right now," Hilgendorf emphasized. "More than a million students aren't getting the experience that they need, and we think that this should be the highest priority for the state government and state legislature (and) the governor to address, starting as soon as the veto session."
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