HJ0063 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0063 LRB094 11795 NHT 44063 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois has an unacceptably large and increasing funding disparity between affluent school districts and all other school districts, a growing achievement gap, and a teacher shortage; and

WHEREAS, The majority of schools in this State are deficit spending schools; and

WHEREAS, In terms of education spending, the State's minimum per student foundation level of support is inadequate considering what it costs to prepare students to pass the State's standardized tests; and

WHEREAS, National organizations, such as Education Week, continually assign Illinois the failing grade of "F" for school funding awareness; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has the worst spread in the nation in terms of school funding between school districts, and Illinois ranks 49th in the portion of school funding provided from State rather than local resources; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that, pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 1 of Article XIV of the Illinois Constitution, in order to resolve the issue of school funding in this State, we direct that the question of whether a Constitutional Convention should be called be submitted to the electors at the general election next occurring at least 6 months after the passage of this resolution by at least three-fifths of the members elected to each house.