Thanks to a new, statewide funding formula, DeKalb School District 428 schools should see more revenue for the upcoming year.
At Tuesday’s district board meeting, Cynthia Carpenter, director of business and finance, presented a 2018-19 operating budget update. The district anticipates about $2.8 million more in revenue because of “evidence-based funding.”
Evidence-based funding is a result of “The Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act,” signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner in August.
Under the new formula, no Illinois school district receives less money than last year, but many could receive more based on practices that research shows enhance student classroom achievement.
The new formula treats each school district individually with an “adequacy target,” meaning the greater the student need, the higher the adequacy target. New funding goes to neediest districts – those furthest from their adequacy target – first. Distribution of funds is split into four “tiers.” DeKalb is a Tier 1 district. Carpenter said District 428 is at 58 percent adequacy.
According to an October 2017 report by the Chicago-based Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, calculating a district’s adequacy target is based on an analysis of the cost of funding about two dozen educational factors such as enrollment, class size, staff professional development, student population demography and maintenance costs.
All told, District 428 should receive $25.7 million in state funding in FY19.