While the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) model has transformed how we invest in student success, districts across the state are facing growing fiscal strain due to the state’s underfunding of mandated services — such as student transportation and special education reimbursements. These are services school districts are required to provide, but the state reimbursements have not kept pace with rising costs.
Our goal is simple: to elevate this issue across Illinois, ensuring legislators understand the real impact underfunded mandates have on local classrooms and communities. Together, we will make the case that fully funding mandated services and continuing the state’s investment in EBF are not competing priorities — they are complementary commitments that sustain strong, equitable public schools.
To support members in this effort, we’ve created a series of tools and resources, including:
- A member webinar explaining the issue and outlining key talking points.
- A customizable one-pager to illustrate your district’s local impact.
- A campaign webpage with advocacy resources, background materials, and an EBF refresher toolkit.
Please plan to join us virtually on January 8th at noon for the webinar. Join Executive Director Kris Monn and Dir. Public Relations/Deputy Dir. Governmental Relations Emily Warnecke as they overview a straightforward, practical walkthrough of how EBF and MCAT funding interact, the fiscal pressures districts are facing, and the key messages legislators need to hear in the coming weeks. This webinar will give you the “why now,” the talking points, and the ready-to-use materials to advocate effectively during budget season.
Webinar time: 12 noon to 1 p.m.
Attendee microphones and webcams will be off for this event.
You will receive a separate e-mail from Illinois ASBO with webinar access information prior to the beginning of the webinar. You must register here with Illinois ASBO, then sign into Illinois ASBOnline to receive your log in information.
Please contact Rebecca Anderson at randerson@iasbo.org if you have any questions. If you plan to have multiple viewers on one computer, please register each person individually, then complete and return the downloadable sign-in sheet to Rebecca when the webinar is finished.
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