Illinois Lawmakers File Equitable Funding Formula Bill

Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford and State Rep. Carol Ammons are proposing a bill aimed at advancing a student-centered funding approach for the state’s public universities.

Illinois State Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford“Ensuring our higher education institutions are equitably funded and can serve their diverse populations is critical to the future success of our students,” said Lightford, a co-sponsor of the Adequate and Equitable Funding Formula for Public Universities Act.

The proposed legislation, SB 3965, comes out of stakeholder discussions spearheaded by the Commission on Equitable Public University, which published recommendations in a March 1 report. It is expected to make college more accessible to degree-seeking Illinois students.

The bill outlines a student-focused university funding formula that considers what each university needs to meet its unique mission and serve its unique student population. It identifies what each university can afford to spend based on current state appropriations and an estimate of the tuition and fees a university can and should collect from its students, and other available resources.

The funding formula is expected to provide more stability year-to-year and more opportunities for institutions to pursue long-term planning.

“Illinois has an opportunity to make a historic change in our higher education system,” said bill co-sponsor Ammons. “By investing more adequately, equitably, and sustainably in the next generation, we can change lives and positively impact Illinois’ future for years to come.”