SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Democratic state lawmakers and education advocates believe Illinois needs an evidence-based funding model for public universities.
A recent two-year study found the state is in dire need of a new funding model to address the needs of Black and brown college students. Experts told reporters Wednesday that Illinois needs to increase funding to public universities by roughly $1.4 billion to create equitable opportunities for every student.
"MAP is wonderful and provides resources to our students. But unfortunately, it is not enough to retain those students across institutions," said Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana). "Some students need additional supports and resources that are not made available by way of MAP."
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) speaks alongside Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) and education advocates during a press conference in Springfield on March 6, 2024.
Ammons, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) and a coalition of advocates suggest the state should provide $100 million to public universities annually to address the equity gap in 15 years or $135 million to fill the gap in 10 years.
"The correlations between educational attainment and economic viability have never been greater," said Ralph Martire from the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. "Folks with a B.A. or more now have earnings that are 85% greater than high school grads, so ensuring public universities have adequate resources to increase overall graduation rates makes sense."
The Illinois Commission on Equitable Public University Funding found there are now 40,000 fewer Black students enrolled than there were in 2013. Experts noted that enrollment for Latino students has increased since 2013, but there was a significant drop in enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic. While 72% of Asian adults and 49% of white adults have a college degree, only 31% of Black adults and 23% of Latino adults have a degree.
"Equitable funding for higher education institutions is not just a matter of fairness," Lightford said. "It's a matter of ensuring the continued progress and prosperity of our society. By investing in education, we invest in our future."
Lightford plans to hold a subject matter hearing on the proposed funding formula in the Senate Higher Education Committee next week. Ammons noted that she would also like to have a subject matter hearing with the House Appropriations-Higher Education Committee in the coming weeks.
"For too long, the funding approach Illinois used did not consider student need or diversity, providing across-the-board increases or decreases without any attention to what students require to succeed and thrive in higher education or what institutions need to accomplish their missions and serve their unique populations," said Robin Steans from Advance Illinois. "We are overdue for a new approach and now have a road map for creating a more equitable higher education funding formula that is rooted in student need and equity."
You can read the full equitable public university funding report by clicking here.
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