Overview

• Advance Illinois’ annual report says Illinois rose from 47th in 2008 to 18th for state spending per student, with lawmakers adding about $2.8 billion to the evidence‑based funding formula over eight years and approving a record $11.2 billion K‑12 budget for 2025–26.
• The path to full adequacy has slipped to 2038, and 50 districts remain below 70% of adequate funding as heavy reliance on local property taxes sustains inequities and some mandated categorical programs face shortfalls.
• Student outcomes are mixed: eighth graders ranked eighth in reading and ninth in math on the 2024 NAEP, while fourth graders ranked 29th and 30th, and only 30% of fourth graders met reading proficiency.
• Early and postsecondary indicators remain weak, with roughly one‑third of students deemed kindergarten‑ready, college readiness at 30% versus 38% pre‑pandemic, and a reported 28% drop in higher‑education enrollment.
• Staffing has improved with a lower student‑to‑teacher ratio of about 13 to 1, yet support roles remain stretched with averages exceeding 400 students per counselor, psychologist, social worker, or nurse.