Republicans Pushing New Education Funding Plan

(Springfield, IL) -- Republicans are pushing their own education funding reform plan, which would ensure schools in west central Illinois as well as the rest of the state get 100-percent funding for each of their students. State Senator Jason Barickman says that's exactly what education officials are calling for. The state is required to give schools just over six-thousand-bucks for each student, but right now they're only getting about 89-percent of that. Republicans say the foundation level is designed to ensure kids across the state have an equal opportunity when it comes to getting an education. Democrats have been rallying support for an education funding reform plan aimed at equalizing the playing field, but it doesn't look like it's going to clear before lawmakers wrap up on May 31st.