State Senator Steve Stadelman announced four school districts will receive over $22.4 million in evidence-based funding, in addition to the base funding that the state provides.
“Since the implementation of the EBF formula, I have seen how these funds have positively impacted our local schools in the Rockford region,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This funding is necessary for schools, especially in underserved areas, in order to provide adequate resources to staff and students, on top of ensuring children are receiving a top-notch education.”
The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula — an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate and number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.
School districts in the 34th Senate District set to receive funding through the formula include:
- Boone-Winnebago County Regional Office of Education - $333,965
- Harlem School District 122 - $661,499
- Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 - $1,751,560
- Rockford School District 205 - $19,730,619
The Fiscal Year 2026 budget invested $300 million in new funding into students’ success through the evidence-based funding model.
For more information on the FY 26 evidence-based funding distribution, visit the Illinois State Board of Education’s website.
