PEER Illinois Launches New Funding Tool to Highlight Evidence-Based Funding Gaps Across Illinois School Districts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2025
CONTACT:
Zindy Marquez
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights | PEER Illinois
zmarquez@clccrul.org
PEER Illinois Launches New Funding Tool to Highlight Evidence-Based Funding Gaps Across Illinois School Districts
Illinois’ Evidence-Based Funding formula remains underfunded by $5.7 billion, leaving thousands of students without the resources they need to thrive
CHICAGO, IL – Today, the Partnership for Equity and Education Rights (PEER) Illinois is proud to launch a new interactive funding tool designed to highlight the underfunding of the evidence-based funding (EBF) formula and show how far Illinois school districts are from adequate funding, as defined by the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act signed into law in 2017.
The PEER Illinois Funding Tool offers journalists, public education advocates, lawmakers, and the general public a user-friendly way to explore the funding school districts receive under Illinois’ EBF model and where there are shortfalls that are exacerbating racial and economic inequities.
“Transparent and accessible data is critical to the fight for fully funded public schools in Illinois,” said Maddy Wheelock, coalition coordinator with PEER Illinois. “Illinois is underfunding public schools by $5.7 billion. This tool makes that reality visible and helps communities advocate for the resources they deserve.”
The key features of the web app include:
School district-level breakdowns of how much funding is needed to fully fund EBF for that district, where current funding stands, and the gap between current and adequate funding;
Interactive dropdowns to show demographic information, revenue sources, and what adequate staffing could look like for each school district. This provides a tangible analysis, based on publicly available data, of how EBF funding levels can impact classrooms, educators, and students;
Ability to search information about adequate funding and district demographics by Illinois legislative district.
Illinois’ EBF model was designed to guarantee the resources public schools need to deliver an “adequate” education as defined by the Act. However, since its enactment, Illinois has increased education funding by no more than the minimum level set out in the law each year, leaving school communities across Illinois, especially the lowest-funded districts, without sufficient resources.
We invite journalists, lawmakers, public education advocates, organizers, and concerned Illinoisans to explore the new web app, share their findings, and join us in fighting for a fully funded public school system that serves all our students no matter their race, zip code, or socioeconomic status.
Explore the web app here: http://peerillinoisfundingtool.org/
For media inquiries, data questions, or to schedule a briefing, please contact Zindy Marquez at zmarquez@clccrul.org.
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PEER Illinois
The Partnership for Equity and Education Rights (PEER) Illinois is a statewide advocacy network dedicated to driving increased investment in our children. We strive to ensure our kids have the resources and opportunities they need to succeed in public schools and beyond. PEER Illinois is bringing together students, parents, school community members and leaders, lawyers, tax and budget experts, advocates, and organizers to build a fair, fully-funded public education for all students and a brighter future for Illinois. Learn more here: https://www.peerillinois.org/