The Republican point-man on how Illinois pays for the schools is willing to make a deal with Chicago schools. The latest school funding plan offers a choice between the guaranteed cash from the state or a pension payment.

State Senator Jason Barickman said Chicago schools have to choose.

Downstate taxpayers will either continue to pay the heavy Chicago block grant, that guarantees millions to Chicago schools, or taxpayers will pay for the Chicago teacher pensions.

Barickman, R-Bloomington, said that his latest plan would not do both."We create a situation where, while CPS may lose money through the block grant, they'd get it back through pension parity," added Barickman.

The Chicago's teacher pension payment is $250 million this year and Illinois teacher pension payment is $4 billion.

Barickman said that freeing up money from Chicago's block grant should allow Illinois to pay for the downstate school districts some of what they are owed.

"Repealing the Chicago block grant has a number of effects, including the elimination of proration of the mandated categoricals for every other school district in the state," added Barickman.

The 'mandated categoricals' are things like reimbursement for the school buses and special education. State of Illinois is simply not paying the schools for those expenses. Many local districts said that is where the state is causing them real hardship.

The other main problem in how Illinois pays for the schools is, state's over-reliance on the local property taxes.

Barickman said if he cannot get a freeze on property taxes, he will take some parity.

Barickman is proposing two pieces of the legislation, one to change the Illinois school funding formula and another is to end state mandates.

Barickman’s plan would send money to schools based on a checklist of 27 items of 'need.'

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