Evidence-Based Funding Resources, Calculations Available
Student allocation reports and Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) calculations for FY 2027 are available on the ISBE website. A brief EBF At-A-Glance flyer, along with detailed reports on Tier Funding and Student Allocations, a data comparison tool, and the Adequacy Target Gap Calculator are available on the ISBE website. All of these documents can be used by districts to compile and complete their EBF Spending Plan, which is available in the annual school district budget form.

A five-year study of EBF is underway, looking at the funding formula from Fiscal Years 2022-2026. The study will look at how districts use EBF funds, the equitability of the formula, and what impacts EBF has had on student achievement.

New Guidance Resources: Student Ticketing & AI
With a new law banning schools from ticketing students as a form of discipline, ISBE has posted non-regulatory guidance on the requirements as they apply to districts. The guidance includes an FAQ of what is and is not allowed, information on the role of school resource officers in relation to the public act, and a general overview of other components of the new law.

Another new statute assigned ISBE with developing guidance on AI in relation to the technology’s use in elementary and secondary education, and how it may help educators navigate AI use in all grades. According to ISBE, the guidance provides a “framework for using AI to support teaching, learning, and operations while keeping educators and students at the center. It is grounded in the belief that AI should be used as a tool to inform teaching and learning — not as an end in itself — and that decisions about its use should reflect local needs, values, and priorities.”

Waivers for Local Flexibility
School districts throughout the state can request waivers for certain federal statutory or regulatory requirements. ISBE states that the waivers will “help districts align federal resources with local priorities to improve academic achievement for all students.”

There are three waivers districts can apply for.

To obtain the waivers, districts must gather community input, maintain program and fiscal compliance, identify specific goals for student achievement, and submit an annual self-evaluation. Districts should contact ISBE at [email protected] with any questions.

Mandate Reduction Council
The Mandate Reduction Council, of which IASB has representation, has completed their report that will be sent to the Illinois General Assembly by October 1. It includes a list of mandates to be eliminated from the School Code and list of mandates that can be modified or combined in the School Code, as well as recommendations on how those mandates can be combined or modified. IASB will share the final report with members when it is made available.