CALL TO ACTION: Ask ISBE for Literacy Funding

Written By Mea Anderson

Last week, my “bonus grandsons” joined me at the IL State Board of Education budget hearing, where I testified to support a $13 million increase to the “Literacy Plan Implementation” budget line. (More to that story below!)  If you also want to urge ISBE to add more literacy funding, here’s your chance!
Fill out your contact information.

  1. Feel free to list “Illinois Early Literacy Coalition,” “parent,” or other role as “affiliation.”

  2. Click “I do not plan to attend a budget hearing but still wish to submit written testimony.”

  3. Click “Add Program Request.”

  4. Scroll to “Literacy Plan Implementation.

  5. Request $16,150,000, which is a $13,150,000 increase from last year.

Write a rationale for why you support this. (Mine was that ISBE put together – but did not receive funding for – an ambitious federal grant application for this amount of money to support model regional literacy plans, Ed Prep Program improvement, and agency capacity. This funding would help transform the literacy plan from a good idea to actionable change.

If you have 5 minutes and want to help fight for literacy funding, please join us in requesting funding.

You can also add other funding requests that are important to you. (For example, Stand for Children will also be requesting a $550 million increase to Evidence-Based Funding.)

To finish my anecdote, Superintendent Sanders invited the boys to sit up at the big board table with the committee members while I testified, which was exciting for them. We had prepped ahead of time that they would have the job of recording me on my phone. When it was showtime, though, the older kiddo with the phone couldn’t resist the opportunity to play some random phone games instead! He has been relieved of future videography duties, but at least we got a selfie outside of the Board headquarters!

Thanks for reading and considering making this budget request!

Jessica Handy

Mea Anderson
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