Illinois State Senate District 49 issued the following announcement on Feb. 19.
Following Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address on Wednesday, State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant expressed her support of the governor’s goal to restore stability and functionality to the state.
The governor’s proposal includes plans to ensure Illinois residents are ready to meet the needs of the state’s economy by creating new job training programs.
As part of his strategy, the state would create a new community college apprenticeship grant program and the Illinois Works Jobs program that will help train people for careers in the construction industry and building trades.
“I’m glad to see the governor’s commitment to ensure the state’s workforce is meeting the needs of the employers,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “Innovative job training programs will help put residents to work and grow our economy for generations to come.”
Bertino-Tarrant, who serves as the Senate’s Education Chair, is encouraged by the governor’s outlined investment in teacher recruitment, retention and diversity.
“School districts across the nation continue to struggle to fill long-term positions at schools,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “Increasing our investment in keeping the best and brightest at the head of our classrooms will help ensure our children have the opportunity to be successful.”
Bertino-Tarrant supported the monumental and bipartisan school funding mechanism outlined in Senate Bill 1947 in 2017, which established an evidence-based funding formula to dispense state dollars to public schools.
She reaffirms her commitment of ensuring the state fulfills its commitment to the evidence-based funding formula to dispense state dollars to public schools.
“I will continue to advocate for a budget that guarantees the state’s commitment to ending inequality in classrooms across the state,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “We cannot afford to shortchange our schools. The bipartisan plan is the right way to move us toward ensuring children, regardless of their zip code, have a solid education while lowering property tax bills for Will County residents.”
The governor’s budget address jumpstarts budget discussions for the next year. Bertino-Tarrant will continue to advocate for Will County residents as these discussions continue.
Original source can be found here.
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