Kendall County Times

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is championing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s $45 billion proposed spending plan as one that supports education.

“The pandemic has created many difficulties for families with school-aged children and adults seeking further education,” Loughran Cappel said in a post to her website. “Now, more than ever, we support educators and students and this is a good starting point as we begin the budget process.”

Loughran Cappel, who also serves as vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee, said she is also pleased to see the state fully fund K-12 education and set aside additional funding for needs-based higher education grants.

Loughran Cappel said she is especially supportive of elements of the plan that seek to increase Monetary Award Program (MAP) funding, which improves access to higher education for low-income students. MAP is a grant program that does not need to be repaid and does not require test scores.

“In these unprecedented times, I am in strong support of prioritizing COVID-19 relief,” Loughran Cappel said. “However, COVID relief must include provisions to our education systems that have faced immense setbacks providing quality education and ensuring safe operations during this pandemic.”

Loughran Cappel isn’t the only Will County Democratic lawmaker pleased with the governor’s education plan.

“The governor’s address underscores the need for us to pass a responsible budget that properly funds our schools, invests in public safety efforts to curb violence and ensures residents have access to the health care they need,” Rep. Dagmara Avelar (D-Bolingbrook) said in a statement. “We need to make sure we protect essential services that families depend on, including child care assistance and housing aid that helps keep people in their home. We must also make sure our schools have the resources they need to ensure our children receive a quality education in a safe learning environment for all students, staff and teachers.”