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Education
Governor Agrees to Meet on Education Funding

A two-day boycott of Chicago schools is over. Now the Illinois governor’s office is trying to set up a meeting to talk about how to fund schools more fairly. But a key lawmaker doesn’t seem to be on that meeting’s invite list.

Property taxes make up most Illinois school funding, so rural and big-city districts tend to receive less than suburban districts.

State Senator James Meeks, who led the boycott, wants Governor Rod Blagojevich to call a special legislative session on the disparities. Meeks ended the boycott last night after hearing that Blagojevich would be willing to address the issue.

The governor’s office today has been trying to set up the meeting for next week. State Senate President Emil Jones’ office says the governor is trying to include legislative leaders in the meeting.

But House Speaker Michael Madigan’s team says it hasn’t heard anything yet. Blagojevich and Madigan are both Democrats but have been feuding for years.

The boycott, meanwhile, does not seem to have triggered widespread absences. Chicago Public Schools this afternoon announced a record first-day attendance.