Tax and Budget

Potential Impact of a Property Tax Freeze on School Funding

Release: May 13, 2020

Illinois’ overreliance on property taxes is a result of historic shift of funding K-12 Education from the state-level to the local-level.  While many would benefit from a temporary property tax freeze, there are also costs associated with a property tax freeze—particularly when it comes to funding an adequate education for millions of Illinois school children. A property tax freeze could pose substantial costs to students across the state by limiting the amount of funding districts could receive compared to the current law in which there is no property tax freeze. Using 2019 Illinois Report Card and average year-to-year growth in: (i) K-12 funding under the EBF; (ii) property tax revenue; and (iii) funding of mandated categoricals, the short report, Potential Impact of a Property Tax Freeze on School Fundinghighlights some of those consequences that a property tax freeze could have, not only on school funding, but along racial lines, as well.