The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • A3

1 The PanTagraPh Thursday, March 28, 2019 A3 LOCAL STATE JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD ev- idence-based school funding model is effectively driving added funding to the neediest school districts, but the state must double its annual invest- ment in the formula if districts are to reach funding adequacy in a timely manner, according to a report released Wednesday by the bipartisan Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. The evidence-based model was passed in 2017, giving each public school district an ade- quacy target based on several fac- tors tied to student performance. Those furthest from their target are prioritized when new funding is added to the formula. Illinois has 707 districts that do not meet their adequacy targets, and CTBA President Ralph Mar- tire said if the statutory minimum of $350 million is added to the for- mula each year, the earliest all dis- tricts could meet adequacy levels is 2050. leaves generations of students in underfunded Martire said.

For the state to make up a $7.35 billion education funding shortfall and meet adequacy levels within 10 years as specified in the leg- islation, Martire said, the actual annual funding increase would have to be closer to $779 million. At a Capitol news conference detailing the report Wednesday, Martire said the numbers show how necessary a graduated tax structure touted by Gov. J.B. Pritzker will be to the process of increasing investment in schools. crucial we start making these needed, long-term fiscal structural reforms or we cannot fund fully the evidence-based formula, and that will continue to shortchange the education for millions of children in our he said.

Martire and Rep. Will Davis, a Chicago Democrat who spon- sored the evidence-based model in the House when it passed, said a graduated tax is good first in addressing the structural budget deficit, even though revenue from it be realized until 2021 at the earliest. Other steps such as reforming the pension ramp will be needed as well, they both agreed. not the only type of revenue resource looking Davis said. may need to be a combination of Without these reforms, Mar- tire said, the state would not have the resources to add to education funding without making cuts to already underfunded human service or other programs.

For that reason, he said, it is unlikely to see a $779 million increase to education in this bud- get, even though Pritzker has proposed funding slightly more than the mandated $350 million increase. THE PANTAGRAPH SPRINGFIELD Gov. J.B. Pritzker has nominated Marc D. Smith, the executive vice president of Foster Care and In- tact Services at Aunt Health Wellness, to lead the Department of Children and Family Services.

Pritzker said in a news re- lease Wednes- day that he has also expanded expert services that the Univer- sity of Chapin Hall al- ready provides to DCFS, asking for an indepen- dent and com- prehensive re- view of how the Intact Family Services unit functions. He said he also requested initial re co a tions for action in the next six weeks. This will en- sure that independent experts with a deep understanding of DCFS operations and chal- lenges can provide immediate input to the new director and administration, he said. most vulnerable peo- ple in Illinois are the children served by DCFS, and we must provide them the best ser- vices that our state can offer, which means assessing and implementing the recommen- dations of child welfare ex- Pritzker said. six weeks, Chapin Hall will de- liver a report to the new DCFS director with strategic rec- ommendations for improving safety and the qual- ity of the services the agency is Debra Dyer-Webster is the current interim executive di- rector of DCFS.

The actions came against the backdrop of at least three high-profile deaths of children who, at one point or another, had been in the cus- tody of the agency. Those in- clude Barnes, 2, who Decatur police say died of starvation and deprivation in Decatur on Feb. 11. The state agency had taken and her younger brother into foster care before returning them to her mother and boy- friend, who are charged with murder and have pleaded not guilty in the case. Following the initial rec- ommendations, Chapin Hall will also provide a more com- prehensive review of policies, practices and procedures in the Intact Family Services Unit in order to make addi- tional concrete recommen- dations for action, Pritzker said.

According to a DCFS Inspec- tor report released in January, 98 Illinois children died during the past fiscal year within 12 months of having been involved in the child welfare system a num- ber that was about average for the past 10 years. Several lawmakers have called for an overhaul of the agency, including during a Senate com- mittee hearing on Tuesday. do not believe anymore that this agency can func- tion as currently legisla- tively Sen. Chapin Rose, a Mahomet Republi- can, said during the Senate hearing. State Rep.

Sue Scherer called a special meeting of the Illi- nois House of Representatives Adoption and Child Welfare Committee on March 4 at the State Capitol to discuss the case in-depth. the tragedy of just hit my brain: real, and you just sit there and only be scared going to happen again. It has happened, and we have to do she said at that hearing. Pritzker launches review of DCFS DAVID PROEBER PHOTOS, THE PANTAGRAPH corn Belt Energy workers removed three transformers, one of which burst into flames around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday at Parkside Junior high school in Normal.

The burning transformer caused flames that could be seen from the surrounding neighborhood. PANTAGRAPH STAFF NORMAL Parkside Junior High School is expected to be ready for return from spring break after an electrical fire at the school Wednesday morn- ing. Utility crews are working to re- pair the damage caused by the fire that began outside the building at 101 N. Parkside Road. Neighbors reported the fire just after 5 a.m.

Flames, estimated to rise 20 feet according to a wit- ness, were seen in the main bus duct that feeds electricity into the building. original piece of equip- ment from 1974, the bus duct (the main electricity feed) completely said Joe Adel- man, director of operations for the McLean County Unit 5. The blaze did not reach the in- side of the school. The roof was inspected for damage from burn- ing debris, but Unit 5 officials said none was found. No injuries were reported, and classes and school operations were not interrupted since the district is on spring break this week.

There was no immediate infor- mation on what caused the fire. Workers from Corn Belt Energy and Illinois Prairie Electric were called to the school to assess the damage and begin repairs. Three large transformers were removed from a concrete pad adjoining the school. One transformer was heavily damaged with signs of smoke on its exterior. A school maintenance worker said trucks removed food stored in the freezers early Wednesday morning.

There had been no assessment if comput- ers or servers in the school were damaged. Crews are working to take apart the old equipment that will be re- placed by a smaller, more modern version that will be enclosed and protected from the elements, Adelman said. A worker for Corn Belt Energy said the repairs would take a mini- mum of three days to complete, in time for the the school to open on Monday as planned. Repairs underway at Parkside Report: School funding model working, needs more ALICIA FABBRE Chicago Tribune JOLIET A Normal man is being held on $5 million bond, charged with murder in the death of a Wisconsin man who prosecu- tors said was stabbed 26 times at the casino hotel in Joliet. Will County Assistant Attorney Chelsea Selvey said Robert Watson robbed Eman- uel M.

Burgrino, 76, at the hotel Sunday night before stabbing him and fleeing. In addition to murder charges, Watson, 25, faces one count each of armed robbery and robbery. While Watson was identified by the Chicago Tribune as being from Chicago, the Will County jail listed his home address as being in the 700 block of Orlando Ave- nue, Normal. Selvey said Watson, who ap- peared in bond court Tuesday via video from the Will County jail, had been lin- gering in the hotel much of the day on Sunday. Selvey said Watson, who was not a guest of the hotel, attacked Burgrino as he returned to his fifth-floor hotel room about 10 p.m.

Burgrino, who was at the hotel with his girlfriend, was found in the hotel hallway stabbed numerous times in the chest and neck. An eyewitness told authorities that Watson rode the elevator up to the fifth floor with him. The witness, who was a guest of the hotel and used his key card to ac- cess the elevator, told authorities that Watson asked to hold the el- evator as the man got on. The witness told authorities he noticed Watson did not swipe a key card on the elevator and that Watson got off on the fifth floor with him, Selvey said. The witness became concerned and decided to circle back to the elevator and re- turn to the lobby, Selvey said.

When the witness returned to the fifth floor he did not see Wat- son but heard noises in the hall- way a short time after returning to his room. When the man exited his room, he saw Watson on top of Burgrino, Selvey said. The witness yelled for Watson to get off the victim and Watson fled down the hallway to the stairs, Selvey said. Watson was found by Joliet po- lice on Monday at the Joliet Public Library. Selvey told Will County Judge Chrystel Gavlin that Wat- son was wearing similar clothing to what he was seen in on Sun- day via surveillance video from the hotel.

Police also recovered a backpack, matching one Watson was seen carrying in surveillance videos. It contained money and other bloodied items, Selvey said. Prosecutors did not say how much money was taken during the robbery. Selvey said Watson is a gradu- ate of Bolingbrook High School. He has a criminal history involv- ing charges in Illinois, Arizona, Texas and Wisconsin for crimes that include burglary, robbery and aggravated robbery.

Watson is scheduled to appear in court again on April 16. Pantagraph staff contributed to this report. Man charged with murder Watson, of Normal, accused of stabbing 76-year-old at casino Watson Junior high expected to reopen on Monday after electrical fire Melted power lines lie on a driveway, the result of a transformer fire Wednesday morning at Parkside Junior high school, Normal. corn Belt Energy crews were in the process of making repairs to the power supply, a process that could take at least three days. Pritzker Smith.