All children living in the United States have the right to a free public education. Not only is it a right, but it is law that children are educated in some way. Previously, finding public schools for children to attend has not been an issue. However, if a budget is not soon passed in the state of Illinois, many local school districts will be hurt.

Public school funding in the state of Illinois is based on a formula that provides for different methods of funding allocation, dependent primarily on the local property wealth within each school district. Therefore, whatever funds aren’t acquired from property wealth and taxes are left to be provided by the state. Many school districts in rural Illinois rely heavily on state funding. My own school district, Monmouth-Roseville, receives a little more than 50 percent of its funding from general state aide.

On May 17, 2016, nine superintendents from Henderson, Knox, Mercer and Warren counties met to discuss how harmful a lack of solution to this budget issue will be. Almost every school represented noted that they would be able to open on time for the 2016-2017 school year, but many were unsure if or how they would make it through the entire school year. Monmouth-Roseville would run out of money, according Superintendent Fletcher, in March of 2017.

What is being done to solve this issue? No one seems like they want to talk about it, but someone needs to start. Without a state budget and without funds, schools will be forced to go into debt or close their doors. That forces students to stop learning, teachers to stop teaching, and would put many other school district employees out of a job.

Where do these students go? What happens if they don’t get to finish a school year? Do they repeat the grade when they reopen school the next year? What about the high school seniors? My brother will be a senior in high school during the school year of 2016-2017. Does he still get to graduate if his school runs out of money and can't fund the remainder school year? Does he still get to receive a high school diploma and go to college?

We can’t even suggest sending students to a surrounding school because those schools will most likely be closed as well. And if they aren’t, transportation costs would be through the roof. So what do we do?

I advise you to reach out to your state representative. Let them know how you will be personally affected if a state budget isn’t passed, and help them understand how detrimental this issue truly is.

I worry about this because of my siblings who are still in school, my parents who both work for the district, and my own future job prospects. I wanted to return to my school district after graduation and teach at home to give back to the community who gave so much to me, but why would I want to teach in a state that seems to not value education as highly as it should?

Truly, the issue here may be bigger than the state budget itself. Funding for schools in Illinois seems to be a loophole system, but before we debate that, firstly I think that we need to ensure that our schools will be open.