Politics
Pritzker pours cold water on using Meta windfall for Chicago Schools funding
Pritzker pours cold water on using Meta windfall for Chicago Schools funding. Originally published by Capitol News Illinois.
By Brenden Moore · 2026-09-06T00:30:52.423Z
" ; webkit mask image:url "data:image/svg+xml;utf8," ;mask position:center; webkit mask position:center;mask repeat:no repeat; webkit mask repeat:no repeat;mask size:40%; webkit mask size:40%;opacity:.3}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results copy{display:flex;flex direction:column;gap:.25rem}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search skeleton product image{aspect ratio:1/1;width:100%}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search skeleton title{height:1.4rem;width:95%}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search skeleton title secondary{height:1.4rem;width:60%}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results title{font size:1.05rem;font weight:600;line height:1.3;margin:0}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results price{display:flex;flex wrap:wrap;font size:1rem;gap:.5rem}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results price hidden {display:none}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results price .jetpack search results price regular{opacity:.6;text decoration:line through}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results price .jetpack search results price regular hidden {display:none}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results price .jetpack search results price sale{font weight:700;text decoration:none}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results price .jetpack search results price sale hidden {display:none}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results price .jetpack search results price current{font weight:600}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results price .jetpack search results price current hidden {display:none}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results rating{align items:center;display:flex;font size:.875rem;gap:.5rem}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results rating hidden {display:none}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results rating stars{block size:1em;color:color mix in sRGB,currentColor 25%, 0000 ;display:inline block;font size:1em;inline size:5em;line height:1;position:relative}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results rating stars:before{content:"★★★★★";inset:0;letter spacing:0;position:absolute}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results rating fill{color:var jetpack search rating color, f7b500 ;inset block:0;inset inline start:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;white space:nowrap}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results rating fill:before{content:"★★★★★"}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results rating count{opacity:.7}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results match hint{font size:.8rem;opacity:.75}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results match hint hidden {display:none}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results match hint mark{background:none;color:inherit}.jetpack search results product .jetpack search results match hint span hidden {display:none} / sourceURL=https://capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/plugins/jetpack/jetpack vendor/automattic/jetpack search/build/search blocks/results list.css / About Us https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/ Contact Us https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/contact/ Privacy Policy https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/privacy policy/ Sunday, August 30, 2026 No Result View All Result ! https://capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2024/11/CNISingleLineWHITE 520.png https://capitolnewsillinois.com/ Subscribe https://capitolnewsillinois.com/subscribe Home https://capitolnewsillinois.com/ News https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/ Business https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/business/ Economy https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/economy/ Technology https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/technology/ Capitol Briefs https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/capitol briefs/ Courts https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/courts/ Law Enforcement https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/law enforcement/ Corruption Cases https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/corruption cases/ Madigan Trial https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/tag/madigan trial/ Michael Madigan: The Rise and Fall https://capitolnewsillinois.com/madigan timeline/ Madigan Trial in Review https://capitolnewsillinois.com/madigan week in review/ ComEd 4 Trial https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/tag/comed 4 trial/ Emil Jones Trial https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/tag/emil jones trial/ Paul La Schiazza Trial https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/tag/paul la schiazza trial/ Sam McCann Trial https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/tag/mccann trial/ Tim Mapes Trial https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/tag/tim mapes trial/ James Weiss Trial https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/tag/weiss trial/ Education https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/education/ Environment https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/environment/ Agriculture https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/agriculture/ Energy https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/energy/ Government https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/government/ Budget https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/budget/ Health https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/health/ Immigration https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/immigration/ Infrastructure https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/infrastructure/ Healing Illinois https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/healing illinois/ Investigations https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/ Police Hiring https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/police hiring/ No Schoolers https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/no schoolers/ Funeral Home https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/funeral home/ Culture of Cruelty https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/culture of cruelty/ Elections https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/elections/ Election Guide https://capitolnewsillinois.com/elections/election guide/ Candidates Questionnaire https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/candidates for u s senate in illinois respond to questionnaire/ Primary Results https://capitolnewsillinois.com/elections/primary results 2026/ CNI InsiderNew https://capitolnewsillinois.com/capitol news insider/ Podcasts https://capitolnewsillinois.com/podcasts/ About Us https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/ The News Team https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/the news team/ Events https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/events/ Careers https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/careers/ Privacy https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/privacy policy/ Terms https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/terms/ Media Center https://capitolnewsillinois.com/media center/ Pressroom https://capitolnewsillinois.com/media center/pressroom/ Republish Guidelines https://capitolnewsillinois.com/media center/republish guidelines/ Press Releases https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/press releases/ Editorial Independence https://capitolnewsillinois.com/media center/editorial independence policy/ Conflicts of Interest https://capitolnewsillinois.com/media center/conflicts of interest policy/ Code of Ethics https://www.spj.org/spj code of ethics/ Submit News Tip https://capitolnewsillinois.com/media center/submit a news tip/ Contact https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/contact/ Support Us https://capitolnewsillinois.com/support us/ Support https://capitolnewsillinois.com/support us/ Donors https://capitolnewsillinois.com/support us/our donors/ ! https://capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2024/11/CNISingleLineWHITE 520.png https://capitolnewsillinois.com/ Pritzker pours cold water on using Meta windfall for Chicago Schools funding The governor said 'one time money should really be used for one time needs' ! https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2026/03/CNIstaff 300px MOORE.jpg?resize=150%2C150&quality=89&ssl=1 by Brenden Moore https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/author/brenden moore/ August 27, 2026 https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzker pours cold water on using meta windfall for chicago schools funding/ in Capitol News Insider https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/newsletter/ A A A A ! https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2026/08/PRITZKER DINER.jpg?resize=750%2C375&quality=89&ssl=1 Gov. JB Pritzker, flanked by running mate Christian Mitchell, takes questions from reporters following a campaign stop at a Springfield diner on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Capitol News Illinois photo by Brenden Moore MOORE’S SUMMARY: Gov. JB Pritzker poured cold water Thursday on Illinois Federation of Teachers President Stacy Davis Gates’ call to spend the state’s $768 million cut of a multi state settlement with social media giant Meta for education, saying that “one time money should really be used for one time needs.” PRITZKER: “And while I understand that some people may view the shortfall in the budget in Chicago as a one time need, it’s not,” Pritzker told reporters in Springfield following a stop on his five day campaign bus tour. “There’s an ongoing need.” CONTEXT: Meta, owner of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, reached a $17 billion settlement with nearly all U.S. states, including Illinois, earlier this week that resolved claims that the company designed its platforms with addictive features and knowingly exposed children to serious mental health harms. Davis Gates, also the president of the Chicago Teachers Union, has said for years that Illinois “owes” Chicago Public Schools the nearly $1 billion necessary to achieve the 90% adequacy target under the state’s Evidence Based Funding formula. While annual state funding has increased by $3 billion since EBF’s adoption, more than 63% of school districts https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2026/08/PRITZKER DINER.jpg?fit=1140%2C749&quality=89&ssl=1 , including CPS, remain below the adequacy target, with officials estimating that it will take additional $3 billion to achieve that goal statewide. The Chicago School Board turned up the pressure last month, approving a budget that banks on the state chipping in another $150 million beyond what’s already allocated. And House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D Hillside, told CTU members he’s “committed” https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/welch committed to more funding for chicago public schools and the school board is banking on it/ to supporting a supplemental budget bill in the fall veto session that would increase funding for the district, though that’d require a three fifths supermajority vote. “The Governor has said he supports more funding for education but didn’t know where it would come from. The settlement with Meta just made that answer even easier,” Davis Gates said in a statement Wednesday. “Schools from Peoria to Belleville to Chicago are counting on the Governor and the General Assembly to prioritize students the way we’ve seen them prioritize big tech and billionaire stadium owners.” ONE TIME MONEY, ONE TIME NEEDS: Pritzker said he’s “not opposed” to using the settlement funds if there’s “a real required short term need” to fill “a small budget hole.” “But $150 million for Chicago added on top of what is needed across the state, that’s maybe using all of this one time money for an ongoing need,” Pritzker said. “So the question is, how do we fill the ongoing need?” Pritzker continued. “And that’s what I would like to focus on, and not the question of ‘How do we spend the one time money that’s coming from Meta?'” WHY IT MATTERS: Pritzker’s answer came in the wake of Moody’s upgrading Illinois’ issuer and general obligation bond ratings to A1 — the 11th time a credit rating agency has upgraded the state’s rating during the governor’s tenure. The agency attributed the upgrade largely to governance https://ratings.moodys.com/ratings news/471726 , citing “eight consecutive on time balanced budgets and consistently conservative fiscal management.” While Pritzker has made Illinois a bastion of social progressivism during his nearly eight years in office, he’s also constantly emphasized the need to balance the state’s books. For example, the state directed most one time federal COVID 19 relief dollars towards recovery expenses, relief programs for businesses and individuals and to repay federal advances to the unemployment trust fund — and not towards creating new programs that would become recurring line items in future budgets. CPS, on the other hand, devoted a significant chunk of its COVID 19 funds to operating costs, such as programs and staff salaries, that would continue after the one time relief dried up. It’s a budgeting contrast worth noting as the current debate over education funding moves forward. Statehouse ReporterBrenden joined CNI in October, 2025 as a Statehouse reporter. Brenden is a 2017 graduate of DePaul University, where he received his bachelor's degree in journalism and political science, and a 2018 graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield, where he received his master's degree in Public Affairs Reporting. Contact Brenden https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/newsroom contact/?to=brenden moore ! https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2026/02/insider margin seo wide.png?fit=300%2C161&quality=100&ssl=1 https://capitolnewsillinois.com/capitol news insider/ ! https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2026/02/allwyn 300x600 opt.jpg?fit=300%2C600&quality=89&ssl=1 https://allwyn northamerica.com/ ! https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2026/02/allwyn 300x600 opt.jpg?fit=300%2C600&quality=89&ssl=1 https://allwyn northamerica.com/ ! https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2026/02/allwyn 300x600 opt.jpg?fit=300%2C600&quality=89&ssl=1 https://allwyn northamerica.com/ ! https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2025/06/CNI Alternative padding.png?resize=720%2C192&quality=100&ssl=1 https://capitolnewsillinois.com 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200 Springfield, IL 62704 editors@capitolnewsillinois.com Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. A service of the Illinois Press Foundation. ! https://i0.wp.com/capitolnewsillinois.com/wp content/uploads/2024/08/Subscribe v3.png?resize=300%2C96&quality=100&ssl=1 https://capitolnewsillinois.com/subscribe More news from the Illinois Statehouse delivered to your inbox. © 2026 Capitol News Illinois No Result View All Result Home https://capitolnewsillinois.com/ News https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/ Business https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/business/ Economy https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/economy/ Technology https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/technology/ Capitol Briefs https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/capitol briefs/ Courts https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/courts/ Corruption Cases https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/corruption cases/ Law Enforcement https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/law enforcement/ Environment https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/environment/ Agriculture https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/agriculture/ Energy https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/energy/ Government https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/government/ Budget https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/budget/ Education https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/education/ Health https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/health/ Immigration https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/immigration/ Infrastructure https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/infrastructure/ Healing Illinois https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/healing illinois/ Investigations https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/ Police Hiring https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/police hiring/ No Schoolers https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/no schoolers/ Funeral Home https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/funeral home/ Culture of Cruelty https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/investigations/culture of cruelty/ Elections https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/category/elections/ Election Guide https://capitolnewsillinois.com/elections/election guide/ Candidates Questionnaire https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/candidates for u s senate in illinois respond to questionnaire/ Primary Results https://capitolnewsillinois.com/elections/primary results 2026/ Capitol News Insider https://capitolnewsillinois.com/capitol news insider/ Podcasts https://capitolnewsillinois.com/podcasts/ About https://capitolnewsillinois.com/about us/ Media https://capitolnewsillinois.com/media center/ Support https://capitolnewsillinois.com/support us/ Subscribe https://capitolnewsillinois.com/subscribe/ © 2026 Capitol News Illinois