SPRINGFIELD – Illinois will willing spend every dollar the state receives from Race to the Top, but some lawmakers in Springfield are worried about the potential of 500-million dollars from Washington.
Illinois leaders learned early Thursday that the state is one of 16 finalists for the Obama administration program. But Illinois Superintendent Christopher Koch is warning lawmakers that the cash from Washington is not free, and won't last forever.
Chicago Democrat James Meeks says that's the problem in Springfield. He says lawmakers have depended on “free money” for far too long.
Koch and other Illinois school officials now have to travel to Washington D.C for another round of questioning and scrutiny. The Obama administration will choose Race to the Top winners in April.
