Kane County Reporter

State Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) has no regrets about sponsoring a bill that seeks to amend the School Construction Law.

“With regard to early childhood construction grants, I thought that probably needed to be fixed,” Ugaste told members of the House Elementary and Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing and Charter School Committee while speaking at a recent hearing. “I also learned that providing early childhood education is one of the biggest assets in making certain people stay in school, complete school, do well in school.”

The legislation also stipulates that a public school district assigned to Tier 1 under the evidence-based funding formula in the School Code must provide local matching funds in an amount equal to 3% of the awarded grant. A public school district assigned to Tier 2 under the same criteria must provide local matching funds in an amount equal to 7.5% of the awarded grant. Public school districts falling under Tier 3 would be eligible for matching funds in an amount equal to 8.75% of the awarded funding, and Tier 4 schools would be eligible at 10%.

“I thought this was needed to make sure districts that can afford it the least actually have to pay the least as far as the grants go,” Ugaste said. “No one gets a raise; no one is getting an increase.”

In his second term representing the 65th District, Ugaste sits on the House’s Museums, Arts & Cultural Enhancements, Health Care Licenses, Labor and Commerce, Appropriations-Capital and Energy and Environment committees.

Ugaste knocked off Democratic challenger Martha Paschke in November with nearly 52% of the vote. His 65th District includes all or parts of Batavia, Elgin, Geneva, Hampshire, South Elgin and St. Charles.