By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

State Senator Jason Barickman, while working on a state budget with the rest of the lawmakers in Illinois, is also trying to correct school funding issues.

During a recent Community Forum, Barickman said while the State spends between $6 and $7 billion dollars on its schools, the money isn’t making it to students most in need.

“If you’re from an area that’s not property tax rich, and the services, classes, coursework, etc, that are available to you as a student is often diminished. I certainly felt that at Woodland and I think there in Pontiac there’s concerns like this, and elsewhere, especially our rural communities around the state. So, I really try to be a voice for changing that system,” Barickman said.

The full forum with Barickman can be found in the podcast section at WJEZ.com.