The Illinois Senate approved legislation Wednesday aimed at eliminating the disparity in spending between affluent school districts and those serving poorer communities. Senate Bill 1 is sponsored by Democratic State Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, who has tried several times to get education funding reform through the legislature.

For the past 20 years, school funding in Illinois has relied heavily on property taxes, which means schools near prime commercial or residential areas thrive, while others struggle to get by. Since August, a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers has been meeting regularly to try to come up with a better way to fund public schools.

Gov. Bruce Rauner has announced a commission to help overhaul Illinois' outdated school funding formula. The Republican told reporters on Tuesday that the bipartisan group of 25 people will study the issue and give their recommendations to his office and the General Assembly by Feb. 1, 2017.