At 12:25 p.m., the Illinois State Board of Education unanimously approved sweeping budget cuts that eliminate funding for 32 state-funded programs and drastically reduce the amount of money available for many other programs.

Before voting, the board heard nearly two hours of comments from educators across the state, but did not make any changes to the budget as a result.

“Somehow, our teachers, our custodians, our administrators in this state will do the best job they can with the dollars they have and we can’t lose sight of that,” Vice Chairman Christopher Ward said just before voting. “They are working hard regardless of what the dollars come to.”

The board wiped out all funding for gifted education, a government internship program, rural school technology, job placement for high school graduates, early childhood education and two separate after school programs for the coming year, making the cuts with deep regret at having to do so. “It breaks my heart today to have to present this budget,” one state education official said.

The board encouraged people in the audience to pressure their legislators to come up with a new budget that would restore funding for the programs.

“We really have to take this opportunity, be energized, work together and express our views and demand that our public officials don’t just put out cute (campaign) commercials … that that give us strict plans on how they’re going to fund and invest in education,” one board member said.