The influential Illinois Education Association (IEA) has endorsed state Sen. AJ Wilhelmi, D-Joliet, who is seeking re-election in Will County’s 43rd Senate District.

The teachers union has more than 130,000 members, including elementary and high school teachers, university professors, support staff, and retired educators.

Wilhelmi said he has worked to improve area schools with legislation he has supported, including a bill that allowed Lockport High School District 204 and Wilmington School District 209  to sell bonds for school construction projects.

He also supported a plan to reform education funding, shifting much of the expense of maintaining schools from local property taxes to state revenue and increasing the per-pupil foundation funding level, according to a press release from the Wilhelmi campaign.

Wilhelmi faces Republican Cedra Crenshaw, of Bolingbrook. The election is in November.