LM Mar 2025

EBF: Making a Difference

Wabash Valley Region Teutoplis CUSD #50 Matthew Sturgeon, superintendent

Cook North Region East Maine School District 63 Dr. Shawn Schleizer, superintendent

74 % A continuous investment in EBF will empower us to invest in the ongoing professional development needs of our educators, equipping them with the tools and training necessary to implement innovative teaching strategies required for today’s learners. We will also continue to update our learning materials, technology infrastructure, and modernize our instructional spaces, ensuring that our students are prepared to thrive. EBF has brought stability and predictability to funding, enabling us to plan for the future with confidence, focusing on long-term improvement and initiatives that will sustain and grow our Wooden Shoe tradition of academic excellence. special education resources, and grown career and technical education programs. All of these efforts have helped create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment that better meets the needs and interests of our students and community. Like many Illinois districts, Teutopolis has moved closer to the adequacy target, ensuring that resources are directed where they are most needed. This has allowed us to continue and expand our most impactful programs, making improvements that benefit our students and district families. This funding has enabled investment in our quality teaching staff, the lowering of class sizes, and provision of resources for more personalized attention for each student. We have expanded access to critical support services like counseling and Prior to EBF, Teutopolis relied heavily on local property taxes to endure financial uncertainty created by state proration. These times were characterized by controlled spending and, in some years, budgetary cuts, leading to prioritization of the ssentials and the postponement of initiatives and attention to known needs. Teutopolis CUSD #50 serves 1,150 PK-12 grade students in three buildings within Effingham County. The Wooden Shoe community is steeped in tradition and our schools are committed to helping every student become the best version of themselves. in FY 2025 73 % in FY 2018

     If we did not have the EBF funds, we would still be required to provide the special education services, so the money would be pulled from other areas, potentially increasing class size and reducing opportunities and services to children. Additionally, we continue to fund our summer school programs (both academic and enrichment) for about 1,000 kids, as well as instrumental music classes that are open to all students free of charge. When we removed the cost a few years ago, participation nearly doubled. We also removed fees to participate in athletics and provide full-day kindergarten at no cost to families. Most, if not all, of these initiatives would be difficult to sustain without EBF. development. The district provides excellent teaching, individualized learning, strong English learner programs, free full-day kindergarten, no-cost music and athletics, and robust after-school offerings—ensuring every child from preschool through middle school has opportunities to thrive. Like all districts in Illinois, we depended greatly on General State AId (GSA). Unfortunately, the amount funded by the legislature would frequently be less than the full amount, and for many years we would receive a fraction of what we were entitled to receive. This was a challenge as this revenue stream was not predictable, but badly needed. We’ve been able to keep class sizes at reasonable levels and intentionally lowered them post-COVID as we emerged from the pandemic. Additionally, this funding has helped us manage a significant increase in our self-contained special education population. For example, since October 1, 2019, that population has grown by 180%, accounting for approximately 57.4% of all new students in the District during this period. Because special education reimbursement covers only about 20 cents for every dollar we spend, EBF funding has been crucial in allowing us to respond to the notable increase in our student population with special needs. Much of this growth comes from programs serving children on the autism spectrum. 67 % in FY 2025 82 % in FY 2018 East Maine School District 63, northwest of Chicago, serves 3,750+ students across five communities with a diverse learning environment focused on comprehensive student

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Describe your school district.

Before EBF, what was the situation in your school district? Percent of Adequacy then and now?

Biggest impact EBF has had on your district?

How will a continuous investment in EBF help you improve educational outcomes?

10 LM March 2025