LM May.2021

May 2021 LeadershipMatters

School District Consolidation:

New Dissertation Research Details Illinois Superintendent Perceptions, and Why it Needs to Remain a Local Decision

2021 IASA Superintendents of Distinction

Basics of Facilities Planning, Construction Methods, and Finance

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Proposals to consolidate school districts in Illinois have been a recurring theme in the Illinois General Assembly over the years. For his dissertation, Dave Deets, superintendent of Harmony Emge SD #175 in Belleville, researched school district consolidation to learn more about how Illinois superintendents perceive the issue, what the research says about costs and perceived academic benefits, and the challenges associated with consolidating when it’s not a community-initiated plan. SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSOLIDATION

10 The Basics of

Professional Development Opportunities

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Facilities Planning

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Elevating Education

16 IASA Superintendents of Distinction

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IASA News in Brief

Making A Difference Series Part XVII: Bethalto, La Salle- Peru and Genoa-Kingston

PartXVII

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Volume 9, Issue 5 May 2021 LeadershipMatters Jason Nevel Director of Social Media and Publications jnevel@iasaedu.org

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Message From the Executive Director Focus on Your Personal Health andWell-Being: Your Communities Need You

Dr. Brent Clark

No matter how strong a leader you are, or think you are, this past year has taken its toll on everyone. I strongly encourage you to take some time to regroup, recharge and refocus, however that looks for you. Your school districts and communities are once again going to need the strong leadership each of you provides to address the immense challenges that lie ahead. As we wrote last May, “Like the flight attendant says on an airplane, put your oxygen mask on first.” Meanwhile, IASA remains committed to providing members support and resources to navigate these unparalleled times. We plan to continue to offer our Mindfulness Matters sessions, as well as other timely workshops to help superintendents get centered and refocused. In addition, I want to remind you counseling services are available to IASA Active members via a private provider, ComPsych®. Information about how to access the service was emailed to active members and can be resent upon request. We’re in the final stretch of the 2020-21 school year, and the finish line is clearly in sight. However, a new race is waiting around the corner. Try to take some time for yourself, and your family, before preparing to run again.

In so many ways, school districts across the state have adapted and evolved over the past year to try and meet the needs of students in a new learning environment. Technology has greatly expanded, communication has improved and new supports have been implemented. However, in some ways, it feels like the old saying, “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” is apropos to our current situation. On May 27, 2020, IASA and the COVID-19 Transition Team released a message encouraging superintendents to hit the pause button until new guidance from the state is released. We wrote, “The plane doesn’t need to be built today,” and “I just want to encourage you to take some time to recharge your batteries after an exhausting and demanding stretch.” It’s early May and superintendents, who are planners at heart, are once again looking ahead to the fall and wondering when guidance will be released and what school will look like? It kind of sounds familiar to where we stood last May. I recognize it’s not easy convincing superintendents to catch their breath — after this school year ends, of course — but I believe strongly it’s critical for leaders to focus on their personal health and well-being. The amount of stress superintendents have endured this past year is incalculable. We’re way past an exhausting and demanding “stretch” and fully into the marathon. I have talked to numerous superintendents whose personal health has suffered mightily as a result of stress, and I’m, quite frankly, concerned about how everyone is holding up.

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School District Consolidation: New Dissertation Research Details Illinois Superintendent Perceptions, and Why it Needs to Remain a Local Decision

Q A

Why did you choose to research school consolidation for your

Q&A with Dave Deets Superintendent of Harmony Emge SD #175 Proposals to consolidate school districts in Illinois have been a recurring theme in the Illinois General Assembly over the years. One of the most recent examples was HB 7, which was aimed at consolidating high school and elementary districts into unit districts by forcing local referendums. The bill was opposed by IASA, along with numerous other stakeholders, and was defeated soundly in the Illinois House. However, the idea has its supporters and likely isn’t going away. For his dissertation, Dave Deets, superintendent of Harmony Emge SD #175 in Belleville, researched school district consolidation to learn more about how Illinois superintendents perceive the issue, what the research says about costs and perceived academic benefits, and the challenges associated with consolidating when it’s not a community-initiated plan. Click Here to read Deets’ dissertation paper. For Leadership Matters, IASA also spoke with Deets to learn more about his findings. Below is a Q&A.

dissertation?

My professional career has been spent in St. Clair County, a county with 28 public school districts. For the majority of school districts in our county, consolidation has not only been a topic of discussion, but many districts have also taken part in several reorganization studies. Additionally, over the past decade, several Illinois legislators have continued to propose forced consolidation despite the findings from the 2012 Classrooms First Commission. I found it incredibly intriguing that so many proponents of consolidation state that it can both save districts money and improve educational outcomes. Yet, I found out relatively quickly that it was difficult to find the data or evidence to support those strong claims. Additionally, as I engaged in my literature review to narrow the focus of my study, I was unable to find any research on superintendent perceptions related to school district consolidation. Yet, I believe that superintendents are in one of the best positions to truly understand the impact consolidation can have on their schools and communities.

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What did you find are the perceptions of Illinois school superintendents related to consolidation? Honestly, it really depends on the demographic perspective superintendents work within. I broke demographics down into four categories: • Experience with consolidation (those who have gone through consolidation, had a consolidation study, or those who have done neither). • Geographical location (rural, suburban, or urban). • Size of the school district (0-499, 500-1499, or 1500+). • Organization type (elementary, high school, or unit). In looking at those four demographic categories, there were significant levels of difference in all but one category, which was experience with consolidation. In every other category – district location, district enrollment size, and district organization type – the differences in perceived benefits and liabilities were very significant. Q A

Despite those levels of difference, there were several questions that produced strong levels of either agreement or disagreement among the 181 responding superintendents. The questions that produced the highest levels of agreement or disagreement were: • Superintendents disagreed with the perception that consolidation would save money by having only one taxing body rather than two. • Superintendents agreed with the perception that consolidation would provide increased educational opportunities through expanded curriculum, course offerings and also opportunity to employ more specialized teachers. • Superintendents agreed that consolidation would result in an increase in spending due to higher salaries and benefits, as well as increased transportation costs. • Superintendents agreed that consolidation would result in significant one-time expenditures related to new or renovated buildings and facilities, new uniforms for sports teams/clubs and new signage.

continued...

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Q A

What is the biggest misunderstanding about school

Consolidation... cont’d.

consolidation in Illinois?

• Superintendents disagree with the perception that consolidation would negatively impact student and staff relationships, student discipline, graduation rates and drop-out rates. • Superintendents agreed that the state should implement a run-out period of additional support to help offset the costs of increased salaries and benefits following the initial four-year period. They also believed the state should provide additional funding to help offset the one- time costs that consolidating districts often face.

Well, one is the actual term itself. We often use the term consolidation in place of “school district reorganization,” but in reality consolidation is only one of eleven different scenarios school districts can use to reorganize. I feel the biggest misconception though is that consolidation will magically solve our financial problems - whether at the district level or state level. Supporters of consolidation often state that cutting superintendent costs will save money. Cutting administrator costs was the rationale even used by former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn nearly a decade ago when he proposed to eliminate two-thirds of Illinois Schools through forced consolidation. He believed that Illinois taxpayers would save $100 million, but in reality his proposal would have cost the state an estimated $3 billion (per the Classrooms First Commission report released in 2012). Sure, reducing the number of superintendents will save money in one line item, but those savings are dwarfed by increased expenses in salaries and benefits, transportation, one-time building and facility costs and more middle-level administrators and staff. The last misconception I think is important to note is this idea that “Illinois has too many school districts.” There is no question that 852 is a large number of districts. However, that statistic needs to be put in perspective. Although Illinois ranks 5th in the nation in number of school districts, we also rank 5th in total student enrollment. Therefore, the number of districts may not be as high as some may think. People in favor of consolidation always tout it as one way districts can save money and lower property taxes. However, IASA and many others strongly disagree with that claim. What did you research find about cost savings? Q

Q A

What surprised you the most when you researched this issue?

I think what surprised me the most was just how split superintendent perceptions were depending on the demographic makeup of their school. In general, I found that superintendents from rural, smaller enrollment districts and elementary districts rated the perceived benefits of consolidation much lower than their colleagues from suburban/urban areas, larger enrollment, and either high school or unit districts. Vice versa, superintendents from rural, smaller enrollment districts, and elementary districts rated the perceived liabilities of consolidation much higher than their colleagues from suburban/urban areas, larger enrollment, and either high school or unit districts. During my literature review, I found David McMillan’s Psychological Sense of Community theory that was first published in the late 1970’s. McMillan touches on the feeling of belonging and sense of security members of a community have that makes consolidation efforts so hard to overcome in our communities across the state. I believe superintendents are definitely important parts of their communities, but we are also in positions to truly understand the impact consolidation can have on our schools. If we as superintendents are this divided in our thinking and support, then can you imagine how incredibly difficult it is for communities across this diverse state to agree on what consolidation can or cannot do? It is virtually impossible, and I feel is all the more reason that consolidation decisions must be made at the local levels.

A

Literature and prior research would tend to agree with IASA in that regard. I don’t want to repeat everything I just mentioned above, but I would also add this.

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A

Without question, it is salaries and benefits. On average, high school teachers make more than their elementary colleagues. Given the practice

The window for seeing any significant savings due to consolidation efforts is incredibly small. A huge percentage of school districts underwent consolidation in the second half of the 20th Century following WWII. The vast majority of schools operating prior to WWII were one-room schoolhouses that served a small population of students. Following the baby boom and large growth in population, those districts and schools were replaced by larger, more centralized school districts that we are more familiar with today. The end result was that, by 1970, 90 percent of school districts across the country had been consolidated and nearly two- thirds of schools were eliminated due to consolidation efforts. Although the consolidation rate slowed significantly over the past few decades, the majority of districts that would have benefited from consolidation already have done so. This leaves only a small percentage of remaining districts in which consolidation would be financially beneficial. In fact, some research I found indicated that our larger districts in the state may be too large and could even benefit from de-consolidation.

that consolidating school districts adopt the higher of the salary schedules, this equates to a massive increase in spending. Our Illinois policy makers recognize these higher salaries as a major obstacle and do offer salary incentives to consolidating school districts. Unfortunately, those incentives are only for four years and the long-term impact on district finances can simply be too difficult to overcome.

Q

Another argument for consolidation is stronger

academic programming. What did your research find about how consolidation impacts student achievement?

A

According to the research, this should be the major consideration for school districts that are considering consolidation. This is not saying

and elementary districts? Q

What are the biggest challenges with consolidating high school

that smaller districts cannot offer great programming and resources for students, because they certainly can. However, continued... 7 LM May 2021

that consolidation saves money and want to explore whether it can work or not. However, it’s crucial that both state and local leaders do their homework and examine the potential impact that consolidation can have on a case-by-case basis. Although our demographics played a big part in how we perceived the commonly stated benefits and liabilities of consolidation, there was one more common belief shared among the responding superintendents. When asked whether “school district consolidation should remain a local decision and not one forced by legislative mandate” an overwhelming percentage (72.37%) agreed compared to only 17.68% that disagreed. I cannot emphasize enough to both our state and local leaders that every district and every situation is unique. A one-size-fits-all approach in a state as diverse as Illinois is not responsible and just looking at the differences of opinion among our state’s superintendents highlights just how complex this issue is. Although it may seem that I am very critical of consolidation, I do believe there are still some school districts that would benefit from some type of school district reorganization. In recent times Illinois has witnessed several school districts successfully reorganize, so it can definitely work. A recommendation for future research I provided within my dissertation was related to that very fact. Despite the many challenges and roadblocks to consolidation, what made consolidation successful in those communities? What were the conditions and factors that made it work? Who were the key leaders behind the efforts? Research of that nature could be a tremendous resource for districts considering consolidation. So, instead of a push for mandated consolidation, what if those efforts were instead focused on creating that road map to success? By having that information, it is possible that Illinois school districts will better navigate the muddy waters of consolidation on their own based on what is best for their respective school communities and students. Q A Is school district reorganization a topic you plan to continue to study?

Consolidation... cont’d.

larger school districts can, and do, typically offer more in terms of academic programming. This includes expanded curriculum and course offerings, more specialized teachers and more opportunities for students to get involved in extracurricular activities. However, what is extremely important to point out is that stronger academic programming (inputs) DOES NOT equal higher achievement results (outputs). And let’s face it, since 1983 when A Nation at Risk was released, it is the outputs that are measured. We have become a nation and society that has become increasingly focused on achievement results. And when it comes to achievement numbers, there is a body of research that shows smaller schools and districts might actually have an edge in achievement. Historically, there have been numerous pushes to consolidate school in Illinois. Why has it been so hard? communities would support consolidation, regardless of any additional state incentives. The majority of superintendents responded that, regardless of any incentives, their communities and boards would be unlikely to ever support consolidation. I believe this goes back to the sense of community theory I mentioned earlier in that many people have a strong sense of obligation to protect their community and schools. Add in the personal connections that so many have to their school districts and those become very powerful human emotions that consolidation must overcome. Those emotions are so powerful that even when a study shows consolidation would be beneficial, some districts have still said no in order to maintain that local control. Although this is not supported by research, I also believe that forced consolidation is often brought up in times of financial difficulties as a political tool rather than a true viable option. Without a doubt, Illinois faces considerable financial difficulties right now, so it is natural for one to hear Q A There are a number of reasons. An interesting question that I posed in my research asked superintendents whether their school boards or

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Basics of Facilities Planning, Construction Methods, and Finance

S By Dr. Lindsey Hall, Superintendent of Mahomet-Seymour CUSD #3 Susan Wilson, Retired Superintendent of Blue Ridge CUSD #18

Safety requirements every 10 years. The Illinois State Board of Education provides detailed information on the 10-year Health Life Safety Inspection here . The 10-year Health Life Safety Inspection is typically conducted by the district’s architect and engineer, who prepares a report for the district, which identifies and prioritizes problems that need to be addressed by the district. “A” level items are considered “urgent” and must be addressed within one year. “B” items are considered “required” and must be addressed within three years. “C” items are considered “recommended.” If, after the 10-Year HLS report is submitted, other HLS concerns are identified, then the architect can prepare and submit amendments to the 10-Year HLS report. Items identified in the original 10-Year HLS report or via subsequent amendments can be funded via the Fire Prevention Fund (Fund 90) or via HLS bonds. HLS bonds are not subject to voter referendum.

chools and school district facilities require ongoing attention, maintenance and construction to remain in good repair, provide healthy and appropriate environments for learning, and meet the learning and social/ emotional needs of our students and communities. Planning and execution of those plans must be conducted in concert with stakeholders, architects, engineers, and legal and financial advisors. The authors of this article have worked in small, medium and large-sized school districts and have overseen facilities planning and projects big and small. This article attempts to provide Illinois superintendents with the basic information they need to guide efforts for facility management. 10-Year HLS Facilities Review School districts are required to complete thorough inspections of their facilities for compliance with Health Life

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Annual, 3-year, and Multi-Year Facilities Planning

Once the facilities plan has been developed, including time-frames for completing specific projects, it is best for the committee to have a set schedule to review and update the plan. The committee is not meant to have day-to-day involvement in specific projects, so it should be sufficient for the committee oversight to take place annually or every six months. If the district is engaged in major construction, the committee may need to meet more frequently or even monthly. For more routine types of monitoring, however, a committee might meet twice a year - in August to review the summer work that was completed, and again in January to update the plan and prioritize work needed for the upcoming summer. The Operations and Maintenance Director for the district can provide monthly or quarterly updates for the Board of Education via a regular report for meetings of the Board of Education. Bidding Threshold Keep in mind that, unless a school district has set a bidding threshold at a different level, formal bids must be obtained for projects that cost $25,000 or more. Except in true emergencies, it is best practice to obtain multiple quotes when making purchases for items costing less than $25,000. Obtaining bids or quotes ensures the district is getting the best value for the dollars spent. Hiring an Architect, Engineer or Construction Manager It is essential that districts involve architects and engineers in any major work involving a school district’s facilities. Schools and districts are subject to many regulations, including those regarding health/life safety, and architects and engineers provide indispensable expertise to guide planning, bidding and execution of projects. If your district has a prior relationship with an architect or engineer, then you may continue to use them for any subsequent projects that you choose. If you face an emergency situation that requires an architect, then you may engage an architect to work with the district for that situation and bypass the formal selection process. If you do not have a prior relationship with an architect or engineer or are seeking to engage a new architect/engineer, you will need to follow a specific process to select and hire an architect or engineer. Detailed explanations, resources and links to appropriate statutes are available at http:// illinoisqbs.com/. The following steps outline the process:

Districts should have short, medium and long-range facilities plans so that projects can be prioritized, and appropriate budgeting and funding can be secured. Districts can plan for immediate needs and issues, projects that need to be done in the next year or next few years, and major projects or anticipated maintenance such as roof or parking lot work, HVAC replacements, or major construction. Facilities plans should include the building or site for each project, a brief description, estimated cost of the project, potential sources of funding for the project and the timeframe for completion. Facilities plans should be based on: The district’s strategic plan, the most recent 10-year HLS report, enrollment projections and input from district personnel, the Board of Education, parents, students, coaches, community organizations and other stakeholders. After a comprehensive Districts should have short, medium and long-range facilities plans so that projects can be prioritized, and appropriate budgeting and funding can be secured plan is developed, it should be routinely monitored, reviewed and updated. To this end, it is often helpful to have a committee that oversees the development of the facilities plans and its implementation, and regularly reviews the progress made toward goals. The facilities committee may be composed of board members, the district’s operations and maintenance director, school principals, food service director, transportation supervisor, athletic director or other pertinent individuals. Some districts include their district’s architect or engineer or other knowledgeable people from the community as standing members of the facilities committee. Alternatively, districts may choose to invite those individuals to participate as needed. Please note, if two or more board members are on the facilities committee, then each committee meeting must be posted as a special board meeting in order to meet the Open Meetings Act requirements.

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Develop RFQ. Develop a request for qualifications (RFQ) and accept submittals from architectural or engineering firms. Review Submittals. Review the submittals from each firm and select firms for interviews. It is important to contact references and visit past projects or facilities that the firm designed. Consider bringing in a construction manager or someone knowledgeable with school construction as part of your interview team. They can serve as an advisor as you evaluate submittals. Conduct Interviews. Conduct the interviews, then rank order the firms according to who you deem most qualified. You are not permitted to obtain fee structures in advance and use them as part of your process to rank order the firms. That must be done after you have determined the rank order for qualifications. Negotiate Contract. You then attempt to negotiate a contract with your top pick. If you can come to terms, then proceed with that firm. If you are unable to come to terms, then move to your second pick and attempt to negotiate a contract. Types of Construction Contracts When embarking on a major construction project, choices must be made as to the type of construction process you will follow. Districts can use a general contractor, construction manager or design/build for any work completed. The following are brief descriptions of each format: General Contractor. This is a commonly used form of construction process. Typically, your district’s architect develops plans/bid specs for a project. The district submits a request for proposals (RFP), accepts bids and hires the general contractor who submits the lowest competent bid. The general contractor hires the subcontractors, oversees the project and is responsible to complete the work. If change orders are needed, the general contractor must request approval from the district. Cost for change orders cannot exceed 10 percent of the original bid. The district’s architect can be engaged to oversee the work of the general contractor, if desired. This is a good approach for complex projects or projects where district personnel lack specific expertise.

Construction Manager. In this form of construction, the district directly employs a construction manager (CM) who manages the construction process on the district’s behalf. Selection of a CM follows a process similar to that of an architect or engineer. The architect/engineer designs the project, and the CM can participate in the design process. It can be helpful to have the CM involved at this stage to work with the architect to develop more efficient or cost-effective plans. Under the CM format, the components of a project are bid out separately, for example, there will be bid packages for electrical, plumbing, masonry, HVAC, etc. The district holds the direct contract with each of the firms who submit the lowest competent bid. The CM manages the construction process, keeps records, deals with any problems that may When embarking on a major construction project, choices must be made as to the type of construction process you will follow. Districts can use a general contractor, construction manager or design/build for any work completed. arise and coordinates efforts between contractors, the district and architects or engineers. Design-Build. In the Design-Build form of construction, a district hires a firm who serves as the one-stop shop for completing a project. The firm will design the project to the district’s specifications, then bid and manage the project to completion. The Design-Build firm establishes a cost total for the project and delivers the project for that cost. There are no change orders. Any problems that arise are addressed by the firm. Unforeseen costs are absorbed by the Design-Build firm.

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Funding sources for construction or maintenance projects

Issue HLS Bonds for HLS Work – no referendum needed. It is also possible for a school district to issue Health/Life Safety Bonds for work identified on a 10-year Health Life Safety Survey or other work identified as being eligible to qualify for using Health Life Safety Funds. If a project is not identified through the 10-year survey, the district’s architect must submit an amendment to the state for the project to be approved as HLS work. This amendment is typically preceded by a vote by the board of education to move ahead with the amendment submittal. “Back Door Referendum.” The “back door referendum” option has somewhat of a negative connotation, perhaps making it seem as though a board is secretly or covertly issuing bonds (debt) without taxpayer approval. Boards do, in fact, have this authority, and of course all actions are taken by a board of education in open session per the Open Meetings Act. The definition of a “back door referendum” is: The submission of a question to the voters of the School District, initiated by a petition signed by voters of the School District, to determine whether a resolution already passed by the School Board (e.g., bond issuance) will take effect. If there is a referendum, the outcome of the referendum is legally binding on the School District. If the voters fail to initiate a referendum, then the School Board can execute the resolution (e.g., move forward with issuing bonds).

There are a variety of options and funding sources that can be used to pay for construction or maintenance projects. The choice of what funds to use or how to use funds depends upon what funding mechanisms or funds are available to individual school districts. In addition, superintendents and boards of education should always consider what might be most palatable to taxpayers. Each school district in Illinois has its own unique identity, culture and “flavor,” the understanding of which can be key to the success or difficulty of any project. The following are brief summaries of options available to school districts in Illinois. Existing O and M Fund (20), Health/Life Safety Fund (90), or 1% Sales Tax proceeds. One of the easiest and least complex ways to finance a project is to simply use the funds that are readily available to the school district. If Fund 20 (O and M) or Fund 90 (Health/Life Safety) have sufficient funds, those can be used. If the school district is located in a county which enjoys the 1% County Schools Facilities Sales Tax (CSFST), those funds can also be available if they are not being obligated to pay off bonds or abate taxes to taxpayers. Some districts choose to “set aside” a certain amount of their sales tax revenue to regularly invest in facilities improvements. The CSFST is a consistent and reliable source of revenue and can only be repealed through a county referendum in which the majority of voters vote to repeal the tax, combined with there can be no school districts in the county with outstanding bonds that are “backed” by the CSFST. No county in Illinois has ever repealed the CSFST. Transfer excess reserves to Capital Projects for specified projects. If a school district has ample cash reserves/days of reserve, they could, if comfortable, move those funds to the Capital Projects fund for specific projects. In times of financial uncertainty and instability in Illinois, a district should strongly consider whether this option supports the long-term financial health of the organization. Tort Liability Fund. A school district can potentially utilize tort liability funds if the work will lessen liability, risk and/or improve safety and security of a facility. These funds are best used for a part of a facility improvement project, such as a secured front entrance, security cameras, or check-in system.

The “back door” reference refers to a bond issuance “sneaking through the back door” unless voters “close the door.” There are very specific guidelines for gathering the signatures to get the issue onto the ballot. In some cases,

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A Word About Change Orders Unless you are using a Design-Build format for construction, change orders are a fact of life. It can be helpful to establish a construction committee from a subset of the school board, who are given authority by the school board to approve change orders up to a specified dollar amount. This serves as a mechanism for speedy approval of change orders so that a project does not face unnecessary delays. A superintendent can call two board members to obtain approval of a change order, then sign off on the change in short order. The entire board can ratify change orders at subsequent board meetings. Conclusion The information in this article is designed as an overview. School administrators launching into the process should consult their school district’s attorney and review pertinent regulations and laws for any specific changes or requirements. This is particularly important if transferring money between district funds, engaging in the referendum process, or engaging firms for architectural, engineering or construction projects. Facilities planning and construction projects can have some of the most long-lasting impact on a school district. With awareness of the myriad of options, proper planning and good community support, facilities improvements and construction projects can be truly rewarding work for school district leadership. Disclaimer: The authors of this article are practitioners and are not attorneys. School leaders should consult with their district’s legal counsel to ensure that the latest rules and regulations are followed throughout the process – particularly when engaging in referenda, transferring money between district funds, or hiring architects and engineers.

instead of facing a referendum going to the voters, boards of education choose a different course of action. More information regarding back door referenda can be found here . A “back door referendum” can be used for the following types of bonds: ● Working Cash Fund Bonds: Bonds to create or increase a working cash fund balance. ● Funding Bonds: Issued to pay teachers’ orders or claims including lease obligations that a School District cannot meet from current revenues. ● Alternative Revenue Bonds: Bonds issued under the Local Government Debt Reform Act with the general obligation of the School District serving as backup security for the bonds. Referendum with voters – will need community committee to promote the referendum. District can only share facts. Finally, the option exists for school districts to place a referendum on the ballot so their voters/taxpayers can decide upon funding for a project. It is most typical for a referendum to involve high-dollar projects. In some cases, depending upon the circumstances, a referendum might not involve a tax increase, based upon the structure of the financing of bonds. If a new, free-standing building is going to be built, then under Illinois law, this almost always requires that a referendum be placed before the voters regardless of whether a tax increase is involved. Putting an issue on the ballot before voters takes many years of planning ahead of time. It is important to have accurate and up-to-date information about the district’s facility needs, a long-term facilities plan and some general sense of the interest of the community in supporting what is likely going to be an increase in property taxes for many years. It is typical for community members to organize campaign committees (both supporting and not supporting the referendum). The district’s role is only to provide the facts of the ballot question.

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T H E M I S S I O N

In the absence of a trusted adult, Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is not intended to suspend, expel or punish students. Rather, the goal is to get students to “Seek Help Before Harm.” Safe2Help Illinois will also develop an educational curriculum aimed at changing the culture in Illinois schools while also providing the resources to help parents and educators reinforce the components of this program.

S E E K H E L P B E F O R E H A RM

The State of Illinois is launching a school safety program called Safe2Help Illinois in an effort to raise awareness of the 21st century threats facing schoolchildren in Illinois.

D I D Y O U K N OW?

According to the U.S. Secret Service report, Analysis of Targeted School Violence, 77% of attackers threatened their targets or shared their intentions to carry out an attack.

77%

H OW T O MAK E A R E P O R T

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Top 2 Issues Reported

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Source: Boys Town National Hotline

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Awards Luncheon

sponsored by

Superintendents of Distinction are selected by their peers based on professionalism, communications, community involvement and leadership for learning. Recipients were honored May 5 at a luncheon in Springfield along with honorees from the Illinois Principals Carmen Ayala was the keynote speaker and the Illinois State Board of Education helped to coordinate the event. Thank you to Horace Mann for again sponsoring the luncheon. Association. State Superintendent Dr.

Dr. Sheila Greenwood, Bement CUSD#5 Abe Lincoln

Dr. Christopher Sullens, Kewanee CUSD#229 Blackhawk

Shannon Duling, Princeville CUSD#326 Central Illinois Valley

Dr. Kevin Jauch, North Cook ROE#5 Cook North

Dr. James Gay, Cons HSD#230 Cook South

Kevin Anderson, Rosemont ESD#78 CookWest

Dr. JoshuaOlsen, Livingston County Special Services - Corn Belt

Dr. Jon Bartelt, Bloomingdale SD#13 DuPage

Brad Lee, Carmi-White County CUSD#5 - Egyptian

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Superintendents of Distinction

Dr. Susan Zola, Champaign CUSD#4 Illini

Dr. Jennifer Garrison, Vandalia CUSD#203 Kaskaskia

Tony Sanders, SD#U-46 Kishwaukee

Dr. Brian Harris, Barrington CUSD#220 Lake

Sheri Smith, Forrestville Valley CUSD #221 - Northwest

Daniel Booth, Carbondale ESD#95 Shawnee

Dr. Brad Skertich, Collinsville CUSD#10 Southwestern

Dr. MatthewSeaton, Streator Twp HSD#40 Starved Rock

Cathie Pezanoski, Elwood CCSD#203 Three Rivers

Jill Reis, ROE#01 Two Rivers

JoshQuick, Robinson CUSD#2 Wabash Valley

KimSchilson, Illini West HS Dist#307 Western

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Series Part XVI

MakingaDifference: WhytheFormula NeedsToBeFunded

Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424

ThreeMoreSchoolDistrictsShare HowEBFBenefitsTheirStudents

La Salle-Peru Twp HSD #120

By Jason Nevel IASA Director of Social Media and Publications

In August 2018, IASA launched the Making a Difference series to better understand how Evidence-Based Funding is helping Illinois students. Between August 2018 and March 2020, we profiled 80 school districts. One thing was abundantly clear from our conversations with superintendents—the dollars have made an impact. STEM programs were created, social workers and counselors hired, class sizes reduced, electives restored, learning opportunities were expanded and student safety improved, all as a result of the state’s investment into public education. For the second straight year, Gov. JB Pritzker has proposed a spending plan that does not include any additional state dollars into the Evidence-Based Funding Formula. We know not investing in EBF will push districts further away from their adequacy targets and make it harder for schools to provide additional academic and social-emotional support for students. This month, we continue our Making a Difference series with three more stories on how the dollars are improving student outcomes. Telling these stories is important as IASA continues to advocate for the EBF formula to be properly funded over time. You can also find an interactive map on our website with the stories of all 88 schools we have profiled so far.

Bethalto CUSD #8

Bethalto CUSD #8

the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Six years ago, proration in General State Aid crippled Bethalto CUSD #8 to the point where the district faced a $2.3 million budget deficit and had only 26 days of cash on hand when General State Aid stopped flowing the following year. “It was probably one of the most challenging times of my

Enrollment: 2,414 FY 18: $855,665 FY 20: $798,378 Type: preK–12 FY 19: $679,179 FY21: Flat Funding How EBF has made a difference Evidence-Based Funding offered a lifeline to Bethalto CUSD #8 and put the district in a much stronger position to meet

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life professionally,” said Dr. Jill Griffin, who took over as superintendent in 2016. “We cut positions in every single category and had to take classroom sizes up and cut from the district office. EBF was the lifeline that gave us an opportunity to add positions back and provide additional resources to our students.” Bethalto hired six elementary teachers, a middle school counselor, two special education teachers, a math interventionist, a curriculum director, a middle and high school dean, a part-time teacher at the high school, psychologists, social workers and nurses. The district was able to make the investment into staffing because EBF is a sustainable funding source and not a one-time influx of dollars. Adding six elementary teachers lowered classroom sizes and improved the overall learning experience for younger students. The middle school counselor has also played an essential role in helping eighth grade students begin to think about specific career pathways and help them make a more successful transition into high school. Furthermore, EBF allowed Bethalto CUSD #8 to staff each of the district’s five schools with a psychologist and social worker in every building. “We had no idea the pandemic was coming, but I can’t imagine what we would have done without having the people in place to support the social-emotional needs of our students,” Dr. Griffin said. “Having that level of support for our students has made a significant impact on everyone while taking some of that burden off of the teachers during such a demanding time in the classroom.” EBF also made it possible for Bethalto CUSD #8 to have a school nurse in each building. As a result, the district had the manpower to deploy COVID-19 antigen tests to students and staff during the pandemic. “Using the antigen tests helped us isolate the spread of the virus while minimizing the impact on learning,” Dr. Griffin said. “EBF has truly been a game changer for us.” Continued Support of EBF would … If the state properly funded EBF, Bethalto CUSD #8 would

have the resources it needs to create systemic change across the organization. Combining EBF with federal funds, the district hopes to implement a new coaching model for teachers and foster Professional Learning Communities. Additional EBF dollars are needed to hire the additional staff needed to make this vision a reality.

Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424

Enrollment: 1,587 FY18: $558,024 FY20: $360,774 Type: preK-12 FY19: $424,779 FY21: Flat Funding

How EBF has made a difference Following the passage of Evidence-Based Funding, Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424 conducted a gap analysis to help determine staffing needs and areas of deficiency. The results were revealing. The district was 47 full-time employees short of meeting adequate staffing levels. When EBF dollars began to flow, Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424 began to address the findings and add staff to better support the needs of students and improve the quality of education in the district. Overall, eight additional full-time employees have been hired as a result of EBF. “EBF has been phenomenal,” said Superintendent Brent O’Daniell. “Any time you can add staff, you are easing the burden on existing staff and allowing employees to perform their job a little better, better serve students and improve student performance.” Two art instructors were also hired back, allowing the district to expand its offerings and make art available to students in grades K-12. “Our district has a philosophy of educating the whole child, so being able to offer art and provide students with that creative outlet has been tremendous,” O’Daniell said.

continued...

19 LM MAY 2021

Series Part XVI

Difference ... cont’d.

Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424 was also able to hire a full-time psychologist thanks to EBF. The district previously contracted the services to a private company. The addition of four instructional coaches — one for each building — has elevated teaching and learning throughout the district because teachers receive more targeted support. “Our instructional coaches have opened the door to new instructional techniques and new ways our teachers can connect with students,” O’Daniell said. Furthermore, Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424 hired two interventionists to provide reading and math support for students in grades K-12. “We are helping kids most likely to have fallen through the cracks and provide them with a level of support they need to stay on track,” O’Daniell said. Continued Support of EBF would … Properly funding EBF would allow Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424 to hire additional full-time teachers to reduce classroom sizes. The district also has identified a goal of hiring additional EL and bilingual teachers to better support English learners.

layoffs, update curriculum, improve special education services and hire additional staff that has resulted in lower classroom sizes and additional support for students. “It truly has been transformational for us,” said Dr. Steven Wrobleski, superintendent of La Salle-Peru Twp HSD #120. “EBF has been grounded in our human resources and ensuring we have the right people in place to provide the experiences our kids need, particularly in defined deficiency areas.” The district hired a full-time literacy instructor to elevate reading in the district. The literacy instructor provides direct support to students, as well as classroom teachers. In addition, EBF made it possible for the district to hire a full-time science and full-time social science teacher. Both additions have helped lower classroom sizes and improve the overall learning experience for students. Improving special education has also been a focus for La Salle-Peru Twp HSD #120. The district purchased a home near the high school that serves as a proper facility for students 18 to 22 years old with cognitive disabilities. “EBF dollars allowed us to continue to support and grow our transition, life skills, and goals program for students 18 to 22 years of age,” Dr. Wrobleski said. EBF was also used to purchase new textbooks and update curricular materials. An online reading program the district purchased has greatly expanded literacy support. Continued support of EBF would… In the 2021-22 school year, La Salle-Peru Twp HSD #120 plans to bring on a full time math teacher and three special education educators. If EBF were properly funded, the district would look at how it could continue to invest in human resources and lower classroom sizes and provide additional support for students.

La Salle-Peru Twp HSD #120

Enrollment: 1,192 FY18: $163,340

FY20:$369,698 FY21: Flat funding

Type: 9-12

FY19: $144,690

How EBF has made a difference Evidence-Based Funding has been “transformational” for La Salle-Peru Twp HSD #120. The money allowed the district to stabilize its budget, avoid

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