Spotlight on Our Schools: Calhoun

Aug 4, 2017 6:13 AM Aug 5, 2017 6:56 AM

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HARDIN - With Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner recently issuing an amendatory veto on Senate Bill 1 (SB1) in order to prevent a "bailout" of the Chicago Public School system, many educators and educational administrators across the area are concerned about the futures of their school districts.

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To see what issues the amendatory veto of the first evidence-based school funding reform bill to pass both houses of the Illinois General Assembly in six years will cause for local school districts, Riverbender.com sent an identical questionnaire to superintendents across our coverage area. What follows is the responses from Calhoun School District Superintendent Kate Sievers, which is featured without any edits.

1 - Would you say your district has been placed in dire financial straits due to the current state funding model?

Yes, Calhoun CUSD #40 would be placed in a dire financial situation if we do not receive any state funding by September

2 - If the current state funding model met its categorical payments and did not have proration, would it be sufficient? Why/why not?

The current state funding model along with mandated categorical payments would suffice for Calhoun CUSD #40 on the backs of the local property tax payers. The current formula only gives school districts a portion of monies and the rest of the financial obligations fall on the backs of the local tax payers. This is why a new funding formula is needed.

3 - If this evidence-based school funding model is passed, what are the immediate benefits your district would see? What are some long-term potential benefits?

If an evidence-based model is passed, and school districts fully-funded, this will be the first time since I have been superintendent at Calhoun CUSD #40. This would mean that we could purchase to replace badly needed desks, chairs, tables, textbooks, curriculum resources, even down to paper towels, etc. I could go on with a list of expenses we have cut. When a district is placed in financial “dire straits” you triage the situation until you have additional resources to do more.

4 - What is the largest expenditure in your district outside of payroll? How much is that impacted by pension debt?

The second largest expenditure for Calhoun CUSD #40 outside of payroll is special education services and then transportation coming in third.

5 - If Rauner were to amend the bill to remove the "Chicago School Bailout," would it positively affect your district? Is that measure important to you?

I have no way of predicting what Gov. Rauner will do and how his amendment to SB1 would play out in regards to the impact on my school district.

6 - How long could your district last without SB1 passing?

As of now we have approximately 20 days of cash on hand. We should begin receiving Calhoun County’s property tax revenue in early September. That could possibly get us through Thanksgiving.

7 - How much in reserves does your district currently have? How long did it take to accumulate that?

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We do not have any reserves.

8 - How much is your district currently owed by the State of Illinois?

The State of Illinois currently owes Calhoun CUSD #40 approximately $171,000. $166,000 of that is for Mandated Categoricals (special education and transportation).

9 - What are the regional school district offices and the Illinois State Board of Education doing to assist your district (if anything)?

Illinois State Board of Education employs financial consultants who keep in contact with districts in regards to their finances and help in assisting with financial questions. The Regional Office of Education will help where they can. However, they too are impacted by the State budget and funding as school districts are.

10 - What measures has your district taken to alleviate the issues caused by current state funding in the last five years?

We have cut-cut-cut expenses and are literally “bare bones” We do not employ extra support staff that is needed to help low performing students both academically and social and emotionally. We have cut a bus route, the teachers have taken pay freezes for two of the past five years since I have been superintendent, we do not provide any transportation for middle school sports, all extracurricular activities at the high school have to pay for their transportation to away events, and teachers have to literally “fundraise” to get items for their classrooms.

11 - Have your communities and parents been supportive during this funding crisis?

I have to say the funding crisis has had a negative impact on our community. The school district has had to issue working cash bonds which in essence is paid for by the local property tax payers. It has been painful because the school district’s tax rate has increased to pay for normal costs in addition to outstanding bonds.

12 - What do you think parents and the community need to know more about when making decisions based on public education? How is your district working to inform them?

I have to give my students, faculty, staff, school board members, community members, and my fellow superintendents in our region kudos for doing such a fine job and doing a lot with very little. This has helped decrease the negative impact on our families.

13 - What is the "best case scenario" for this outcome?

Best case scenario-is for the State to pass an evidence based funding model that is “equitable” to all school districts in Illinois before school begins August 21^st for Calhoun CUSD #40.

14 - What is the "worst case scenario" for this outcome?

Worst case scenario-is for this bill to die and nothing happens for months or years.

15 - How high is the possibility of your school district being forced to shut its doors due to this current Springfield squabble?

The possibility of Calhoun CUSD #40 closing its doors is very high if no bill is passed.

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