Superintendents from area school districts met for their weekly breakfast meeting on Thursday, but their focus was not on food.
All eyes are focused on what will happen next as Gov. Pat Quinn prepares to impose major cuts in what the state sends to schools and universities.
Rick Goodman, superintendent of Thompsonville Community Unit District 174, said recent meetings are making him lose sleep.
"I couldn't sleep last night for worrying about it," Goodman said. "Four of us attended the Illinois Association of School Administrators meeting in Mt. Vernon on Wednesday. There was no good news. They talked about borrowing money from state aid but that's the only money they talked about."
Quinn's budget director, David Vaught, laid out the plan that would cut $2 billion from the state budget. Those cuts could affect schools, programs for the elderly and disabled, prisons and dozens of other state programs.
About $1.5 billion could come from the state's payments to schools and universities.
George Wilkerson, superintendent of Zeigler-Royalton Unit 188, said all of the school districts are hurting.
"Everybody is owed money from the state right now," Wilkerson said. "Financially, right now, we are OK, and I don't expect any problems before the end of the school year. We have been very fortunate to have teachers retire during the past four years I have been there. That has helped, but the budget forecasts can only last so long.
"We will be fine this year. We are expecting two more retirements this year. After our curriculum meeting we will be deciding whether to rehire them or not. It depends on the number of students enrolled."
Richard Towers, superintendent of Christopher Unit District 99, said the state owes his district about $285,000.
"We are also very fortunate," Towers said. "Looking ahead to next year, eight teachers will be retiring. We will replace seven of them and will be moving some of the teachers around. We don't really know how much will be cut from our budget and may face some tough decisions. Our first priority is to make sure, at a minimum, that the situation is OK and to enhance our offerings to students. We may have to dip into our reserves if the state makes cuts. We are taking this one year at a time."
John Metzger, a former superintendent and current Benton Community Consolidated District 47 Board of Education member, said he had heard state budget cuts could be upward of $2.4 billion.
Goodman said the state owes $200,000 to the Thompsonville school district — and "$136,000 of that amount is the consolidation money promised to us," he said.
"We are into our third year as a consolidated school district and have not seen the money. We are already into our reserves. We started getting into them last year," Goodman said.
"We may be looking at non-certified positions," he said. "Right now, we are just talking, but we have to be pro-active. We are also looking at the athletic budget to see if there is any room there. After next year, we will have three teachers retiring and will be replacing all three of them."
He said the situation could be "pretty serious" if the Thompsonville school district does not see state funding assistance in the next two years.
When asked who's to blame, Metzger said the state has to step up its work with legislators or the budget pitfalls would get worse.
Wilkerson, Towers and Goodman agree that the blame starts at the top.
"The legislators need to quit blaming each other across the aisles," Goodman said. "Legislators blame the governor. They blamed the former governor, Rod Blagojevich, when he was in office, and now they are blaming Pat Quinn and they still can't get anything done."
Metzger said "legislators are too busy worrying about getting reelected to get anything done."
Goodman said it is a difficult situation for the pencil pushers.
"We kind of feel helpless," he said. "We are worried about continuing some of our programs. The state has promised us money and hasn't come through with anything."
When asked if a proposed state income tax increase is the answer, Wilkerson said it depends on where the money would be used.
"If it is earmarked for education that is one thing," he said. "If it is earmarked for the general fund, I would say no. The money could also be earmarked to pay off some of the state's debts, which would also affect education."
Metzger said superintendents have been meeting every Thursday morning for the past 15 to 18 years. The weekly breakfast meetings are held at The Buzz, located on the Benton Public Square.
Sesser-Valier Community District 196 superintendent Jason Henry said he has been meeting with individual educators and staff members, in case the possibility of layoffs exists.
"This is the time of year when we traditionally discuss laying off personnel or cutting back programs," Henry said. "This year is particularly tough. The board of education will have an opportunity to take action on this during the March meeting."
In Akin Community Consolidated District 91, Superintendent Belinda Hill said the state currently owes the district $46,645.43.
"The financial situation for Akin is serious, just like many other districts," Hill said. "For the 2009-10 school year, we have had to lay off one teacher's aide and one cook, and reduce one secretary to half-time. At the beginning of the year, we combined our second and third grades in anticipation of budget deficits.
"Due to these budget changes throughout the school year, we have not had to dip into our reserves yet," she said. "The expected receipt of only50 percent of our categorical money (transportation and special education) will most likely have us dipping into our 90-day reserve by the end of the fiscal year."
She said the big concern for school districts is how to plan for the next school year.
"The future of Illinois school funding is dismal at best," Hill said. "As a superintendent, I attend many meetings about the funding issue, but without the legislature and governor making decisions, it is all hearsay. However, the situation is dire enough that as the financial officer for the district I cannot ignore the predictions.
"At the regular meeting for the Board of Education in February, we 'RIF'd' five people — one non-tenured teacher, two teacher aides, the cook mentioned earlier and a secretary. Some of these positions should return for next school year, but at least two will not."
Regarding program suspensions, Hill said the board of education has looked at suspending the track team for this year.
"M-Class Mining recently picked up sponsorship of the team," she said. "The school will be able to have a track season this year, due to this sponsorship."
Hill said no teachers are retiring from the Akin school district this year.
Marian Nipper, superintendent of Ewing-Northern Consolidated District 115, said her district is also struggling financially.
"We are going to review our instructional programs and extracurricular programs and make serious cuts," Nipper said. "We do not have any teachers retiring."
When asked if the district is using its reserves, Nipper said, "Yes, we will be relying on our reserves to finish the payroll and expenditures for the current school year."
She said the district is in the process of evaluating all of its instructional programs.
"We are trying to continue to provide an excellent academic program with severely restricted revenues," she said. "We are also reviewing our extra-curricular and transportation expenses to decide what cuts we will need to make for the next school year."
Benton, Ill. —
