Former school board member urges Winnebago County oversight of ROE 4, cites personnel and fiscal concerns

Jennifer Kaiser, an educator, grant administrator and former school board member, addressed the Winnebago County Board during public comment to request oversight of ROE 4's fiscal management and employment practices, saying the issues affect more than 60,000 students and "millions in programming." Kaiser said nearly two dozen former employees have documented similar concerns and that eight have provided statements for an EEOC inquiry she filed.

Kaiser told the board employment-liability insurance for ROE 4 rose from under $8,000 annually to nearly $55,000, an increase she described as roughly 700 percent and equivalent to an educator's annual salary. She said an administrative judge ruled against ROE 4 this spring and that the organization had defended the rulings in litigation rather than correcting practices.

In her remarks she described high turnover in both HR and program leadership at ROE 4 and related organizations: four HR directors under current leadership, finance oversight outsourced after a previous director resigned citing alleged unemployment-law violations, four executive directors at Summit in as many years, and termination of a partnership with SOAR Academy. She said the SEL hub had 100% turnover in one grant cycle, framing the pattern as systemic.

Kaiser said she initiated an EEOC inquiry and has contacted the state attorney general's office; both processes can take months, she said, and she asked the board how it would ensure taxpayer funds support educational programs rather than defending alleged violations. She closed by offering documentation to the board and seeking stable services for students and a lawful workplace for ROE 4 employees.

The board did not take formal action during the meeting on Kaiser's request; the comments were made during the public-participation portion of the agenda. No county response or staff assignment was recorded on the transcript.