District 211 ratifies NSSEO budget; tuition edges up, HVAC work and staffing gaps highlighted

The Township High School District 211 Board of Education on Monday ratified the Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO) amended 2024-25 and proposed 2025-26 budgets and heard a detailed presentation about program enrollment, rising tuition rates and deferred facilities work.

NSSEO superintendent Mike Schnoor and assistant superintendent of business services Gavin McGinn told the board the Kirk School tuition rate will rise about 3.8% and the deaf-and-hard-of-hearing (DHH) program at Hersey will rise about 3.2%, increases that align with the organization27s collective-bargaining agreement. The board voted to ratify the budgets and to pay District 2201127s share.

The presentation emphasized why the rate changes were needed and what the budget will fund. "NSSEO has what's called a zero-balance budget," Gavin McGinn told the board. "So that means that our expenditures and revenues match identically. Everything zeroes out."

Board members were given enrollment and service details. NSSEO projected 94 District 22011 students at Kirk School next year, an increase of about five students, and growth in students classified as "youth in care" (McKinney-Vento) to 20. McGinn said the cooperative returned $125,000 to District 22011 in the previous year when audit-year balances permitted.

Officials also reviewed capital and facilities needs. McGinn said NSSEO removed a one-time $3 million HVAC project from the recurring budget chart to show an annual increase closer to 1.5% year over year. He explained the Kirk HVAC system was functioning at roughly half capacity and that replacement parts were so scarce technicians had been cannibalizing one rooftop unit to keep another running. Schnoor said the organization had received about $750,000 in state grant funding toward the Kirk HVAC work and had another $500,000 grant offered to address replacement of original windows in older buildings.

Board members pressed NSSEO on how it serves non-member districts and how it manages facilities costs. Gavin McGinn said NSSEO charges non-member districts an additional 30% above member tuition and an annual $4,000 facilities fee (up from $2,000) to help offset facilities work and capital needs. "We charge our non member districts an additional 30% on top of the tuition rate that our member districts pay," McGinn said.

Schnoor and McGinn also described workforce pressures and the cooperative27s reliance on contracted providers for some related services. They said roughly a portion of related services is contracted out when staff resignations or noncompetitive pay make in-house hiring difficult; NSSEO is pursuing contract negotiations and has engaged Sunburst Advisors to help recruit health-care professionals for school-based roles.

The board heard that NSSEO maintains finance advisory committee meetings beginning in January to set rates (insurance, IMRF, workers27 comp) and that NSSEO operates with an intent to return any year-end balances to member districts. Officials said they are developing a capital improvements reserve, a preventative maintenance plan and will explore joint procurements with neighboring districts to reduce costs.

Action: The board ratified the NSSEO amended 2024-25 and proposed 2025-26 budgets and agreed to pay District 2201127s proportionate share (motion approved by roll call).

District and NSSEO leaders said grants, enrollment shifts and staffing availability will determine future costs and that member-district collaboration will be a priority as NSSEO revises its articles of agreement and governance practices.

The board27s NSSEO report noted ongoing planning for a two-tier leadership structure to clarify governing-board and operational responsibilities, and the cooperative plans to present bylaw revisions at a June meeting.