District 128 administrators presented two annual reports at committee meetings on Sept. 8: the employee compensation report (to be posted by Oct. 1) and the site‑based expenditure report showing per‑student spending by school.

The compensation report is an annual legal posting summarizing salaries and benefits for most teachers and administrators. "This is an annual thing that school districts have to do," a district presenter told the Program & Personnel Committee. The presentation was informational; no board action was required. The report will be posted publicly by Oct. 1 in compliance with state requirements.

The site‑based expenditure report, presented to the Facilities & Finance Committee, breaks down spending per student by school. The current report shows higher dollars per student at Vernon Hills High School than at Libertyville High School. Administrators said that difference reflects several operational realities rather than inequitable educational spending: a similar administrative staff spread across fewer students at Vernon Hills, higher transportation costs because of Vernon Hills' location, and greater per‑student spending for English‑learner (EL) services because Vernon Hills has a larger EL population.

Committee response and requested clarifications
Board members asked the administration to include explanatory narrative and qualifiers when the data is posted publicly so residents can understand why per‑student totals differ. One trustee suggested emphasizing that per‑student instructional spending is broadly similar across buildings and that higher per‑student totals at Vernon Hills reflect transportation, admin and EL services, not lower investment in classroom instruction.

Discussion vs. decision
Both items were informational; the employee compensation report will be posted and the site‑based report will be included in public materials. No policy or budget vote occurred. Administrators said they will consider adding more contextual narrative to the public presentation of the site‑based data to aid transparency.