Board approves $3,000 stipend for social workers to assume 504 case management duties

The Homeless School District 153 Board on Aug. 11 approved a $3,000 stipend for each district social worker to assume additional duties as 504 case managers after the district decided not to refill a vacated administrative position that previously handled the caseload.

Superintendent Dr. McAllister told the board that the district had not replaced the district employee who formerly managed the 504 caseload and that some responsibilities had been redistributed across district office staff. "One of the things that we've done as we look for ways to save money through staffing is when we have a resignation, we ask ourselves, is this a position that can be absorbed?" McAllister said. He added that the social workers will take on the 504 case-management duties in addition to their regular work and that the stipend was intended to compensate for substantial extra time outside the school day.

McAllister noted the district recently filled two social worker vacancies but called social workers a hard-to-fill position and said the stipend program is part of broader efforts — including stipends for National Board certification and licensed clinical social workers — to address recruitment and retention.

The board approved the motion to provide a $3,000 stipend to each social worker to cover the additional workload. A motion to approve the stipend passed on roll call vote.

The district intends to continue assigning 504 responsibilities to building-level social workers until a long-term staffing decision is made; administrators said they will revisit compensation and workload if the arrangement proves unsustainable.