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Waukegan officials warn of ESSER cliff, uncertain federal and state categorical aid; planning ‘B and C’ scenarios
Summary
District staff told the board that one-time federal ESSER funds have been spent strategically and that uncertainty over future Title and other categorical grants could force program changes; officials said they are developing contingency plans and monitoring federal/state developments.
District finance and program staff told trustees at the Aug. 5 budget workshop that uncertainty in federal and state categorical grants — including the expected end of most ESSER funding — is a primary fiscal risk for FY26 and beyond.
Miss Polk, business-office staff, described the district’s prior use of ESSER dollars as “strategic,” saying the district used one-time funds for nonrecurring expenses to avoid building ongoing personnel costs the district could not sustain after federal support ended. “We maximize the use of that ESSER money,” Polk said, noting a recent federal audit of ESSER spending found no findings for the district.
Dist…
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