Kaneland administrators outline plan to close a $4.2 million gap, propose staff cuts and move KIPLA program

Kaneland CUSD 302 district administrators told the board that the district projects a $4.2 million operating deficit and proposed multiple staffing and program reductions intended to align next year’s spending with anticipated revenues.

The plan presented by Dr. Bogan and Dr. Atkins would reduce spending across capital, transportation and building budgets and cut staff positions that administrators said would realize roughly $1.6 million in projected savings from programmatic changes and staffing reductions. Administrators said about 83% of district expenditures are for salaries and benefits and emphasized they first reduced non-staff spending where possible.

District officials said the proposal would not eliminate the KIPLA personalized-learning model but would move the program from the KMAC building into John Shields and Harter Middle School, and absorb several site-level roles into those buildings. Dr. Atkins said moving KIPLA would remove 1.2 exploratory FTE and several site support roles (lunch monitors, a food services manager, a secretary and a nurse) that currently serve KMAC; the plan would retain some specialized special-education support for KIPLA students at the middle-school level. The presentation said about $500,000 in deferred HVAC work at the KMAC…