District leaders urge advocacy as MCATs are prorated; auditorium bid scheduled Feb. 2
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
District finance staff told the CHSD 94 board that mandated categoricals are being prorated (about 60–70%), forcing the district to use Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) dollars to cover transportation and private facility tuition shortfalls. The board was told the auditorium renovation bid opens Feb. 2 with award expected in February.
District finance leaders told the Community High School District 94 Board of Education that state-mandated categorical payments are being prorated and that the district has been using Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) dollars to cover the shortfall.
"EBF is currently at around $10,000,000 that we receive every year," said the district’s executive director of business services, describing the district’s fiscal picture. He said mandated categoricals (MCATs) are being prorated at roughly 60–70 percent, and that the district has used EBF funds to offset transportation and private facility tuition reimbursements that have been cut. He added: "So I believe, this past year I've moved about $500,000 of EBF into the transportation fund to help offset those costs."
During questioning board members asked for breakdowns. The executive director said private facility tuition reimbursement was about 63 percent prorated; special education transportation costs were roughly $2.5 million with expected reimbursement nearer $1.7 million but the district receiving closer to $1.2 million; regular-education transportation reimbursement was described as roughly $400,000–$500,000 versus an expected ~$800,000.
The board was also briefed on facilities work: Allied Facility Partners and DLA released the auditorium renovation bid, the director said, with the bid opening scheduled for Feb. 2 and an award expected in February. He said auditorium seats will likely be purchased through a purchasing cooperative to meet lead-time constraints and that the full project, including seats, will be presented to the board in February for approval.
The administration said it will continue advocacy through LEND and IASB channels to seek full funding of MCATs and that keeping MCATs fully funded would reduce the need to draw on EBF for operational costs.
The board logged no formal vote on funding strategy at the meeting; the discussion was an informational update and part of routine business reporting.