Independent review finds MLO spending in District 11 favors operations over instruction; PCG urges clearer KPIs and transparency
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Summary
Public Consulting Group told the District 11 board that its triennial Mill Levy Override (MLO) review found less than half of roughly $81 million in MLO revenue is being spent on direct teaching and learning, and recommended grouping PIPs, adding intermediary KPIs, improving transparency and broadening committee membership.
Dr. Jennifer Miller of Public Consulting Group presented the district’s ninth triannual MLO assessment, telling the Board of Education that a recent year’s MLO receipts totaled about $81,000,000 across two levies and that “less than half of that money is spent on teaching and learning.”
PCG said it used document reviews, seven focus groups, 15 interviews, peer-district comparisons and staff and community surveys to assess whether program improvement plans (PIPs) funded by the MLO align with the district’s high-level priorities. The consultants found variable performance across PIPs: some, such as PIP 3 (support for education support professionals), show measurable gains, while others lack intermediary measures to connect activities to student outcomes.
The report flagged three accountability gaps: oversight focused on whether programs were implemented rather than whether they produced positive change; limited flexibility to reallocate funds toward current priorities; and an unclear theory of action tying PIPs and KPIs to district goals. PCG noted that the D11 Promise (PIP 12), introduced by amendment after the original ballot, has grown rapidly but was not part of the 2000 ballot language.
PCG recommended four broad changes: (1) optimize and regroup PIPs so MLO spending better aligns with district strategy; (2) develop intermediary KPIs that give a clearer through-line from MLO-funded activities to student outcomes; (3) make reporting more accessible and focused on tangible impacts for families and the community; and (4) diversify and increase oversight-committee membership to reflect changing community priorities.
During Q&A, board members pressed PCG about how the 2025 assessment differed from prior reviews. Miller said many themes persisted but that community priorities have shifted and that the district’s current leadership has created clearer expectations the public now understands. Committee members and staff signaled they would draft next steps — including charging the MLO oversight committee to develop KPIs and communication products — and PCG said parts of that work were already underway.
The board did not vote on any formal action at the session; staff and the MLO committee agreed to return with follow-up proposals and communications plans to close the loop on PCG’s recommendations.
