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OTHS leaders warn state proration could deepen a $500,000 transportation gap
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Summary
Dr. Jackford told the district board the state's proposed budget would likely lower reimbursement proration for mandated categoricals — including transportation and special education — increasing local costs and creating roughly a $500,000 shortfall for O'Fallon Township High School District 203's transportation fund.
Dr. Jackford told the O'Fallon Township High School District 203 Board that the state's current reimbursement proration for mandated categoricals leaves the district underfunded and that the governor's budget would likely reduce those proration levels further.
"Right now, the reimbursement rates are prorated for all of our mandated categoricals. For example, we're at 76% for regular transportation, 60% for special education, and 64 for private tuition," Dr. Jackford said, and he added that the governor's recommendation would not restore full funding. He said the administration anticipates regular transportation proration could drop to about 67% and special education transportation to about 55% under the current proposal.
The presentation included historical charts and a district'level analysis showing the gap between what districts claim and what the state returns. Dr. Jackford demonstrated that, even with a healthy local equalized assessed valuation this year, the lower state reimbursements would leave an estimated transportation funding shortfall of about $500,000 for next fiscal planning.
He said the governor proposed roughly $50 million in targeted increases (including $10 million for transportation and $20 million for special education transportation) but characterized that amount as ‘‘short of what ISBE recommended just to maintain current proration levels." He urged board members, staff and community members to contact legislators to emphasize that evidence-based funding gains should not come at the expense of mandated categorical reimbursement.
Board members asked clarifying questions; Dr. Jackford walked through the district'specific figures that underlie the $500,000 gap and showed how local tax levy contributions and state proration interact.
The district did not take a formal action on state advocacy at the meeting, but Dr. Jackford requested that board members and citizens engage with legislators to protect mandated categorical funding in the coming legislative session.
