[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6339705,"mediaKeyId","2260835-9e0a7dc5544e7cea37253f86b5b0af6f","parentId",2260835,"title","Kaneland administrators outline plan to close a $4.2 million gap, propose staff cuts and move KIPLA program","audioSeconds",2249,"startMs",5021000,"endMs",7270000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260835-9e0a7dc5544e7cea37253f86b5b0af6f&start=5021&end=7270","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260835-9e0a7dc5544e7cea37253f86b5b0af6f/thumbnail_5021000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6339705/Illinois/Kaneland-administrators-outline-plan-to-close-a-42-million-gap-propose-staff-cuts-and-move-KIPLA-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339705-2d2dab1f0108a919cc89c792db44aea6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771085498&Signature=gdC77FPo7HjF88esmFjn~HYSreHFmzr98v9AKaFXa0AN-Zta2i6p0X6gYqTkd3jVxq173bgm-HKFs8yRh7rhBy5zWoxg0G186TCeN~xPk6BvYg8jxUpShlgmnimMz-qECljIW5WnubGv6Lf7bC~N8wP9XmFFoba-1rtkDKeXNfJb4hXMmBVRytXXOmixbHmutPaw7f38uu9TfV6G32CLt~-BxsoNVrh0TApdymwSroXGSDq9cvNm-tVg3-7M4u6DWzn~bQEniMh894005fvD1hBR8mgsYl1vrCsSTR9D0gycZ1ahA8G6Ggh3Lahals026USdbr2I-DL0YzcTTyC5kQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kaneland CUSD 302","date","2025-01-14T04:04:15Z","article","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 building would be avoided by relocating the program.

Why it matters: Parents, teachers and unions at the meeting warned that cuts to counselors, elementary MTSS interventionists and assistant principals would reduce student-facing supports. Multiple public speakers said proposed eliminations — especially two high-school counselors and reductions in elementary MTSS interventionists — risked reducing proactive mental-health support, college-and-career services and small-group academic interventions.

What administrators proposed: The presentation included program-level staffing reductions summarized as follows:
- Elementary: reduce one MTSS interventionist at each elementary site (leaving three per site in the model described), reduce exploratory sections (about 3.7 FTE across the district), and delete some site-specific FTE tied to enrollment.
- Middle school: remove two MTSS FTE, an LRC (library/learning resource center) director position, and an unfilled instructional-coach line.
- High school: reduce one MTSS interventionist, eliminate two counselor positions, and remove one food-service FTE.
- District-level: do not fill an unfilled 1:1 instructional coach; eliminate an ELL FTE being vacated by retirement; reallocate the KIPLA administrator position to a district-level “assessment and school improvement coordinator” (a change that prompted objections from several board members).
Administrators also proposed reducing building discretionary budgets by 10% (estimated districtwide at about $318,000), capping next year’s transportation replacement spending at $300,000, and cutting planned capital projects roughly 50% for the coming year.

Public comment and staff reaction: More than a dozen speakers addressed the board in public comment. KEA President Susie Axel and KEA negotiator Patty Reeder warned that the association had bargained responsibly and said cuts to staffing would harm student services and the profession. High-school counselors and the College and Career Readiness Center staff — including Kate Ozarka, who described a range of college, career and military programming — described services that would be reduced if counselor positions are eliminated. Multiple parents and KIPLA families urged the board to preserve the current KIPLA setup at the KMAC building or to provide a concrete plan for how personalized learning, transportation and special-education needs will be met after relocation.

Board discussion and next steps: Board members pressed administrators for details about how program delivery would change and whether the administrative reallocation (the new district assessment role) was the right priority while classroom-facing personnel are reduced. Dr. Atkins and Dr. Bogan said detailed scheduling, enrollment-driven staffing and legally required steps for certified reductions (the sequence of honorable dismissal described under state law) would follow board action and additional staff consultation. Administrators said the board would receive a minimum-staffing plan for approval at the March board meeting; they said legal timelines for certified reductions limit how late the district may delay formal action.

No vote tonight: The board did not vote on the proposal at the meeting. Multiple board members asked administration to reassess district-level administrative staffing and to return with a revised plan that preserves as many student-facing positions as possible while still addressing the budget gap.

Ending: Administrators said they will continue detailed work with building leaders and employee groups and return with refined staffing lists and the minimum-staffing plan required under state law. Many public speakers asked the board to delay final decisions until the district presents concrete plans that show how KIPLA, counseling and MTSS services will operate in new configurations.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","D302 Jan 13 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Kaneland CUSD 302 district administrators told the board that the district projects a $4.2 million operating deficit and presented staffing and program reductions intended to close the gap, including moving the KIPLA personalized-learning program from the KMAC building into existing schools and cutting counselor and MTSS interventionist positions.","taxTitle","Kaneland CUSD 302, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",60068,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6339700,"Board hears lawyers and residents debate Crown TIF in Sugar Grove; no vote taken",580,10590000,11170000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260835-9e0a7dc5544e7cea37253f86b5b0af6f&start=10590&end=11170","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260835-9e0a7dc5544e7cea37253f86b5b0af6f/thumbnail_10590000.jpg","/articles/6339700/Illinois/Board-hears-lawyers-and-residents-debate-Crown-TIF-in-Sugar-Grove-no-vote-taken","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339700-5cbd8d1458b853ca9517fbfa37bec664/orig.mp4?Expires=1771085498&Signature=h9V6SxjlgXcGILJvq9JL2TnwVqJMpiUjcbogDfpUeMQjZ0iOPJStWs4AwbVJPvS1E81~wtY3id~6lHuusqi~afbke3udKI9n0nsySkQIrsKYxS8oBWd1CCUkqzPIy-lZChVIH7NotloTVQOrZkWGJP2LZo7hj2vt3dUTIzdF5kcy-grYMnCp-aJL3~GefCbwEWG92l72fz8sFAKbbutMg3Q0hB0jj4c0~gdTBojakR0DehfvQ6aBODMz8EhOWqN69WanUkEUSAAd~ckcrckVSUzc9IzfA3q1~7FmTWIet6XS-DKxj~aNAoUt4VKJ8pb29hWGTumVDMVpZD43nWBIPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kaneland CUSD 302 attorneys briefed the board on the village of Sugar Grove’s proposed intergovernmental agreement tied to the Crown Community Development tax-increment financing (TIF) plan and residents urged the board to reject the IGA and consider legal action.

Attorney Jim Flory summarized terms the village and developer have offered the district if the board signs an intergovernmental agreement: reimbursement of certain school-impact and land-cash fees, a share of a proposed TIF surplus (10% allocated among taxing districts) and a structure for tuition payments tied to new students from the TIF area. Flory said the package, as presented, has an estimated combined value the village characterized at roughly $125 million over the TIF’s anticipated life; he said the component that departs from the usual statutory formulas is an agreement to pay district tuition for any new student from the TIF area without the usual “net growth” offset. Flory described that net-elimination as a valuable concession negotiated for the district.

Why it matters: The Crown TIF proposal has drawn strong public opposition and legal scrutiny because the village’s consultant designated much of the site as contributing to downstream flooding, a justification commonly used to qualify land for TIF in Illinois. Residents and a scientist who reviewed the filings told the board they believe the scientific justification is weak and urged legal challenge; board counsel warned litigation would be expensive and take years.

Key points from the attorney’s briefing and public comment:
- Flory said the village’s offer includes impact fees and school land-cash fees already envisioned in the development documents, a 10% share of TIF surplus distributed to taxing bodies and the non-standard tuition calculation that removes the net-growth offset; he said those items together are an important negotiated value for the district.
- Flory said the TIF would run on a schedule over roughly 23 years as presented and that village approval triggers the process; he warned that if the district challenges the TIF and loses in court the district would still receive only the standard tax revenues for the property.
- Flory estimated trial litigation to stop or overturn a TIF typically costs about $250,000 and can take 3–5 years to resolve, with appeals pushing the timeline to 7–10 years and additional costs.
- Multiple public speakers, including retired NIU professor Ross Powell and community members Pat Gallagher and Jaden Chadda, urged the board either to refuse an IGA or to challenge the TIF in court, arguing the village and developer have not demonstrated the land meets statutory criteria.

Board reaction and next steps: Board members asked clarifying questions about the IGA’s schedule, what the village is keeping (Flory said Sugar Grove would keep 10% of the TIF surplus and also benefit from infrastructure improvements that raise property value) and whether the district should litigate. Flory said the agreement the village offered strengthens the district’s bargaining position but acknowledged litigation is uncertain and costly. The board took no vote; Flory and district staff said the item would return to the board for further review and for discussion with other taxing bodies and village officials.

Ending: The board did not take action on the Crown/Sugar Grove IGA. Several speakers asked the district to pursue legal review and to coordinate with other local taxing bodies if it moves forward; the board’s counsel said that would be part of continued discussions.

","Kaneland CUSD 302 received a legal briefing about Sugar Grove’s Crown TIF and a village-drafted intergovernmental agreement that would allocate impact fees, school land-cash fees and a share of a proposed TIF surplus to taxing bodies.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6339695,"Board approves purchase of two 72-passenger buses, an activity bus and a 14-passenger van not to exceed $300,000",315,10135000,10450000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260835-9e0a7dc5544e7cea37253f86b5b0af6f&start=10135&end=10450","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260835-9e0a7dc5544e7cea37253f86b5b0af6f/thumbnail_10135000.jpg","/articles/6339695/Illinois/Board-approves-purchase-of-two-72-passenger-buses-an-activity-bus-and-a-14-passenger-van-not-to-exceed-300000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339695-b8f7865f106a6db2df8c8c53acf373e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771085498&Signature=FJmSfAfjuPYQ8jQWChh7U0BX5HMSTce0uouHk9DKumnnjsfbrCXa-TvrfeaKlMz-KSNqu5~ck9n0DOVX5xYvARGImFZ7BA7jebCLSL1xjTomCBjKHi0uztoFB67OCFo6tFS-5mvdG2UZvwFgmUvHJbh9Gs4lAPs8lhC3u91xnf3lhvIhm45XT8fD~72Ut461~mEkzTkj5onpG10HrZv1FESVDFblYNvIK30hUHoqCJfj6Jn79Dml5yabt1mX2-mQ2alHvXcJJjG60kS7PPeCroeDxSxPJlwCo9nNndEpt~Iw2wyuRNEB9rof3g9~1DGt5vzGgv-ISZGp-4iLmt1Ohg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kaneland CUSD 302 Board of Education voted 7–0 to approve administration’s recommendation to purchase two one‑year‑old 72‑passenger school buses, one 2022 activity bus and a 14‑passenger activity van with a combined purchase price not to exceed $300,000.

Dr. Bogan presented the recommendation and said the district sought bids from multiple vendors and secured lower prices than last year’s purchases. The district plans to trade in seven 72‑passenger buses and two older activity buses as part of the transaction; administrators said trading reduced the fleet size and would lower future maintenance costs. The board approved the motion on a roll-call vote with all seven members voting \"aye\": Cook, McCauley, Lawler, Mankowski, Kleisner, Simmons and Gonzales.

Why it matters: District officials said the activity van and an activity bus will make athletic and activity transportation more efficient for small trips and reduce reliance on charter services; they said securing buses now was important for reliable transportation and that reducing the number of older buses in the lot will lower upkeep costs.

Votes at a glance: The motion directing administration to move forward with the purchase and trades passed 7–0.

Ending: Administration will complete procurement and report back with final purchase and trade paperwork; the purchases are scheduled to occur after the new fiscal year begins.","Kaneland CUSD 302 approved by roll call a plan to buy two 72-passenger buses, one 2022 activity bus and a 14-passenger activity van for up to $300,000 total and to trade in older vehicles. The board voted 7–0.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

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

Board hears lawyers and residents debate Crown TIF in Sugar Grove; no vote taken

Board approves purchase of two 72-passenger buses, an activity bus and a 14-passenger van not to exceed $300,000