Dist. 95 might leave SEDOL
The Special Education District of Lake County's approval of a $26.5 million building project has spurred the Lake Zurich school district to pursue quitting the agency.
Lake Zurich District 95 board members informally agreed at a committee meeting Thursday night they should withdraw from SEDOL, while having the option of rescinding the action and staying with the agency. A formal vote on the position is expected June 26.
About 550 students with learning disabilities are educated at SEDOL's Gages Lake campus just south of Gurnee. Another 800 children are served by the agency at Lake County public schools.
District 95 board members say they wanted more time to study SEDOL's $26.5 million plan for new construction and renovations to existing buildings at the Gages Lake complex before a vote to approve the project last week.
Lake Zurich Unit District will be on the hook to SEDOL for $3.3 million, paid from the operating budget in 20 or fewer years or a lump sum. District 95 board member Mike Finn said SEDOL provided too few details at a meeting last month for him to grant quick support of the plan.
"Where I come from, that just doesn't work," Finn said. "You need to know the options and a lot of detail."
Board member Jan Putbress said she views the unhappiness with how SEDOL sought approval of its project as a catalyst for District 95 to take back all of its special education for students, which she previously supported. She said research might show it's better off to stay with SEDOL.
SEDOL officials say the $26.5 million construction program is needed because of continued enrollment growth. They say space problems at the Gages Lake complex have resulted in some children being turned down for services.
Last week, the SEDOL board voted 19-8, with one abstention, to have individual public school districts that are members pay for the $26.5 million building project. Elected officials from 36 public school districts in Lake County serve on the agency's board.
At the centerpiece of the plan is an $18 million, 65,000-square-foot classroom building for children with profound mental and physical disabilities or the medically fragile. The balance of $8.5 million is earmarked for renovations of existing facilities.
If District 95 votes to leave SEDOL, it still would have to pay the $3.3 million construction tab because it was a member when the vote occurred last week, officials said. In addition, SEDOL's board, Lake County's regional schools superintendent and the Illinois State Board of Education would have to allow District 95 to quit.
District 95 board President Kathy Brown said the departure process would take about two academic years. Board member James Hussey said it's the correct path to take.
"Anytime a taxpayer-funded organization acts like the money is theirs, you've got a problem," Hussey said.