Burkey addresses special education

In my column last week, I included a mild zinger directed at Huntley Unit District 158 Superintendent John Burkey.

I said I was disappointed Burkey didn't explicitly state at a recent meeting that he planned to spend half of the federal stimulus funds the district expects to receive on existing expenses.

Although those funds are earmarked for special education, school districts are allowed to spend half on existing special education costs - essentially freeing up money to spend on areas outside special education, according to state education officials.

Burkey apparently read my column and called me the day it ran to give me an earful over it. I was pleased to learn I have at least one reader. I was also pleased to hear Burkey say that 99 percent of what I write in my columns is insightful. I honestly thought it was more in the 50 percent range, but from now on, I will cite the 99 percent figure.

Burkey denied he had been less than forthcoming about District 158's plans for the stimulus money. In the interest of fairness, here is what he said: "I have been very open and honest that they're not new aides. I have been completely upfront with what our proposal is."

Burkey was referring to the district's special education aides - the existing expense on which district officials plan to spend half of the federal money.

I tried to point out that I didn't say he had been outright deceptive, just that he could have stated more bluntly that for all practical purposes, half the money will not be used to improve special education.

In any case, it's always nice to hear from someone directly about my columns and articles - instead of reading about them in a blog.

Burkey and I also talked more broadly about how the district will spend the estimated $1.6 million in stimulus funds. As I noted in a recent article, the superintendent is still recommending that the district spend half of the amount on existing expenses.

But Burkey did say the list of items on which the remaining $800,000 will be spent is being retooled to include more staff and parent input.

"I don't think we have a lot of staff involved, and that bothers me," Burkey said. No doubt the superintendent would like to have the new special education director and her assistants weigh in on the stimulus funding.

As for parents, Burkey offered a mixed bag on their list of suggestions.

"I don't agree with some of them. I do agree with some of the big themes," he said.

The superintendent admitted his staff might have assembled the initial list with too much haste but said he now has an opportunity to do a better job.

"I didn't want to get caught (not) having something prepared," Burkey said. "In hindsight, I didn't need to be pushing that hard because the grant is not even available to be applied for."

Burkey plans to present a "road map" for how the final stimulus wish list will be prepared at the board's next committee meeting on Aug. 6.