District 158 changes course on special ed

So much can change in a week.

When I left for a vacation in Yellowstone National Park, the administration in Huntley Unit District 158 had recommended spending just half of the district's expected share of federal stimulus money on special education.

Although all the money is earmarked for special education, state education officials say Illinois school districts can spend half on other areas.

When I returned last week, I learned the District 158 administration had made a fairly dramatic change to its recommendation. Officials said the district should spend all the stimulus funds on special education - although half of that spending would be contingent upon budgetary concerns.

"This team, this administration, is committed to spending the other half on special ed initiatives," Comptroller Mark Altmayer said.

On top of that, a majority of school board members pledged to spend all of the stimulus money on new special education initiatives.

"I have an intention to spend every single one of those dollars on special needs," board member Mike Skala said.

Board Secretary Kim Skaja said, "I think all the money should be spent on new special education initiatives."

Despite the change, last week's board meeting on this year's budget was contentious.

Board member Aileen Seedorf, who has taken up the cause of special education parents, angrily denounced the spending plan even though it was a substantial improvement from the perspective of the special-needs community.

Seedorf charged district officials were ignoring parents' wishes and deceiving the state by seeking reimbursement for special education aides. She was off on both counts.

Under the district's spending plan for the stimulus funds, half of the expected $1.6 million would be spent on new special education initiatives this year; the other half would be spent on existing special education aides, padding a surplus that presumably would be used next year to fund another $800,000 in new initiatives.

The stimulus program requires school districts to seek federal funds for reimbursable expenses. That means the district initially spends local funds on special education and then gets a "rebate" from the federal government.

Once that money is in district officials' hands, it is theirs to spend.

From the parents' perspective, the district is spending the same amount on special education from a big pot that includes money from the state, the federal government and local taxpayers.

The district's happy, the federal government is happy, special education parents are happy. No one is being deceived.

To be fair, though, District 158's spending plan poses a not-insignificant question: What happens if the district doesn't have enough money next year to fund existing programs?

At that point, administrators and board members will have to decide whose interests should come first: a specific constituency or the residents of the entire district.