Huntley Dist. 158 retools spending plan

Halfway into the academic year, Huntley Unit District 158 is poised to approve a list of federally funded stimulus projects -- half of which must be spent this year.

The list includes about $1.6 million in new spending on special education, split between the current school year and the 2010-11 school year.

It has taken the district so long to develop the list because special education parents balked at the district's initial proposals.

After retooling and refining the list through consultation with parents and staff, the district presented the final draft to the school board Thursday.

Most notable on the list is an initiative, first proposed in November, that aims to offer disability awareness training to all District 158 employees.

"This is the first district that I know of that's doing such a thing and I'm very proud of it," Special Services Cheryl Kalkirtz said. "We are encouraging all of our staff to participate."

Under the latest proposals, the district would also use stimulus money to beef up reading programs for special-needs students and upgrade technology.

After their initial outcry, parents in the past two months have started to get behind the district's list, giving the district staff credit for listening to parents' feedback.

"This was a better draft that what had been originally proposed," Lake in the Hills mother Kathleen Trautmann said. "We can go through draft after draft after draft. You're not going to please everybody."

But parents are still worried budget worries may prompt the district to raid the special education money next year, despite an explicit board pledge not to do so.

"I hope in 2010-11 we see these things purchased for the district," said Linda Betzold, a special education mother. "I'm really worried about whether that will become reality."

The board is set to vote on the stimulus list on Jan. 21.

Spending: Board will vote Thursday