Federal stimulus cash provides bonuses at Grayslake D46

Taxpayers from across the country are funding bonuses for teachers and administrators at Grayslake Elementary District 46 through a federal stimulus program that was pitched as a way to save education jobs.

District 46 was provided $733,028 as its share of $415.4 million in federal dollars shipped to Illinois under the Education Jobs Fund initiative after the 2010-11 academic year began.

In a letter obtained by the Daily Herald through the Freedom of Information Act, Superintendent Ellen Correll announced Nov. 17 the federal jobs cash would fund a $1,100 bonus in each of recent paychecks for 345 teachers, except for those who have officially declared they are retiring and getting 6 percent raises in their final three years to increase pensions.

Records also show 10 school building administrators were in line for bonuses from a pot of $55,000 from the fund. In all, the district earmarked $435,000 of the $733,028 for the bonuses that Correll said are allowed under the federal program.

“While most districts are using the funds to cover benefits, new teacher salaries, etc., I felt it extremely important to share this money with you,” Correll wrote to the teachers. “We are also looking at providing some early retirement dollars.”

Correll, speaking at a school board meeting late Wednesday, defended the bonuses. Correll, who didn't need board approval for the payouts, said the Special Education District of Lake County is holding the $733,028 and will reimburse District 46 as it spends the money by a September deadline.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced in late August that Illinois would receive the $415.4 million in federal taxpayers' money for school districts across the state. He said there was a sense of urgency to ship the cash from the overall $10 billion in the Education Jobs Fund.

“These education dollars will help these states keep thousands of teachers in the classroom working with our students this school year,” Duncan said.

The money may be used for compensation and benefits and other expenses necessary to retain existing employees or rehire workers, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Salaries, performance bonuses, health insurance or early retirement incentives are allowed expenditures.

Beyond the bonuses, Correll said two additional special education teachers and summer school staffing will be part of the expenditures covered by the fund.

Last April, District 46's teachers agreed to a contract renegotiation projected to result in an average 2.75 percent raise instead of 4 percent for the current school year to help bridge a projected $2.27 million budget gap. Officials said the 2.75 percent average took into account base salary and standard step increases.

Correll said the 10 building administrators who were awarded $5,500 bonuses received 1 percent raises the last couple of years.

Republican U.S. Rep.-elect Joe Walsh of McHenry said District 46's use of the fund allocation on bonuses is another example of why quickly approved, massive stimulus spending packages should be curtailed. He said he's not surprised the money isn't saving jobs at District 46.

“It certainly is not money that is going to go in the classroom. We knew that at the time,” said Walsh, who was elected to serve in the 8th Congressional District that includes the Grayslake-Round Lake region.

Meanwhile, some spectators at Wednesday night's meeting were visibly unhappy when Correll announced the bonuses without great detail. She said she had planned to address the stimulus spending at the board meeting before the Daily Herald's open-records request was filed last week.

Correll alluded to the potential for a negative reaction in her Nov. 17 letter to teachers about the payouts.

“There will be many who criticize my direction, but at the end of the day, I can honestly say I feel good with knowing that I have supported those who were willing to help us out in our current financial crisis,” Correll wrote. “I certainly hope that you enjoy this added bonus!”

The average annual teacher salary at District 46 is $55,847, according to the Illinois 2010 report card, with administrators at $108,114.

Diane Elfering, president of the Grayslake Federation of Teachers union, said at Wednesday's meeting many instructors are struggling like everyone else in a poor economy. She said the extra money is justified, considering teachers have out-of-pocket expenses when furthering their education or when needing classroom supplies.

Elfering also objected to referring to the $1,100 as a bonus.

“I want to call it a thank-you,” she said. “It's a thank-you from Ellen (Correll) and from the board, in a way, because they wanted to thank the teachers. It is money that they can't use next year. It's going to be gone.”

District 46 board President Mary Garcia, a public schoolteacher in Northbrook, said she supported the bonuses because such money typically is unavailable to educators.

Among the administrators listed for bonuses is M. Lynn Barkley, whose total compensation for this year is $124,499 as principal at Avon School in Round Lake Beach, and District 46's assistant superintendent for teaching, learning and assessment. Also on the list are Principal Amanda Schoenberg of Hainesville's Prairieview School and Principal Eric Detweiler at Frederick School in Grayslake, who have compensation packages of $122,505 and $121,136 respectively.

District 46 resident Angela Gargiulo said the bonuses were unnecessary and the money should have been required to go toward career enhancement for teachers. Parent Shannon Smigielski said she was confused about why the money couldn't have been directed specifically toward students.

“It's hard to hear the word ‘bonus' when you're talking about increasing taxes in the same meeting,” Smigielski said. “Not a good thing.”