Prairie Crossing funding meeting Tuesday

Prairie Crossing Charter School board members will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with the lone agenda item focusing on proposed state legislation pertaining to funding. It’ll be at Helle Hall in the school’s Comstock building, off Route 45 near Jones Point Road in Grayslake.

Officials are expressing concern about a proposed House bill that would change how Prairie Crossing and another charter school created by the state receives annual funding. Prairie Crossing is within the boundaries of Woodland Elementary District 50 and Fremont Elementary District 79, which objected to creation of the charter school before it opened in 1999.

Districts 50 and 79 are required to divert general state aid to pay for children enrolled at Prairie Crossing. The bill proposes the state send money directly to Prairie Crossing instead of having districts 50 and 79 divert the aid there. Prairie Crossing board members plan to discuss the bill and answer questions. Charter school officials contend the idea would make Prairie Crossing vulnerable to annual state budget cuts and threaten its existence.