Unit 5 schools see red from Illinois budget mess

Posted on June 15, 2017

By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – The Unit Five school board adopted an amended budget for the now-completed school year that the superintendent said would have been balanced if not for Springfield gridlock.

Superintendent Mark Daniel said the district is running a deficit for its 160-million dollar budget because it has yet to receive 8.1 million in state government money.

Daniel said a letter will be sent soon to parents urging them to lobby state lawmakers to reach a budget agreement.

“They (lawmakers) said until we start having parents knocking down the doors at the State House, we’ll probably be in a logjam,” the superintendent said.

Daniel said he recently met with superintendents from other large districts…and some of them believe shutting down schools might be the only way to coax lawmakers and the Governor into a deal. Daniel said he’s not willing to suggest such a drastic move.

Meantime, administrators presented end-of-school year enrollment figures last night. Total enrollment was at 13,383 students, eight fewer kids than the same time a year ago.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].

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