By Blake Haas
BLOOMINGTON – Unlike Unit 5, District 87 is not looking to downsize its bottom line next school year.
Despite making cuts in the early 2000s, District 87 Superintendent Dr. Barrey Rielly said the district’s financial footing remains strong.
“If you just look at any school district, the fact that they’re our next-door neighbor doesn’t matter a whole lot, but the way districts are funded can vary,” he told WJBC’s Scott Miller. “You look at our education rates which that’s what you think of is funding education because it pays for teachers, supplies, classrooms, all the things that really go into teaching.
Our rates are quite different. And a district as large as Unit 5, they have a lot of buildings, students, we do as well, that kind of get’s lots in this community because Unit 5 so much bigger than any district around.”
Unit 5 serves around 13,000 students, while District 87 serves 5,300 students.
“We’re fortunate even being in this time of a pandemic, or coming out of a pandemic, that our finances are in pretty good shape, all things considered. So, fortunately, we don’t have to make any significant cuts.”
Dr. Reilly announced earlier this year he is retiring at the end of the school year after 33-years with the district.
Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].
