1. Media Alert
For immediate release
Contact: Brian Graves
Phone: (630) 636-3660
E-mail: Bgraves@SD308.org
School District 308 Shorted $16 Million in State Funds,
Students Most Heavily Impacted
Oswego, Ill. (Sept. 29, 2014) — As the state of Illinois has shifted the
way that it reimburses General State Aid funding to school districts,
Community Unit School District 308, as well as every district across
the state, continue to see reductions in vital funding resources.
School District 308’s loss amounts to $16.6 million since 2010, when
the state began to pay out school district funding in a prorated
manner. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Wendt notified the
Board of Education on Monday, Sept. 22 that he intends to make
these unpaid funds an issue.
“I am going to say this everywhere I go,” he said. “People will get
tired of hearing about it. This $16.6 million would eliminate student
fees for 10 years. You want to eliminate student fees in this district?
Let’s have a conversation about where the problem is.”
While the district’s average daily attendance continues to increase,
and the GSA funding continues to rise, the state payments to the
district have stalled at 88 percent of the claimed amount. Wendt
compared that prorated amount to salary obligations.
4175 Route 71 | Oswego, IL 60543 | p 630.636.3080 | f 630.636.3688
www.SD308.org

2. “If you were to pay me 100 percent of this salary, I cannot even
fathom what it is like to at some point be told that you are only going
to receive 88 percent of it.”
The $16.6 million could cover a reduction in property taxes, new
textbooks district wide, or a new tablet for each of the 18,000
students within the district.
Wendt noted that the funding issue is not a revenue issue at the state
level.
“We don’t have a revenue issue in Illinois,” he stated. “Maybe it is a
spending problem. Maybe it is a priority problem. When you add the
billions of dollars that are coming into this state, if you funded public
schools, there is more than enough money if you prioritize it with the
rhetoric that public schools and educating every child in this state is
important.”
To discuss state funding shortages impacting School District 308, and
all of Illinois, please contact your local legislator. Below is a list of
Illinois legislators with at least some of their jurisdiction in School
District 308:
• Senator Bertino-Tarrant (49th District) (217) 782-0052
• Senator James Oberweis (25th District) (217) 782-0471
• Senator Sue Rezin (38th District) (217) 782-3840
• Senator Linda Holmes (42nd District) 217-782-0422
• Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (84th District) (217)782-8028
• Rep. Tom Cross (97th District) (217) 782-1331
• Rep. Kay Hatcher (50th District) (217) 782-1486
• Rep. John Anthony (75th District) (217) 782-5997
—end—
The mission of Community Unit School District 308 Schools—a unique partnership of
students, staff, families, and community—is to ensure each student develops the capacity to
thrive as a successful contributing citizen by providing exemplary educational experiences in
a safe, caring, and responsive learning environment.
4175 Route 71 | Oswego, IL 60543 | p 630.636.3080 | f 630.636.3688
www.SD308.org