State Provides Some Support to Schools

It was a short meeting, but it mostly contained good news, at least for a school district in Illinois.

While the Putnam County School District is still owed $609,721.23 in mandated funding from the state, they have received a payment of $448,298.99. This raises the total Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax payments for the year to approximately $3.1 million.

Superintendent Carl Carlson said he wasn’t sure if any additional payments would be received because the court has ruled Medicaid payments take a precedent over other state obligations, which may put future categorical payments in jeopardy.

Carlson is also still a member of a group of 419 Illinois superintendents who are speaking as a group to bring attention to the negative impact the state’s financial problems are causing the 1.2 million students they represent.

As the state’s financial troubles deepen, the Putnam County District has continued to exercise financial prudence. Last fiscal year, 91 percent of the budget was spent. This year the district improved that figure and spent only 87 percent of its budget, partially achieved by a $25,000 savings in the transportation budget. While a significant savings, a portion of the money still owed by the state includes more than $267,000 for transportation costs.

Also at the meeting, Carlson was happy to report the Illinois State Board of Education’s required Life Safety inspections resulted in all four Putnam County School buildings passing with 100 percent compliance.

Source: Putnam County Record