Link to Original Story

Regional superintendents on firing line

BY BRENT STEWART
THE SOUTHERN

As Gov. Pat Quinn looks to education for future financial savings, one of his targets is the regional offices of education.

Originally, these offices were known as county superintendents, designated to watch over all districts in their region. In 1973, the state began grouping smaller counties together, making the office a regional position. Now, there are 44 regional superintendents in Illinois.

The governor's office estimates $13 million - which includes regional superintendents' salaries and other administrative costs - can be saved by the elimination of state support, according to Kelly Kraft, budget spokesperson.

"We are not, opposed to those offices," Kraft said. "If local districts feel these offices are needed, then they have the option of picking up those costs. We realize some of the jobs (regional superintendents) do are mandated. That would be looked at as well. We feel these things are important and needed, but local districts should be responsible for those costs."

The list of responsibilities for the regional superintendent's office is lengthy. They respond to legal questions from educators, boards of education and other citizens; assist in teacher certification; provide educational programs and testing; assist the Illinois State Board of Education in inspecting and evaluating schools; have transportation administration responsibilities; handle some truancy issues; and help schools to find grant funding, in addition to many other responsibilities.

"When you need a few extra dollars to get something done, it's nice to have that local contact," said Christina Grant, superintendent of Thompsonville Community School District 174. "That's someone I don't have to pay. There's a lot of (grant) programs out there and I don't think the state realizes how valuable they are to school districts."

Another service offered by the Franklin-Williamson County Regional Office of Education that Grant said was a great benefit to her county was the administration of the Echo School in Johnson City.

Grant, a former principal of the Echo School, described it as an important tool for the success of students who are unable to adhere to the normal school routine.

"They give up and want to drop out," Grant said. "This keeps them in school."

Echo School serves as an alternative means of education for students who are behind in credits or who have been removed from their home district. It enables them to catch up and receive a diploma, instead of having to get a GED.

Grant said many of these students go on to college, the military, or enter the workforce and become productive citizens.

With many school districts already in a financial crunch, its unlikely many of them would be able to pick up the tab to support the office. The state currently pays an average of $59,000 a year in addition to the regional superintendent salary in Southern Illinois, according to Matt Donkin, regional superintendent for Franklin and Williamson counties.

Donkin said that cost paled in comparison to the $135 million dollars in grant revenue for school districts regional superintendents generate across the state.

"We do a lot of things," Donkin said. "If we're doing our job well, we do it quietly."

Donkin said it would be difficult for the Illinois State Board of Education to pick up the slack, because they're already spread too thin. And because the office is an elected position, the loss of the office would mean the loss of local accountability.