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SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FY 2009 GRANT FUNDS - PROCEDURES AND ALLOTMENT

Feasibility studies are a tool to be used by school districts wanting to investigate the advantages and/or disadvantages of reorganization options.  Each feasibility study must contain specified performance items, conclusions and/or recommendations for each performance item of the study, and a final conclusion and/or recommendation on the reorganization options for the districts involved in the study.

PROCEDURES

The procedures for requesting funds to conduct a school district reorganization feasibility study during fiscal year 2009 are:

1. Interested school districts shall negotiate a proposed agreement to secure the services of a consultant to conduct a reorganization feasibility study.  The agreement must contain (but not be limited to):
   1. Effective Dates
   2. Consultant fees (state grant funds and local funds, if any)
   3. Performance Items of the study (including but not limited to):
      • Transportation
        • Current system of districts
        • Issues in combining systems
        • Transportation equipment – current and needs
        • Increase or decrease to mileage/routing by combining
        • Contracting vs. district owned systems, if applicable
      • Facilities
        • Condition and capacity of current facilities
        • Capacity needed due to reorganization
        • Elimination or closing of buildings
        • New construction needed
      • Curriculum
        • Current class/course offerings
        • Strengths and/or limitations of curriculum
        • Effect to curriculum after reorganization
• Finance
  • 5-Year projected consolidated budget
  • Tax Rates
  • EAV
  • Salaries
  • Local, state, and federal revenue sources
  • Reorganization Incentives
  • Fund Balances
  • Legal Debt Limit/Legal Debt Margin
  • Comparison of Financial Profile for all districts
• Enrollment
  • Past enrollment trends
  • Current enrollment
  • 5-Year enrollment projections and effect on building capacity
• Staffing
  • Administration, instructional, and support staff
  • Student/teacher ratios
  • Current and minimal projected staff needs
• Demographics
  • Analysis of School Report Card information
  • Comparisons of percent of low income students, mobility, truancy, dropout rates, attendance rates, etc.
• Extra-Curriculum Activities
  • Current athletic and non-athletic activities of district
  • Effect on extra-curriculum activities due to reorganization
• Justification of and recommendation on type of reorganization and combination of district(s)
  
  
2. The school board of each district involved must approve, by board action, the initiation of the feasibility study.  The superintendent of each district must sign the feasibility study agreement.  The school districts shall submit the completed agreement form to the Regional Superintendent (ROE).  In the event the reorganization under study involves more than one region, the documents would be submitted to the ROE having jurisdiction over the district with the greatest amount of EAV for approval, with copies and notice of submission to the responsible ROE posted simultaneously to other affected Regional Offices.
   
   
3. Regional Superintendent reviews the agreement form for approval or denial
   1. If approved, the ROE signs the agreement form and submits to the School Business Services Division (SBS) of the State Board of Education
   2. If denied, the ROE returns agreement to the school district with a letter of explanation
      
      
4. SBS reviews the agreement form for approval or denial
   1. If approved, SBS notifies the ROE of the approval.  A signed copy of the agreement form will be returned for ROE records.
   2.  If denied, SBS notifies ROE of denial and returns agreement for further work or clarification
      
      
5. ROE notifies school district(s) of the approval of the agreement for work on the study to be initiated. 
   
   
6. At conclusion of the study, copies of the final study should be provided to the school districts and the ROE.  The school districts shall also submit a completed Payment Approval form to the ROE.
   
   
7. ROE reviews, verifies, and approves or denies study for preliminary approval of payment.
   
   1. If approved, the ROE signs the payment form and submits to SBS along with a copy of the final study.  An electronic version of the study is acceptable for submission to SBS.
   2. If denied, ROE provides written notification to school district with explanation of denial; if needed, study should be returned to the feasibility consultant for further work or clarification.
      
      
8. SBS reviews, verifies, and approves or denies study for final approval of payment
   1. If approved, SBS notifies FDS to voucher the appropriate funds for release to the ROE.  The Illinois Comptroller will make the payment of the appropriate funds.
   2. If denied, SBS notifies ROE of denial and returns study for further work or clarification
      
      
9. When funds are received from the Comptroller, ROE forwards the payment to the contractor

In order to receive the reorganization feasibility study funds, all studies must be completed and approved for payment no later than June 30, 2009. 

A conclusion and/or recommendation must be included for each component in the study.  A final conclusion and/or recommendation on reorganization options for the districts involved must be included in the study.  Studies lacking required components will not be approved for payment.

REQUEST HOLD ON FUNDING

A “hold” may be requested for feasibility study funding by completing the Request for Feasibility Study Funds form.  This will allow districts the time to complete the agreement with their consultants without fear of losing funding.  A hold will be granted for 30 days from the receipt of the Request for Feasibility Study Funds form.  If a completed and signed agreement is not received within 30 days the hold on the funding will be released.  The funds will then be available for general distribution on a first come-first served basis.

Feasibility Study Fund Allotment

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