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Series Part XI
Enrollment: 1,387 FY18: $591,649 FY20: $421,209
Type: preK–12
FY19: $457,229
How EBF has made a difference
The passage of Evidence-Based Funding has halted years
of cuts in Riverton CUSD #14 and allowed the district to
rehire staff and restore programs that are most effective for
students.
With the increase in state funding, Riverton CUSD #14 added
back some services to better support a growing special
education population.
The district also analyzed where the formula says schools
can impact student achievement the most and hired an
instructional coach at the middle school. Reducing class
sizes was also a priority. The district hired a kindergarten and
second grade teacher, bringing class sizes in those grades to
below 20.
“We tried to use EBF and focus resources on what is most
effective for students,” Superintendent Brad Polanin said.
Other improvements made possible in Riverton CUSD #14
because of increased state funding were the addition of a
behavioral interventionist and a social studies teacher at
the high school. Having a behavioral interventionist on staff
frees up principals and assistant principals to focus more on
being instructional leaders. Meanwhile, the extra high school
teacher provided more flexibility in scheduling to expand
elective opportunities for students and add a study hall,
where students now have the option to take online courses.
“We really tried to get creative and expand our electives and
opportunities for students,” Polanin said. “We first needed to
be able to bring on the extra staff in order to do that.”
Continued Support of EBF Would…
Riverton CUSD #14 plans to survey staff in the coming
weeks to determine what programs it can restore or what
new opportunities it can create for students in the district.
One area the district could address is to continue to align its
curriculum and instructional practices throughout the different
buildings in the district.
Enrollment: 38,764 FY18: $22.4 million FY20: $20.5 million
Type: preK–12
FY19: $21 million
How EBF has made a difference
The passage of Evidence-Based Funding has provided significant
support to the more than 38,000 students in SD #U-46 and has
helped the district abate property tax levies for residents.
The increased funding allowed the state’s second largest school
district to lower class sizes for kindergarten through second-
grade students. In addition, the district added more instructional
coaches, giving teachers the ongoing guidance needed to
improve professional practice in order to reach all learners.
Last year, SD #U-46 also restored guidance counselors to each
of its middle schools and added assistant principals to more
buildings, including to 10 of its larger elementary schools this
school year.
Additional state funding also made it possible for the district to
roll out its 1:1 technology program last year with Chromebooks
for all high school students. This year, SD #U-46 expanded the
program to fifth- through twelfth-graders, distributing a total of
26,000 Chromebooks since last year.
Finally, SD #U-46 was able to make some long-needed upgrades
to its more than 55 school buildings and facilities with new high
school libraries, including some much-needed paint, as well as
less visible changes that impact heating and cooling, building
structures and general maintenance.
“The commitment to funding public education in a fair and
equitable manner is already benefiting students in need,”
Superintendent Tony Sanders said. “The continued focus will
benefit the state of Illinois for generations to come.”
Continued Support of EBF Would…
SD #U-46 plans to continue to make investments that go directly
into the classrooms and provide students with more support and
opportunities. Future increases will support a new teacher salary
Riverton CUSD #14
SD #U-46
The commitment to funding public education in a fair and equitable
manner is already benefiting students in need. The continued focus
will benefit the state of Illinois for generations to come.
“We have a lot of ideas on the table, and we’re going to
continue to do that work over the next quarter of the school
year,” Polanin said.