Lincoln-Way Officials Warn of $400,000 State Funding Shortfall

Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | December 18, 2025

Article Summary: Assistant Superintendent Michael Duback informed the Board of Education of a significant reduction in state funding due to extreme proration of special education transportation reimbursements. The district is slated to receive approximately $400,000 less than originally estimated by the state.

State Funding Key Points:

• Proration Cut: The ISBE proration for special education transportation dropped from an initial estimate of 82.0% to a final 60.3%.

• Dollar Impact: The district will receive $1,217,368 instead of the $1,654,227 originally anticipated.

• Payment Delays: Categorical distributions for the first quarter were vouchered seven weeks late and have yet to be processed by the State Comptroller.

• Budget Strategy: The district may need to amend its budget in the spring if other revenue streams do not offset the loss.

During the Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, meeting of the Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education, officials addressed a growing fiscal challenge stemming from state-level funding cuts.

Assistant Superintendent Michael Duback revealed that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) had significantly increased the proration of mandated categorical reimbursements. For special education transportation, the proration was finalized at 60.3%, down from the 82% figure the district used to build its current budget.

“If the State’s initial estimate had been correct, Lincoln-Way would have received $1.66 million. With this change, the district is slated to receive almost $400,000 less,” Duback noted in a business office memo. “To be clear, this is a reduction in educational spending on the State’s behalf.”

Superintendent Dr. Scott Tingley told the board that these reductions are part of a broader trend of fiscal pressure on the state government. He noted that while Lincoln-Way is better positioned than districts that rely heavily on state aid, the shortfall is still impactful.

“The state is in trouble,” Tingley said. “Fortunately, we have experience dealing with this. We will be able to figure it out, but it is clearly a reduction in educational funding.”

In addition to the proration, the district is facing delays in receiving the funds it is owed. First-quarter reimbursements that are typically processed in October were not vouchered until late November and remain unpaid by the State Comptroller’s office. Duback indicated he would monitor the situation and might recommend an amended budget in April or May if necessary.