Plainfield leaders say state moved district to Tier 2, cutting $6.5 million; board to seek meetings with legislators

An unnamed Board member said at the Sept. 10 Plainfield Board of Education meeting that the state has reclassified the district as "Tier 2," reducing the district's state funding by about $6.5 million. "We found out that the state is gonna short us 6 and a half million dollars, that changing us to title 2... Tier 2," the speaker said during the Wilco report and budget discussion portion of the meeting.

The board member said the district has requested meetings "with our state reps and our state representatives that, represent the entire Plainfield school district" to press for restored funding. The speaker urged a public push if legislative leaders do not meet with the district.

Why it matters: the speaker noted that while the district's budget exceeds $400,000,000, a $6.5 million reduction presents a material loss in available resources. The member contrasted the state's treatment of Chicago Public Schools and other urban districts as part of the rationale for seeking immediate legislative attention.

Board discussion and next steps: the speaker said the district will press state legislative leaders for meetings and "we will continue to fight to receive funding that is rightfully ours." No formal motion or vote on this item appears in the meeting record. The comments occurred during the Wilco report and before unfinished business; the transcript shows no board vote authorizing litigation or other binding actions tied to this statement.

District context and related items: the remarks occurred in the portion of the meeting where board members discussed Wilco Area Career Center enrollment and upcoming outreach; the transcript shows the district also plans outreach to state leaders regarding the funding change. The board did not provide a detailed breakdown in the meeting record of how the $6.5 million would affect specific programs, nor did the speaker provide the statutory citation for the Tier 2 classification in the recording.

The board scheduled further committee meetings and a subsequent public session later in September; the speaker said the district will seek meetings with legislators and will make the outreach public if necessary.

Ending: The transcript does not show a formal vote or an adopted strategy beyond requesting meetings with state representatives. The district will need to provide additional budget detail and any formal board actions at a future meeting.