Superintendent Search Focus and Tax Levy Process Started

The board reviewed community feedback from 18 focus groups in the superintendent search and adjusted the recruitment timeline. It also set an estimated $129.39M property tax levy and scheduled a Dec. 1 truth-in-taxation hearing, while celebrating school achievements and sharing report card gains. 13mins

Education Taxes
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Original Meeting

Monday, November 3rd, 2025
8800.0
Full Meeting on YouTube
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Brian Wojcicki
Springfield, Illinois
Government Relations & Legal Services Professional
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In This Video
  • Carmen Ayala with the Illinois Association of School Boards reported that 18 superintendent search focus groups were held on October 22–23 with administrators, teachers, classified staff, parents, community members, students, and union leadership participating.
  • IASB reported that focus groups were held at the Illinois Association of School Boards offices and that 166 individuals participated over two days.
  • IASB reported that focus group participants identified budget management and fiscal sustainability, along with teacher and staff recruitment and retention, as key challenges for the next superintendent over the next 3–5 years.
  • IASB proposed extending the superintendent application deadline to December 5 to allow roughly eight weeks of recruitment, shifting the candidate slate presentation to December 15 while keeping interview dates and the goal of a January 27th appointment.
  • Superintendent Gill announced that SHS volleyball won its regional and would play Normal U High in the sectional at Springfield SE at 7:00 PM, encouraging community support.
  • Superintendent Gill reported on district United Way efforts, highlighted Wilcox’s $1,200 raised through a pie-in-the-face contest, and announced a weeklong food drive to support local food pantries.
  • Superintendent Gill highlighted Owen Marsh’s United Way apple-and-pickle sale raising about $800, praised schools’ creative community giving, and announced a District 186 career fair with multiple positions and substitute needs.
  • Superintendent Gill recognized an IHSA cross country state qualifier from Springfield High and promoted the Springfield High National Honor Society’s Veterans Day yard raking service for community members.
  • Superintendent Gill announced the upcoming November 15th free Empowering All Abilities conference, describing it as a one-stop event at Lanphier High for community providers serving students with disabilities to share resources and transitional services.
  • Assistant Superintendent Moody explained the Illinois State Report Card’s multiple indicators of success, highlighting growth and chronic absenteeism for elementary/middle schools and emphasizing graduation rate and freshman-on-track for high schools.
  • Assistant Superintendent Moody outlined the state’s five school designations, noted the district held four of the five categories, and reported that 16 schools were rated commendable while others were identified as targeted, comprehensive, or intensive.
  • Assistant Superintendent Moody reported that six schools improved their summative designations from last year, with some improving two designations.
  • Assistant Superintendent Moody reported a three-year graduation rate increase of 13 percentage points with all high schools improving year over year, noted alignment to new IAR and ACT cut scores, and highlighted ACT reading gains of 14 percentage points from last year.
  • Director Steve Miller outlined the 2025 property tax levy process using 2024 CPI, explained multi-year estimating, and detailed the timeline, including an estimated levy resolution, a November 17th presentation, and a December 1st truth-in-taxation hearing followed by the adoption vote.
  • The Board approved a resolution setting an estimated 2025 aggregate property tax levy of $129,391,117, scheduling a truth-in-taxation public hearing for December 1 and directing public notice, with the levy not to exceed 105% of the prior year’s extension.
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