Quincy Together Workshop Info

Revenue from the proposed sales tax would be distributed to all county schools based on student enrollment, ensuring that each school system receives funding proportional to the number of students it serves. The sales tax would be applied county-wide to qualifying purchases. Both residents and visitors would contribute when making taxable purchases. While the funds can be used to support school operations and resources, they cannot be used directly for salaries and benefits. Allowable uses and limitations will be discussed in more detail during Workshop #4.

$8.7 million of our budget comes from grants.

QPS bids out projects that are more than our own maintenance staff can handle. However, keeping jobs in-house is more cost effective and ensures the project is completed up to the highest standards.

Illinois school districts are highly restricted in outsourcing jobs held by union members, especially Education Support Personnel (ESP), due to strict state laws. Outsourcing is generally limited to emergency, short-term (under 3 months) non-instructional situations, requiring districts to meet strict bargaining obligations and legal criteria.

Under Illinois’ funding system, a district is placed in Tier 1 when it is funded at less than 67% of its adequacy target. That means the district currently has less than two-thirds of the funding the state calculates it needs to adequately serve its students. Because of that, Tier 1 districts receive the highest priority when the state distributes new education dollars.

This is calculated under the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act, which is part of the Illinois State Board of Education school funding system.

The state uses a three-part formula:

1. Adequacy Target: What You Need
   • This is based on the cost of providing what the state considers an adequate education, including things like
     • Teachers, specialists, counselors
     • Class sizes
     • Special education and bilingual services
     • Poverty supports
     • Operations, maintenance, technology

Every district gets a unique target based on student needs.

2. Local Capacity: What You Can Raise Locally
   • Property values
   • Local tax rates
   • Ability to raise revenue locally

Districts with higher property wealth have greater capacity.

3. Percent of Adequacy
   • Current resources ÷ Adequacy target = % of adequacy

Illinois groups districts based on that percentage:

Tier               % of Adequacy            Meaning

Tier 1           Less than 67%    Highest funding priority

Tier 2           67%–90%           Second priority

Tier 3           90%–100%         Third priority

Tier 4           Above 100%      Lowest priority

So Tier 1 districts are the furthest below adequacy and therefore receive the most new funding per student when the state adds new money.

No, the State of Illinois uses an Evidence-Based Funding model. The state uses a three-part formula to determine how much money each district receives from the state.

1. Adequacy Target (What You Need)
   • This is based on the cost of providing what the state considers an adequate education, including things like
     • Teachers, specialists, counselors
     • Class sizes
     • Special education and bilingual services
     • Poverty supports
     • Operations, maintenance, technology

Every district gets a unique target based on student needs.

2. Local Capacity (What You Can Raise Locally)
   • Property values
   • Local tax rates
   • Ability to raise revenue locally

Districts with higher property wealth have greater capacity.

3. Percent of Adequacy
   • Current resources ÷ Adequacy target = % of adequacy

Illinois groups districts based on that percentage:

Tier               % of Adequacy            Meaning

Tier 1           Less than 67%    Highest funding priority

Tier 2           67%–90%           Second priority

Tier 3           90%–100%         Third priority

Tier 4           Above 100%      Lowest priority

The total cost of certified teachers' salaries is $25.4 million compared to $3 million for administrators.

The total budget for the QPS Athletics Department is $909 thousand, including $581 thousand for salaries and benefits. The Music Department budget is $859 thousand and includes $461 thousand for salaries and benefits.

No, QPS board members are unpaid volunteers. Occasionally, the district will reimburse them for school-related travel expenses.