Woodland D50 News

The Prairie Crossing Charter School's (PCCS) renewal application is currently pending before the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Representatives from ISBE recently held a public forum at PCCS, and many PCCS stakeholders attended the forum to speak in favor of the charter renewal. ISBE will be at Woodland on Wednesday, Nov. 8 to seek feedback from our learning community about the impact the Charter School has on district 50.

Date: Nov. 8, 2023

Time: 4 - 5:30 p.m. (public comment signup begins at 3:30 p.m.)

Location: Woodland Middle School, Cafeteria A (Entry Door B2)

PCCS currently serves approximately 392 students that would otherwise attend Woodland School District 50. The way the state funding formula works, approximately $6 Million in state funding (Evidence Based Funding) is diverted from Woodland to serve those 392 students. For comparison, Woodland receives approximately $5 Million in Evidence Based Funding to serve the remaining 4,800 Woodland students. This $6 Million is diverted annually, and with every PCCS renewal, the disparity in funding continues to grow.

We are seeking support from our Woodland community to help inform the Illinois State Board of Education of the funding inequities we have faced for the past 25 years relative to Woodland’s financial support of Prairie Crossing. Recovering a portion, if not all, $6 million of the Evidence Based Funding dollars lost to Prairie Crossing would go a long way being able to offer more resources, programs, and opportunities for our Woodland students, as the state’s school district funding formula was created to do.