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Senate Passes Bill To Reduce Number Of Regional Superintendents

By Sam Smith
By Andy Shofstall

Story Created: May 16, 2012 at 8:27 PM CDT
(Story Updated: May 17, 2012 at 5:38 AM CDT )

WSIL -- Illinois soon may have fewer regional school superintendents. The state senate has passed a bill that cuts the number of regional supers from 44 to 35. It comes a year after the governor cut their pay for more than four months while trying to eliminate all of them.

"If it impacts me because I'm one of the smaller offices, that's a tough decision to face. I think if we had to make reductions it starts with the smaller ones," says Jefferson-Hamilton Regional Superintendent Ron Daniels.

The senate bill also raises the population requirements for areas to have a regional superintendent from 43,000 to 61,000 people. Larger offices would then absorb the responsibilities of those that close, such as, issuing GEDs, making compliance visits to schools, and fingerprinting new school personnel.

"It's still a matter of how the offices will organize themselves and even to have staff out and available to provide services," explains Williamson-Franklin Regional Superintendent Matt Donkin. "If they don't see your services or see your offices that much. They are going to wonder if they are being left out."

Donkin says streamlining the departments may be positive, adjusting resources to match populations. Changes have not been made since 1994. He admits recent events have prepared them for anything.

"What regional superintendents through this year have learned to be, is awfully adaptable, they and their families," says Donkin.