The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Expense items, bills gain approval from U-46 board

By Seth Hancock
  The Board of Education in School District U-46 voted 6-0, board member Veronica Noland was absent, on $1 million in expenditure items and a hazardous transportation area designation resolution at its Monday, Dec. 12, 2022 meeting.
  The largest expenditure was a three-year contract costing $250,000 annually, from the education fund, with Alliant Insurance Services for health insurance broker/consultant services.
  “An insurance broker/consultant is the intermediary between the district and insurance companies, marketing the district’s programs as needed and educating the insurance committee on performance of the district’s health insurance programs,” the proposal stated. “The current contract for health insurance broker/consultant services is set to expire on January 31, 2023.”
  The proposal added: “The district uses an insurance broker/consultant as the intermediary between the district and the various employee benefit providers. The broker/consultant negotiates the contracts with the providers on behalf of the district. The broker/consultant also advises the district Health Insurance Committee and district administration regarding the benefit plans.”
  A contract with Roosevelt University for 15 staff members to seek bilingual endorsements was approved costing  $213,300, to be paid for through federal grant funds.
  A contract renewal with PowerSchool was approved costing $83,420 (education fund) for Naviance, which has been in use in the district since 2017.
  “Naviance by PowerSchool is providing School District U-46 with a comprehensive college and career planning tool that allows us to provide efficient services to our students and families,” the proposal states. “This platform provides us with data tracking tools for state’s College and Career Readiness Indicators and our post-secondary success work.”
  The approved resolution adds South Channing Street and Villa Street for Elgin’s Channing Elementary School students to the hazardous transportation area designation list.
  The designation is used for the district to receive state reimbursements for transportation of students who normally are considered walkers, with 1.5 miles of the school, but there’s a dangerous crossing. The added area is the 49th on the district’s list.
  The board also approved $13.8 million in itemized bills.