A 2005 law put the penalties in place to discourage districts from giving costly raises - any above 6 percent - that result in costlier pensions. While salaries are paid by districts, the state foots the bill for educators' retirement benefits.
Illinois penalizes districts for "pension spiking" by passing on the extra pension costs associated with hiking salaries in the years leading up to retirement.
Since 2005, the state has assessed more than $161 million in penalties, according to TRS data.
Northwest Illinois pensions spiking penalties, 2005-present
Rank
District
City
Members
Amount Assessed
Payments Made
Waivers Granted
Written-off
Current Balance
1
Freeport School District 145
Freeport
26
$56,972.00
$56,968.62
$3.38
2
Dixon Unit School District 170
Dixon
44
$251,725.51
$41,487.94
$210,214.05
$23.52
3
Dakota Community Unit School District 201
Dakota
13
$33,746.94
$32,121.42
$1,625.09
$0.43
4
Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampico SD
Prophetstown
12
$62,933.30
$31,237.44
$31,695.56
$0.30
5
Rock Falls Elementary SD 13
Rock Falls
8
$51,132.44
$27,725.94
$23,405.99
$0.51
6
Warren Community Unit School District 205
Warren
4
$27,543.62
$27,543.62
7
Sterling Community Unit School District 5
Sterling
29
$445,348.17
$26,058.62
$419,288.21
$1.34
8
Rochelle Township High School District 212
Rochelle
9
$92,562.04
$23,223.77
$69,338.27
9
Erie Community Unit School District 1
Erie
11
$59,893.37
$23,198.07
$36,693.98
$1.32
10
Orangeville Community Unit School District 203
Orangeville
3
$21,865.18
$21,864.93
$0.25
11
Galena Unit School District 120
Galena
25
$511,791.40
$17,616.98
$494,172.33
$2.09
12
West Carroll Community Unit School District 314
Mt Carroll
21
$124,484.55
$17,484.80
$106,999.22
$0.53
13
Byron Community Unit School District 226
Byron
24
$207,584.48
$16,545.99
$191,032.80
$5.69
14
Meridian Community Unit School District 223
Stillman Valley
12
$12,151.67
$12,151.11
$0.56
15
Rochelle Community Consolidated School District 231
Rochelle
14
$130,389.50
$10,871.69
$119,517.53
$0.28
16
River Ridge Community Unit School District 210
Hanover
7
$9,504.86
$9,504.86
17
Ogle Cnty Spec Educ
Byron
9
$9,461.47
$9,460.95
$0.52
18
Morrison Community Unit School District 6
Morrison
9
$11,285.53
$8,992.75
$2,290.95
$1.83
19
River Bend Community Unit School District 2
Fulton
17
$127,984.69
$8,305.36
$119,680.11
$(0.78)
20
Eastland Community Unit School District 308
Lanark
21
$8,191.44
$8,170.78
$20.66
21
Bi-County Spec Educ Coop
Sterling
8
$72,632.60
$7,784.91
$64,839.16
$8.53
22
JoDaviess Carroll CTEA
Elizabeth
3
$7,660.05
$7,659.21
$0.84
23
Chadwick Milledgeville SD 399
Chadwick
4
$6,868.18
$6,867.75
$0.43
24
Ashton-Franklin Ctr CUSD 275
Ashton
11
$5,393.03
$5,390.57
$2.46
25
Rock Falls Township High School District 301
Rock Falls
7
$67,333.60
$4,953.21
$62,380.12
$0.27
26
Paw Paw Community Unit School District 271
Paw Paw
5
$3,462.62
$3,462.62
27
Pearl City Community Unit School District 200
Pearl City
1
$3,285.54
$3,285.54
28
Forrestville Valley Community Unit School District 221
Forreston
5
$3,249.89
$3,249.89
29
Kings CSD 144
Kings
2
$3,231.55
$3,231.55
30
Lena Winslow Community Unit School District 202
Lena
6
$8,120.24
$2,089.37
$6,022.53
$8.34
31
Montmorency Community Consolidated School District 145
Rock Falls
11
$288,810.50
$1,752.78
$287,057.59
$0.13
32
Steward Elementary SD 220
Steward
3
$11,417.51
$1,717.50
$9,700.01
33
Northwest Special Education
Elizabeth
4
$1,710.06
$1,710.06
34
Polo Community Unit School District 222
Polo
7
$55,182.16
$1,225.88
$53,954.51
$1.77
35
Scales Mound Community Unit School District 211
Scales Mound
3
$10,215.39
$965.01
$9,250.25
$0.13
36
Oregon Community Unit School District 220
Oregon
29
$91,615.72
$642.35
$90,959.97
$13.40
37
Career Tec
Freeport
1
$584.12
$584.12
38
Regional Office of Educ 47
Sterling
2
$423.32
$423.32
39
Creston Community Consolidated School District 161
Creston
1
$266.69
$266.59
$0.10
40
East Dubuque Unit School District 119
East Dubuque
5
$264.10
$263.17
$0.93
41
Stockton Community Unit School District 206
Stockton
2
$2,752.44
$217.26
$2,535.18
42
Amboy Community Unified School District 272
Amboy
6
$115.55
$115.17
$0.38
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Warren Community Unit School District 205• Jodaviess Carroll Ctea• Orangeville Community Unit School District 203• Ogle Cnty Spec Educ• Northwest Special Education• Polo Community Unit School District 222• Rock Falls Township High School District 301• Dixon Unit School District 170• Freeport School District 145 Board• Paw Paw Community Unit School District 271• Amboy Community Unit School District 272• Ashton-Franklin Ctr Cusd 275• Chadwick-Milledgeville Community Unit School District 399• Pearl City Community Unit School District 200• Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampico Sd• Dakota Community Unit School District 201• Erie Community Unit School District 1• Rochelle Community Consolidated District 231 Board• Regional Office Of Education 47• Morrison Community Unit School District 6• Oregon Community Unit School District 220• Rock Falls Elementary Sd 13• Byron Community Unit School District 226• River Bend Community Unit District 2• Bi-County Spec Educ Coop• Stockton Community Unit School District 206 Board• Montmorency Community Consolidated School District 145• Creston Community Consolidated School District 161• River Ridge Community Unit School District 210• Forrestville Valley Community Unit School District 221• Lena Winslow Community Unit School District 202• East Dubuque Community Unit School District 119• Steward Elementary School District 220• West Carroll Community Unit School District 314 Board• Rochelle Township High School District 212• Meridian Community Unit School District 223• Kings Csd 144• Career Tec• Eastland Community Unit School District 308• Galena Unit School District 120• Sterling Community Unit District 5 Board• Scales Mound Community Unit School District 211
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