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.
Illinois Valley pensions spiking penalties, 2005-present
Rank
District
City
Members
Amount Assessed
Payments Made
Waivers Granted
Written-off
Current Balance
1
Ottawa Elementary SD 141
Ottawa
59
$789,099.43
$154,158.21
$634,935.81
$5.41
2
Morris School District 54
Morris
28
$66,936.70
$48,799.46
$18,128.45
$8.79
3
Serena Community Unit School District 2
Serena
13
$45,434.99
$45,432.31
$2.68
4
Ladd Community Consolidated School District 94
Ladd
5
$39,961.46
$36,814.37
$3,147.09
5
Seneca Township High School District 160
Seneca
10
$92,621.14
$36,803.11
$55,817.62
$0.41
6
Hall Township High School District 502
Spring Valley
10
$73,204.08
$34,576.98
$38,626.06
$1.04
7
La Salle-Peru Township High School District 120
La Salle
23
$186,398.87
$30,332.61
$156,065.70
$0.56
8
Morris Community High School District 101
Morris
19
$40,300.99
$28,075.61
$12,219.44
$5.94
9
Earlville Community Unit School District 9
Earlville
3
$63,746.59
$28,047.39
$8,135.63
$27,563.57
10
Bureau Valley Community Unified School District 340
Manlius
12
$119,067.71
$27,416.31
$91,650.94
$0.46
11
Putnam County Community Unit School District 535
Granville
18
$62,012.42
$23,013.03
$35,879.11
$4.09
$3,116.19
12
Wallace Community Consolidated School District 195
Ottawa
9
$38,231.05
$20,331.25
$17,899.80
13
Minooka Community Consolidated School District 201
Minooka
15
$19,747.74
$19,734.43
$13.31
14
Marseilles Elementary SD 150
Marseilles
12
$15,445.59
$15,440.46
$5.13
15
Streator Elementary SD 44
Streator
21
$101,821.83
$14,476.00
$87,345.26
$0.57
16
Princeton High School District 500
Princeton
11
$14,143.63
$14,141.27
$2.36
17
Streator Township High School District 40
Streator
9
$123,793.78
$14,028.82
$109,760.58
$4.38
18
Depue Unit School District 103
Depue
10
$63,069.08
$11,323.16
$51,745.92
19
Coal City Community Unit School District 1
Coal City
31
$183,272.26
$10,129.11
$173,125.69
$17.46
20
Dimmick Community Consolidated School District 175
La Salle
5
$9,025.90
$9,015.77
$10.13
21
La Moille Community Unit School District 303
La Moille
2
$8,680.18
$8,680.18
22
Seneca Community Consolidated School District 170
Seneca
6
$59,558.05
$8,346.19
$51,211.86
23
Leland Community Unit School District 1
Leland
3
$31,128.47
$8,215.30
$22,913.17
24
La Salle Elementary SD 122
La Salle
10
$6,972.23
$6,968.10
$4.13
25
Peru Elementary SD 124
Peru
10
$19,912.59
$6,778.49
$13,129.37
$4.73
26
Mendota Township High School District 280
Mendota
5
$6,719.28
$6,719.14
$0.14
27
Tonica Community Consolidated School District 79
Tonica
7
$6,598.97
$6,598.29
$0.68
28
South Wilmington CSD 74
South Wilmington
1
$6,307.52
$6,307.52
29
Ottawa Township High School District 140
Ottawa
28
$84,575.93
$5,636.64
$78,932.73
$6.56
30
Ohio Community High School District 505
Ohio
1
$5,150.86
$5,150.86
31
Spring Valley Community Consolidated School District 99
Spring Valley
7
$17,851.01
$4,865.33
$12,985.68
32
Mendota Community Consolidated School District 289
Mendota
10
$6,621.47
$4,472.84
$2,145.52
$3.11
33
Saratoga Community Consolidated School District 60C
Morris
5
$19,361.61
$3,795.85
$15,564.92
$0.84
34
Ohio Community Consolidated School District 17
Ohio
1
$3,250.02
$3,250.02
35
Princeton Elementary School District 115
Princeton
25
$10,484.38
$3,024.18
$7,433.46
$26.74
36
Allen Otter Creek Community Consolidated School District 65
Ransom
3
$14,140.01
$2,808.48
$(0.06)
$11,331.59
37
Regional Office of Educ 35
Ottawa
1
$2,386.12
$2,386.12
38
Miller Township Community Consolidated School District 210
Marseilles
2
$2,345.52
$2,345.52
39
Mazon-Verona-Kinsman Elementary School District 2C
Mazon
5
$2,159.76
$2,158.67
$1.09
40
Deer Park Community Consolidated School District 82
Ottawa
3
$2,075.14
$2,075.14
41
Rutland Community Consolidated School District 230
Ottawa
3
$1,550.10
$1,538.77
$11.33
42
Special Education Coop
Pontiac
2
$1,325.09
$1,324.93
$0.16
43
Grundy-Kendall Cntys ROE
Morris
1
$837.23
$837.23
44
Grundy Co Spec Ed Coop
Morris
10
$589.12
$575.39
$13.73
45
Braceville School District 75
Braceville
2
$418.21
$417.97
$0.24
46
Waltham Community Consolidated School District 185
Utica
1
$363.04
$363.04
47
Nettle Creek Community Consolidated School District 24C
Morris
2
$21.75
$21.50
$0.25
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Spring Valley Community Consolidated School District 99 Board• Regional Office of Educ 35• Tonica Community Consolidated School District 79• Streator Elementary School District 44 Board• South Wilmington Csd 74• Princeton High School District 500 Board• Seneca Township High School District 160• Hall Township High School District 502 Board• Braceville School District 75 Board• Putnam County Community Unit School District 535• La Moille Community Unit School District 303• Mendota Township High School District 280 Board• Minooka Community Consolidated School District 201• Waltham Community Consolidated School District 185• Marseilles Elementary School District 150• Morris School District 54• Depue Community Unit School District 103• Serena Community Unit School District 2• Coal City Community Unit School District 1 Board• Special Education Coop• Leland Community Unit School District 1• Earlville Community Unit School District 9• Allen Otter Creek Community Consolidated School District 65• Ladd Community Consolidated School District 94• Morris Community High School District 101• Grundy Co Spec Ed Coop• Grundy-Kendall Cntys Roe• Saratoga Community Consolidated School District 60c Board• Deer Park Community Consolidated School District 82 Board• Ohio Community Consolidated School District 17• La Salle Elementary School District 122• Ohio Community High School District 505• Ottawa Township High School District 140• Nettle Creek Community Consolidated School District 24c Board• Rutland Community Consolidated School District 230 Board• Ottawa Elementary School District 141• Princeton Elementary School District 115• La Salle-Peru Township High School District 120• Mazon-Verona-Kinsman Elementary School District 2c• Streator Township High School District 40• Dimmick Community Consolidated School District 175• Seneca Community Consolidated School District 170• Mendota Community Consolidated School District 289 Board• Wallace Community Consolidated School District 195
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