PEORIA, Ill. – A proposal to give waivers to non-resident students of Peoria Public Schools employees did not pass, but could have a second life.
The PPS board Monday night was split 3-3 on the proposal, which would have provided students who live outside the district, but their parents work at PPS, free tuition.
It’s a change from a 2021 policy approved which reduced the fee to $5,000 per student. Changes to state law in 2023 allow for the flexibility to give free tuition. Another vote from the meeting would have reduced the fee to $2,500 per student, but it also did not pass by a 3-3 vote.
Superintendent Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat says less than five students currently take advantage of the waiver, and there was no anticipated influx of students if the proposal passed.
Board President Paris McConnell expressed “reservations” about the proposal, saying some teachers would get the benefits without the investment of property taxes, which parents who live in the district do pay into.
“I think it’s a disservice to our population as a whole that the parent is not vested in the school district, and that we give them a free education at our expense, at my expense,” McConnell said.
Board member Christina Rose voted in favor of the proposal, saying it could be helpful to those teachers who struggle with having different schedules from their children.
“I think that this could be a great motivator to bring their kids to our district, and then maybe they’ll love it so much, they will move into our district, and they will pay our property taxes,” Rose said. “But even if they never move, if they brought their students and they were on the same schedule, we’re more likely to retain them.”
The board raised the possibility of bringing the issue back at its next board meeting, when seven voting members would be present.
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