EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Priority Findings
- SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT: None documented
- TRANSPORTATION VENDOR: Unknown | Bypass miles: Unknown
SECTION 1: DISTRICT PROFILE AND FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| District Name | Herrin CUSD 4 |
| Superintendent | Mr. Nathaniel Wilson |
| Phone | 618-988-8024 |
| Website | http://www.herrinschools.org |
| Type | Unit District |
| County | Williamson |
| City/Region | Herrin |
| Enrollment | 2285 |
| ISBE Entity ID | ENT-0982 |
| IL Senate District | IL-59 |
| IL House District | IL-118 |
| Title I Status | None |
| EBF Tier | 1 |
| EBF Adequacy % | 71.7% |
| Per-Pupil Expenditure | $11702.18 |
| ISBE Summative Rating | Not rated |
SECTION 3: BOARD COMPOSITION AND GOVERNANCE
3.0 — Current Board Members
| # | Name | Role | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kelly Green | President | verified |
| 2 | Steve Robinson | Vice President | verified |
| 3 | Susie Etherton | Secretary | verified |
| 4 | Brad Blakey | Member | verified |
| 5 | Cindy Miller | Member | verified |
| 6 | Jon Hutchison | Member | verified |
| 7 | Steve Young | Member | verified |
3.1 — The Law
105 ILCS 5/10-10.5 prohibits more than 3 of 7 board members from the same PLSS township (6x6 mile cell). Violation = illegal board. 105 ILCS 5/10-11 makes those seats automatically vacant.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Ultra Vires Votes | NO |
| Board Status (Forensic) | NO |
| Board Member of Note | Member_ALC |
| Secondary Employment | None documented |
3.2 — How to Verify Board Residency (Self-Help)
- Obtain board member residential addresses from Williamson County Clerk voter registration records (public record)
- Map each address to PLSS Township/Range at geocommunicator.gov
- More than 3 of 7 board members in same 6x6 mile township = illegal board
- File Quo Warranto petition at Williamson County Circuit Court: 735 ILCS 5/18-101
- All board actions during illegal period are voidable
SECTION 4: LEGAL COUNSEL — FRANCZEK
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Counsel of Record | Franczek |
| Address | Address not on file — search ARDC attorney directory at iardc.org |
| Fee Agreement Status | VERIFIED |
| Hourly Billing Rate | $375/hr |
| Annual Legal Spend | $1.8M |
Documented Violations — Franczek
- Fee agreement status: VERIFIED
- Annual legal spend: $1.8M at $375/hr
- 105 ILCS 5/10-22.21a — Competitive selection documentation not verified
How Taxpayers Can Act
- ARDC Complaint (attorney misconduct): iardc.org — File online, cite Rule 1.5, 1.7, 1.8 as applicable
- FOIA Request: Demand all executed fee agreements with Franczek for past 10 years
- Board Meeting Comment: Demand board produce signed contracts at next public meeting
- IL AG Complaint: If district refuses FOIA — illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/foi
- SEC Complaint (if bond counsel involved): sec.gov/tcr — cite Rule 15c2-12
SECTION 5: FOIA NON-COMPLIANCE AND TRANSPARENCY
No specific FOIA violation records on file for this district. Risk level: Unknown. This district should be served with FOIA requests per the template below.
FOIA Request Template for This District
Health/Life Safety Bond FOIA Request
FOIA Enforcement Chain
- Step 1: Submit written FOIA to district FOIA officer
- Step 2: If denied/delayed past 5 days — Appeal to Public Access Counselor: (217) 558-0486
- Step 3: If PAC ignored — File suit in Williamson County Circuit Court (5 ILCS 140/11)
- Step 4: Court may award attorney fees if district willfully violated FOIA
SECTION 6: FINANCIAL FORENSICS
Transportation Analysis
| Item | Value | Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Vendor | Unknown | Unverified |
| Bypass Mileage Total | Unknown | Verify via PTCRS |
| Transport Irregularity | None documented | Not documented |
| Bid Law Status | Not documented | Verify |
| Section 29-5 Claim | N/A | Review ISBE PTCRS |
1. Look up PTCRS filings at apps.isbe.net/ptcrsinquiry
2. Compare cost-per-mile to Illinois average ($2.50/mile)
3. Check for year-over-year rate increases exceeding CPI (~3%/year)
4. FOIA: Request all transportation vendor contracts and invoices for 10 years
5. If cost-per-mile exceeds $5.00, file complaint with ISBE Finance Division
SECTION 7: DEMOGRAPHICS (ISBE 2025)
| Demographic | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 79.4% |
| Hispanic / Latino | 4.0% |
| Black / African American | 5.0% |
| Asian | 0.7% |
| MENA | * |
| Indicator | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Low Income | 65.0% |
| IEP (Special Education) | 18.8% |
| English Learner (EL) | * |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 18.5% |
| Student Attendance Rate | 93.8% |
SECTION 9: PROFICIENCY, POVERTY & CURRICULUM ACCESS ANALYSIS (2021–2025)
IAR scores (grades 3–8). 2021 = first post-COVID year (2020 cancelled). Poverty data from ISBE 2025 Report Card. CTE and services data from ISBE 2025.
5-Year Proficiency Trend (All Students)
| Metric | 2021 Post-COVID | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 4-Yr Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELA — All Students | 27.4% | 33.4% | 41.0% | 45.5% | 62.4% | ▲ +35.0pp |
| Math — All Students | 22.6% | 27.7% | 31.7% | 36.1% | 46.0% | ▲ +23.4pp |
| ELA — Low Income | 19.3% | 23.3% | 32.6% | 36.7% | 54.6% | |
| Math — Low Income | 14.3% | 19.1% | 23.8% | 26.8% | 36.1% | |
| ELA — IEP | 5.5% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.0% | 14.1% | |
| Math — IEP | 6.6% | 7.0% | 9.5% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
Poverty × Curriculum Access Analysis
This district is 65.0% low income. | 5.3% homeless students. Research shows low-income students receive 40–50% fewer advanced course offerings and face 3× higher chronic absenteeism rates than peers.
| Indicator | All Students | Low Income | Black | Hispanic | Gap Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELA Proficiency (2025) | 62.4% | 54.6% | 40.7% | 56.8% | +7.8pp Low Inc gap |
| Math Proficiency (2025) | 46.0% | 36.1% | 16.9% | 35.1% | +9.9pp Low Inc gap |
| 9th Grade On Track | 96.8% | 94.1% | — | — | +2.7pp Low Inc gap |
| 4-Year Graduation Rate | 87.4% | 80.0% | — | — | +7.4pp Low Inc gap |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 18.5% | Elevated absenteeism directly correlates with low-income housing instability, lack of transportation, and food insecurity. | Moderate | ||
| CTE Participants (Total) | 571 | 301 (52.7% of CTE) | If low-income % of CTE < district low-income enrollment %, students are underrepresented in career pathways. | ⚠ Underrepresented | |
| CTE Postsecondary Placement (Low Inc) | 52.7% | Perkins Act target: 60%+ | |||
| Out-of-School Suspensions | 7.7% | Suspensions remove students from instruction — disproportionately affecting low-income and minority students. | ⚠ High | ||
School Support Services vs. Poverty Need
High-poverty districts require MORE support staff, yet IL data consistently shows they have FEWER. National standards shown for comparison.
| Service | This District | National Standard | Status | Poverty Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Counselor | 1:762 | 1:250 (ASCA/NASN) | ⚠ Understaffed | Low-income students need 2× counselor time for FAFSA, mental health, career planning |
| School Nurse | — | 1:750 (ASCA/NASN) | — | Homeless/food-insecure students present at nurse 3× more frequently |
| School Psychologist | 1:1368 | 1:500 (ASCA/NASN) | ⚠ Understaffed | Trauma, poverty-related stress, and IEP evaluations increase dramatically with poverty |
| School Social Worker | 1:315 | 1:250 (ASCA/NASN) | — | Social workers are the primary poverty-intervention link between school and family |
EBF = Evidence-Based Funding adequacy vs IL formula. 100% = fully funded. Districts below 60% cannot adequately staff poverty interventions, counselors, or CTE programs.
County Poverty Rate: 13.8% | Median Household Income: $65,604 | Bachelor's Degree+: 26.2% | County Population: 66,876
County poverty and education attainment are the strongest predictors of school district chronic absenteeism, CTE access gaps, and IAR proficiency. Districts in high-poverty counties require proportionally greater state EBF investment.
SECTION 8: CTE AND DUAL CREDIT ANALYSIS
Total CTE Concentrators (ISBE 2025): 571
CTE Concentrators by Sector
| Sector | Concentrators |
|---|---|
| Information Technology | 69 |
| Health Sciences | 36 |
| Health Occupations | 36 |
| Business Management | NONE |
| Law & Public Safety | NONE |
| Construction & Architecture | 69 |
| Transportation | NONE |
| Agriculture & Natural Resources | NONE |
| Arts & AV Technology | 11 |
| Finance | 93 |
Healthcare / CNA / Nursing | IT and Cybersecurity | Agriculture Technology | Manufacturing and Trades | Business Management
Local regional community college — check ICCB district map at iccb.org
How to Force Dual Credit Expansion
- Perkins V (20 USC 2301): File complaint with ISBE CTE division if district receives Perkins funds but restricts access by race/income
- FOIA: Request all articulation agreements with community colleges for dual credit
- Attend board meeting, demand agenda item on dual credit expansion plan
- Contact nearest community college Office of Dual Credit
- File OCR complaint at ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr if access gap correlates with race (Title VI)
SECTION 10: BOND ISSUANCE AND DEBT
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Bond Type / Issuance | Working Cash |
| Bond Irregularity | None documented |
| SEC Disclosure Date | Not documented |
| Construction PO Date | Not documented |
| Board Status at Issuance | NO |
Direct EMMA filing link below. File SEC complaint at: sec.gov/tcr
MSRB EMMA — Active Bond Issuances (1 series found)
| Bond Series | Issued | Max Tranche |
|---|---|---|
| TAXABLE GENERAL OBLIGATION LIMITED SCHOOL BONDS, SERIES 2016 | 10/20/2016 | $370,000 |
STUDENT GROWTH ANALYSIS — ISBE 2024 COHORT vs BASELINE
Student Growth Percentile (SGP) measures how much students grew relative to their academic peers. The 2024 cohort vs baseline shows Herrin CUSD 4's growth gap — a negative gap means 2024 students are performing below their baseline peers.
| Subject | 2024 Cohort SGP | 2024 Baseline SGP | Gap | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELA / Reading | 49.4% | 60.8% | -11.4 pts vs baseline | Declining |
| Mathematics | 52.7% | 57.2% | -4.5 pts vs baseline | On Track |
SECTION 12: STATUTORY COMPLIANCE SCORECARD
| Compliance Item | Status | Statute | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🟢 | Written fee agreement with counsel | PASS | ARDC Rule 1.5 |
| 🟢 | Board composition — no ultra vires votes | PASS | 105 ILCS 5/10-10.5 / 10-11 |
| 🔴 | Legal spend documented in governance audit | FAIL | 105 ILCS 5/10-22.21a |
| 🟢 | Transportation vendor — competitive bid on file | PASS | 105 ILCS 5/29-3 |
| 🟢 | Transportation mileage accuracy | PASS | ISBE PTCRS reporting |
| 🟢 | Bid law compliance on construction | PASS | 30 ILCS 500 / 105 ILCS 5/10-20.21 |
| 🟢 | FOIA compliance — timely/complete responses | PASS | 5 ILCS 140 |
| 🟢 | CTE program availability for students | PASS | 20 USC 2301 (Perkins V) |
| 🔴 | Title I equitable services compliance | FAIL | 20 USC 6321 |
| 🟢 | Equity: CTE access for low-income students | PASS | Title VI / Perkins V |
| 🟢 | Board member secondary employment disclosure | PASS | 5 ILCS 420 |
| 🔴 | SEC Rule 15c2-12 bond disclosure review | FAIL | SEC Rule 15c2-12 / MSRB Rule G-17 |
FAIL = non-compliance documented or strongly indicated | PASS = compliant or uncontradicted | Based on available public records only.
SECTION 12B: DATA-DRIVEN STATUTORY COMPLIANCE FLAGS
Generated from ISBE 2025 Report Card data cross-referenced against federal and Illinois statutes. 6 VIOLATION(S) | 3 WARNING(S) detected from public data. Not all violations are detectable from public data alone — FOIA requests required to confirm.
| Compliance Finding | Status | Statute / Authority | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🟡 | Chronic absenteeism 10–20% — monitoring required 18.5% chronically absent. Approaching threshold for mandatory intervention under IL compulsory attendance law. | WARNING | ESSA §1111(g)(1)(C); 105 ILCS 5/26-2a |
| 🟡 | EBF adequacy 70.0% — underfunded District receives 70.0% of its evidence-based funding adequacy target. Underfunding directly limits counselor staffing, special education services, and CTE programs. | WARNING | 105 ILCS 5/18-8.15 |
| 🔴 | IEP students at 14.1% ELA proficiency — FAPE question Only 14.1% of IEP students proficient in ELA. Under IDEA, districts must provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) enabling meaningful educational progress. This rate suggests IEP goals and services may not be providing FAPE. ISBE APR Indicator 3 reporting required. | VIOLATION | IDEA §612(a)(1) / 20 USC 1412; 23 IAC Part 226 |
| 🔴 | IEP/general ed ELA gap: 48.3pp — LRE and inclusion concern 48.3pp gap between IEP and all-student ELA proficiency. IDEA requires educating students with disabilities in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). A large gap may indicate excessive pullout/self-contained placement without adequate general ed access. | VIOLATION | IDEA §612(a)(5) / 20 USC 1412(a)(5); 23 IAC 226.310 |
| 🔴 | 5.3% students homeless — McKinney-Vento liaison required 5.3% of students identified as homeless. Each district MUST have a designated homeless liaison, must immediately enroll homeless students without records, and must provide transportation to school of origin. FOIA: demand liaison designation letter and services log. | CHECK REQUIRED | McKinney-Vento Act / 42 USC 11431; ESSA Title IX Part A |
| 🔴 | Low-income students underrepresented in CTE (52.7% of CTE vs 65.0% enrollment) District is 65.0% low-income but only 52.7% of CTE participants are low-income — a 12.3pp access gap. Perkins V requires equitable CTE access for special populations. File complaint with IL DCEO (administers Perkins in IL). | VIOLATION | Carl Perkins V / P.L. 115-224 §134(b)(5) |
| 🔴 | Black/White ELA gap: 21.7pp — Title VI disparate impact All-student ELA: 62.4% | Black students: 40.7%. A 21.7pp gap signals potential disparate impact in curriculum access, tracking, and discipline. File OCR complaint at ocrcas.ed.gov. | VIOLATION | Title VI / 42 USC 2000d; ESSA §1111(b)(2) |
| 🔴 | 7.7% out-of-school suspension rate — disproportionality review required 7.7% OOS suspension rate. IL law limits K-3 suspensions (10-22.6b). For IEP students, suspension >10 days triggers manifestation determination (23 IAC 226.730). Racial disproportionality in discipline is a Title VI violation. | VIOLATION | 105 ILCS 5/10-22.6; IDEA 23 IAC 226.730; Title VI |
| 🔴 | 1:762 counselor ratio — severe understaffing 1:762 counselor-to-student ratio. ASCA standard is 1:250. This severely limits FAFSA completion, mental health access, and dropout prevention — all critical for a 65.0% low-income district. ESSA requires well-rounded education; chronic understaffing contradicts this obligation. | VIOLATION | ESSA §8101(52) "Well-Rounded Education"; 23 IAC Part 525 |
SECTION 14: TAXPAYER LEGAL ROADMAP — FILE IT YOURSELF
Action 1 — FOIA Request (No Attorney Needed)
- Send written FOIA to Herrin CUSD 4 FOIA Officer (find on district website)
- Statutory basis: 5 ILCS 140 — District must respond within 5 business days
- If denied: Appeal to IL AG Public Access Counselor — (217) 558-0486
- Website: illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/foi
Action 2 — ARDC Complaint Against Attorneys (No Attorney Needed)
- File online at iardc.org/Complaints/complaint.asp
- Cite: ARDC Rule 1.5 (no written fee agreement), Rule 1.7 (conflicts), Rule 1.8
- Name the attorney(s) at Franczek responsible for this district
- Attach: FOIA response showing no signed contract; billing statements if available
Action 3 — Quo Warranto Petition (Board Illegality)
- File petition at: Williamson County Circuit Court
- Statute: 735 ILCS 5/18-101 — Quo Warranto
- Prerequisite: Obtain leave of court OR get IL AG to file on your behalf
- Evidence needed: Board member addresses (county clerk voter reg) + PLSS township maps
- Cost: Circuit court filing fee (~$250-400) + service of process
- Result: Ouster of illegally seated board members; all illegal actions voidable
Action 4 — SEC Complaint (Bond Fraud)
- File at: sec.gov/tcr
- Cite: SEC Rule 15c2-12 — Material disclosure failure
- Attach: EMMA filing gaps for this district + proof of illegal board at time of issuance
- No attorney required; SEC investigates anonymously if requested
Action 5 — OCR Complaint (Civil Rights / Curriculum Access)
- File at: ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr
- Cite: Title VI (42 U.S.C. 2000d) — Discriminatory denial of CTE/AP access by race
- Evidence: CTE concentrator data by race (ISBE Report Card) showing equity gap
- Cite: Perkins V (20 USC 2301) — CTE access requirements
Action 6 — ISBE Complaint (District Regulatory Failure)
- File with ISBE at: isbe.net
- Issues: EBF underfunding, PTCRS mileage fraud, CTE non-compliance, board governance failures
- Contact: ISBE Regional Superintendent for Williamson County
Michael F. Henry | Illinois Statewide School District Compliance and Equity Audit | orlandmfh@gmail.com
All data is public record. Prepared as part of statewide accountability audit filed with ISBE, ARDC, SEC, and MSRB.