Methodology — ISBE's Own Benchmark Used Against ISBE-Filed Claims
The $2.50/mile benchmark is ISBE's published statewide average reimbursement rate — the same figure ISBE uses to calculate how much state transportation aid each district receives. Every district that spends above this rate is, by definition, paying a vendor more than the state considers reasonable. The excess calculated here is the difference between what districts actually paid and what they would have paid at the state's own benchmark rate, applied to each district's actual reported miles.
66
CRITICAL — $20+/Mile
Excess: $185.4M
52
HIGH RISK — $10–20/Mile
Excess: $125.3M
160
ELEVATED — $5–10/Mile
Excess: $63.3M
58
EFFICIENT — <$5/Mile
At or near benchmark
Top 25 Districts by Transportation Excess ($)
Top 25 Districts by Cost Per Mile vs $2.50 Benchmark
All Districts — Ranked by Transportation Excess
| # | District | Risk Tier | $/Mile | FY2025 Spend | Annual Excess vs $2.50 | Students | Fleet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plainfield SD 202 | HIGH RISK | $15.91 | $21,900,000 | $18,458,768 | 16,687 | Contracted |
| 2 | Cons HSD 230 | HIGH RISK | $19.73 | $16,000,000 | $13,972,631 | 7,397 | Contracted |
| 3 | Evanston CCSD 65 | CRITICAL | $151.91 | $11,600,000 | $11,409,097 | 1,347 | Contracted |
| 4 | Springfield SD 186 | HIGH RISK | $11.63 | $13,200,000 | $10,362,511 | 0 | Contracted |
| 5 | CHSD 218 | CRITICAL | $24.54 | $10,800,000 | $9,699,756 | 3,969 | Contracted |
| 6 | Joliet Twp HSD 204 | CRITICAL | $24.89 | $9,600,000 | $8,635,757 | 4,436 | Own Fleet |
| 7 | Proviso Twp HSD 209 | CRITICAL | $57.88 | $8,000,000 | $7,654,457 | 0 | Contracted |
| 8 | Adlai E Stevenson HSD 125 | CRITICAL | $30.41 | $7,700,000 | $7,066,985 | 4,524 | Contracted |
| 9 | J S Morton HSD 201 | CRITICAL | $288.64 | $7,100,000 | $7,038,505 | 35 | Contracted |
| 10 | Palatine CCSD 15 | ELEVATED | $7.98 | $9,600,000 | $6,592,481 | 10,554 | Own Fleet |
| 11 | Hinsdale Twp HSD 86 | CRITICAL | $105.73 | $6,700,000 | $6,541,578 | 2,780 | Contracted |
| 12 | Rich Twp HSD 227 | HIGH RISK | $16.20 | $7,500,000 | $6,342,593 | 2,391 | Contracted |
| 13 | Orland SD 135 | CRITICAL | $23.14 | $7,000,000 | $6,243,734 | 4,098 | Contracted |
| 14 | Bloom Twp HSD 206 | CRITICAL | $58.84 | $6,100,000 | $5,840,823 | 2,718 | Contracted |
| 15 | Glenview CCSD 34 | CRITICAL | $34.97 | $6,100,000 | $5,663,912 | 3,461 | Contracted |
| 16 | Downers Grove GSD 58 | HIGH RISK | $19.07 | $6,500,000 | $5,647,876 | 5 | Contracted |
| 17 | CCSD 62 | CRITICAL | $76.10 | $5,700,000 | $5,512,746 | 1,595 | Contracted |
| 18 | Decatur SD 61 | HIGH RISK | $12.98 | $6,300,000 | $5,086,595 | 4,066 | Contracted |
| 19 | North Shore SD 112 | HIGH RISK | $13.72 | $5,800,000 | $4,743,149 | 2,523 | Contracted |
| 20 | CHSD 128 | CRITICAL | $24.11 | $5,100,000 | $4,571,174 | 2,673 | Contracted |
| 21 | Dolton SD 149 | CRITICAL | $99.98 | $4,300,000 | $4,192,478 | 1,345 | Contracted |
| 22 | Grayslake CHSD 127 | CRITICAL | $27.90 | $4,600,000 | $4,187,814 | 0 | Contracted |
| 23 | Thornton Fractional Twp HSD 215 | CRITICAL | $103.75 | $4,200,000 | $4,098,795 | 1,207 | Contracted |
| 24 | Twp HSD 113 | CRITICAL | $22.63 | $4,400,000 | $3,913,920 | 413 | Own Fleet |
| 25 | CCSD 93 | CRITICAL | $49.55 | $4,100,000 | $3,893,138 | 2,005 | Contracted |
| 26 | Bloomington SD 87 | CRITICAL | $21.65 | $4,300,000 | $3,803,464 | 3,145 | Contracted |
| 27 | Cahokia CUSD 187 | HIGH RISK | $11.69 | $4,800,000 | $3,773,482 | 2,340 | Contracted |
| 28 | Flossmoor SD 161 | CRITICAL | $23.54 | $4,200,000 | $3,753,951 | 1,765 | Contracted |
| 29 | SD 45 DuPage County | CRITICAL | $39.19 | $3,900,000 | $3,651,212 | 1,072 | Contracted |
| 30 | Grant CHSD 124 | CRITICAL | $22.46 | $4,000,000 | $3,554,764 | 1,599 | Contracted |
| 31 | New Lenox SD 122 | ELEVATED | $8.83 | $4,300,000 | $3,082,559 | 4,168 | Own Fleet |
| 32 | East Maine SD 63 | CRITICAL | $37.40 | $3,300,000 | $3,079,412 | 1,926 | Contracted |
| 33 | Aptakisic-Tripp CCSD 102 | CRITICAL | $26.40 | $3,400,000 | $3,078,030 | 0 | Contracted |
| 34 | Indian Springs SD 109 | CRITICAL | $75.31 | $3,100,000 | $2,997,092 | 641 | Contracted |
| 35 | Lake Villa CCSD 41 | HIGH RISK | $17.16 | $3,400,000 | $2,904,662 | 2,325 | Contracted |
| 36 | Lyons Twp HSD 204 | CRITICAL | $35.53 | $3,100,000 | $2,881,874 | 2,697 | Contracted |
| 37 | Park Ridge CCSD 64 | HIGH RISK | $19.69 | $3,300,000 | $2,881,006 | 2,082 | Contracted |
| 38 | CHSD 94 | CRITICAL | $45.46 | $3,000,000 | $2,835,020 | 1,175 | Contracted |
| 39 | Will County SD 92 | HIGH RISK | $11.34 | $3,600,000 | $2,806,349 | 0 | Contracted |
| 40 | Bellwood SD 88 | CRITICAL | $78.63 | $2,800,000 | $2,710,975 | 679 | Own Fleet |
| 41 | Berkeley SD 87 | HIGH RISK | $14.29 | $3,200,000 | $2,640,168 | 1,376 | Contracted |
| 42 | Lisle CUSD 202 | CRITICAL | $26.62 | $2,800,000 | $2,537,040 | 0 | Contracted |
| 43 | Cook County SD 130 | CRITICAL | $40.03 | $2,600,000 | $2,437,622 | 0 | Contracted |
| 44 | Coal City CUSD 1 | HIGH RISK | $16.15 | $2,800,000 | $2,366,563 | 1,466 | Contracted |
| 45 | Carbondale ESD 95 | HIGH RISK | $18.63 | $2,700,000 | $2,337,681 | 1,164 | Contracted |
| 46 | Glen Ellyn SD 41 | HIGH RISK | $18.28 | $2,700,000 | $2,330,744 | 0 | Contracted |
| 47 | CCSD 89 | CRITICAL | $34.98 | $2,500,000 | $2,321,326 | 0 | Contracted |
| 48 | Belleville SD 118 | HIGH RISK | $14.55 | $2,800,000 | $2,318,900 | 2,424 | Contracted |
| 49 | Prairie-Hills ESD 144 | HIGH RISK | $12.08 | $2,800,000 | $2,220,530 | 1,360 | Contracted |
| 50 | Johnsburg CUSD 12 | CRITICAL | $21.74 | $2,500,000 | $2,212,511 | 0 | Own Fleet |
| 51 | Sterling CUSD 5 | HIGH RISK | $19.35 | $2,400,000 | $2,089,922 | 0 | Contracted |
| 52 | Harvey SD 152 | CRITICAL | $44.43 | $2,200,000 | $2,076,210 | 0 | Contracted |
| 53 | Burbank SD 111 | CRITICAL | $122.32 | $2,100,000 | $2,057,080 | 900 | Contracted |
| 54 | East Moline SD 37 | HIGH RISK | $17.49 | $2,400,000 | $2,056,947 | 2,508 | Own Fleet |
| 55 | Mundelein ESD 75 | CRITICAL | $23.39 | $2,300,000 | $2,054,168 | 0 | Contracted |
| 56 | Posen-Robbins ESD 143-5 | CRITICAL | $27.92 | $2,100,000 | $1,911,963 | 816 | Contracted |
| 57 | Galesburg CUSD 205 | ELEVATED | $5.87 | $3,300,000 | $1,894,549 | 0 | Contracted |
| 58 | Prospect Heights SD 23 | CRITICAL | $23.47 | $2,100,000 | $1,876,310 | 0 | Contracted |
| 59 | Massac UD 1 | HIGH RISK | $12.74 | $2,200,000 | $1,768,289 | 1,317 | Contracted |
| 60 | O Fallon Twp HSD 203 | HIGH RISK | $12.15 | $2,100,000 | $1,667,901 | 2,416 | Contracted |
| 61 | Diamond Lake SD 76 | CRITICAL | $20.18 | $1,900,000 | $1,664,618 | 857 | Contracted |
| 62 | Canton Union SD 66 | HIGH RISK | $18.85 | $1,900,000 | $1,648,011 | 874 | Own Fleet |
| 63 | Macomb CUSD 185 | CRITICAL | $22.16 | $1,800,000 | $1,596,931 | 1 | Contracted |
| 64 | Richmond-Burton CHSD 157 | CRITICAL | $32.00 | $1,700,000 | $1,567,188 | 554 | Own Fleet |
| 65 | Berwyn North SD 98 | CRITICAL | $31.67 | $1,700,000 | $1,565,804 | 0 | Contracted |
| 66 | Taylorville CUSD 3 | HIGH RISK | $14.16 | $1,900,000 | $1,564,548 | 1,506 | Contracted |
| 67 | Fenton CHSD 100 | CRITICAL | $29.18 | $1,600,000 | $1,462,920 | 1,060 | Own Fleet |
| 68 | Steger SD 194 | HIGH RISK | $13.17 | $1,800,000 | $1,458,314 | 735 | Contracted |
| 69 | Bradley Bourbonnais CHSD 307 | HIGH RISK | $17.27 | $1,700,000 | $1,453,909 | 1,544 | Own Fleet |
| 70 | Rantoul City SD 137 | CRITICAL | $41.22 | $1,500,000 | $1,409,025 | 631 | Contracted |
| 71 | Pontiac CCSD 429 | HIGH RISK | $19.66 | $1,600,000 | $1,396,541 | 703 | Contracted |
| 72 | Harrisburg CUSD 3 | HIGH RISK | $13.66 | $1,700,000 | $1,388,873 | 1,254 | Contracted |
| 73 | Rochelle Twp HSD 212 | CRITICAL | $60.37 | $1,400,000 | $1,342,024 | 874 | Own Fleet |
| 74 | Mount Vernon SD 80 | CRITICAL | $23.77 | $1,400,000 | $1,252,756 | 760 | Contracted |
| 75 | Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10 | HIGH RISK | $13.14 | $1,500,000 | $1,214,612 | 530 | Contracted |
| 76 | Westchester SD 92-5 | CRITICAL | $32.54 | $1,300,000 | $1,200,123 | 628 | Own Fleet |
| 77 | Bensenville SD 2 | CRITICAL | $29.64 | $1,300,000 | $1,190,351 | 1,074 | Own Fleet |
| 78 | Frankfort CUSD 168 | HIGH RISK | $14.24 | $1,400,000 | $1,154,213 | 0 | Contracted |
| 79 | East Peoria CHSD 309 | HIGH RISK | $19.63 | $1,300,000 | $1,134,437 | 0 | Own Fleet |
| 80 | Fox Lake GSD 114 | HIGH RISK | $18.79 | $1,300,000 | $1,127,036 | 564 | Own Fleet |
| 81 | Kinnikinnick CCSD 131 | HIGH RISK | $12.74 | $1,400,000 | $1,125,275 | 1,714 | Contracted |
| 82 | Sandwich CUSD 430 | HIGH RISK | $17.60 | $1,300,000 | $1,115,341 | 0 | Own Fleet |
| 83 | Farmington Central CUSD 265 | HIGH RISK | $11.83 | $1,400,000 | $1,104,142 | 1,046 | Contracted |
| 84 | Lemont Twp HSD 210 | CRITICAL | $31.20 | $1,200,000 | $1,103,846 | 890 | Contracted |
| 85 | Darien SD 61 | CRITICAL | $26.82 | $1,200,000 | $1,088,143 | 1,165 | Contracted |
| 86 | Chaney-Monge SD 88 | CRITICAL | $164.18 | $1,100,000 | $1,083,250 | 163 | Contracted |
| 87 | Morton Grove SD 70 | CRITICAL | $133.57 | $1,100,000 | $1,079,412 | 753 | Contracted |
| 88 | Big Hollow SD 38 | HIGH RISK | $12.85 | $1,300,000 | $1,047,082 | 0 | Contracted |
| 89 | Wood Dale SD 7 | CRITICAL | $27.80 | $1,100,000 | $1,001,079 | 747 | Own Fleet |
| 90 | Prairie Central CUSD 8 | ELEVATED | $7.34 | $1,500,000 | $989,101 | 202 | Own Fleet |
| 91 | River Trails SD 26 | HIGH RISK | $19.17 | $1,100,000 | $956,547 | 819 | Contracted |
| 92 | Arthur CUSD 305 | HIGH RISK | $12.15 | $1,200,000 | $953,086 | 289 | Contracted |
| 93 | Riverdale CUSD 100 | ELEVATED | $8.97 | $1,300,000 | $937,681 | 1,072 | Own Fleet |
| 94 | Byron CUSD 226 | ELEVATED | $7.35 | $1,400,000 | $923,810 | 864 | Own Fleet |
| 95 | Rockridge CUSD 300 | ELEVATED | $8.23 | $1,300,000 | $905,103 | 1,063 | Own Fleet |
| 96 | Meridian CUSD 223 | ELEVATED | $8.22 | $1,300,000 | $904,623 | 0 | Own Fleet |
| 97 | Tuscola CUSD 301 | CRITICAL | $25.82 | $1,000,000 | $903,176 | 373 | Contracted |
| 98 | Jasper County CUD 1 | ELEVATED | $5.73 | $1,600,000 | $901,920 | 892 | Own Fleet |
| 99 | Il Valley Central USD 321 | ELEVATED | $7.83 | $1,300,000 | $884,930 | 0 | Own Fleet |
| 100 | Monticello CUSD 25 | HIGH RISK | $11.43 | $1,100,000 | $859,405 | 957 | Contracted |
Data coverage: 336 of 851 Illinois school districts have cost-per-mile data derived from ISBE Report Card transportation expenditure data and PTCRS filings.
The remaining 515 districts lack sufficient data for CPM calculation. Excess figures are estimates based on reported spend and CPM; actual PTCRS-verified totals may vary.
D230 (Cons HSD 230) has a separate 16-year PTCRS analysis available: D230 Transportation Fraud Analysis →
How This Analysis Was Conducted
Step 1 — Cost Per Mile Extraction
Each district's transportation cost-per-mile (CPM) was extracted from ISBE Report Card FY2025 expenditure data and PTCRS filings. CPM = Total Transportation Expenditure ÷ Total Miles. Where direct PTCRS miles were unavailable, estimated miles were calculated from reported expenditure and published contracted/fleet rate benchmarks.
Step 2 — ISBE $2.50/Mile Benchmark Applied
Illinois's statewide average transportation reimbursement rate — $2.50/mile, as published by ISBE in the PTCRS system — was applied as the baseline. This is the same rate ISBE uses to calculate state transportation aid, making it the most defensible possible benchmark. Districts cannot argue the comparison is unfair: it is the state's own number.
Step 3 — Excess Calculated Per District
Annual Excess = (District CPM − $2.50) × Estimated Annual Miles. This captures the dollar amount above the state benchmark that each district's transportation vendor extracted from district funds — i.e., from property taxes paid by district homeowners.
Step 4 — D230 PTCRS Deep Audit (16-Year Analysis)
For Cons HSD 230, actual PTCRS filings for FY2011–FY2026 were obtained and analyzed in detail. The 16-year rate fraud excess totals $106.8M. A separate routing excess analysis adds $33.6M for a combined demand of $140.4M. The FY2026 filing (signed May 9, 2026) reveals a new anomaly: 990,181 special education miles for only 258 sped students — 3,838 miles per student per year. View full D230 analysis →
Featured Case — Cons HSD 230 (Stagg/Sandburg/Andrew): $140M+ Documented
$106.8M
16-Year Rate Fraud Excess
(FY2011–FY2026)
(FY2011–FY2026)
$33.6M
Routing Excess
(3-Campus Boundary Fraud)
(3-Campus Boundary Fraud)
990,181
FY2026 Sped Miles
for 258 Students (ANOMALY)
for 258 Students (ANOMALY)
1.6%
State Reimbursement Rate
on FY2025 $16M Claim
on FY2025 $16M Claim