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.
Metro Springfield pensions spiking penalties, 2005-present
Rank
District
City
Members
Amount Assessed
Payments Made
Waivers Granted
Written-off
Current Balance
1
Springfield School District 186
Springfield
192
$960,484.14
$612,381.81
$345,078.57
$28.25
$2,995.51
2
Champaign Community Unit School District 4
Champaign
183
$895,076.01
$331,513.27
$563,540.89
$21.85
3
IL Assoc of School Boards
Springfield
7
$164,523.07
$164,523.07
4
Ball Chatham Community Unit School District 5
Chatham
55
$433,640.96
$95,753.88
$337,874.68
$12.40
5
Crystal Lake Community Consolidated School District 47
Crystal Lake
97
$114,389.16
$81,810.02
$32,564.03
$15.11
6
Mid-State Special Education
Morrisonville
27
$80,428.27
$60,043.44
$20,383.62
$1.21
7
ISBE - Regional Supt
Springfield
16
$55,657.91
$53,774.79
$1,828.03
$55.09
8
IL Education Association
Springfield
1
$41,547.44
$41,547.44
9
Williamsville Community Unit School District 15
Williamsville
24
$261,531.17
$38,379.18
$223,149.47
$2.52
10
IL Dept of Correction
Springfield
3
$36,685.66
$36,244.81
$440.85
11
Athens Community Unified School District 213
Athens
16
$79,019.56
$26,721.16
$52,295.74
$2.66
12
West Lincoln-Broadwell SD 92
Lincoln
3
$20,660.24
$20,660.11
$0.13
13
Porta Community Unit School District 202
Petersburg
20
$89,257.80
$19,085.99
$70,169.29
$2.52
14
Riverton Community Unit School District 14
Riverton
17
$29,101.67
$18,084.43
$10,999.92
$17.32
15
Sangamon Area Special Educ
Springfield
34
$59,293.27
$18,053.07
$41,228.69
$11.51
16
Rochester Community Unit School District 3A
Rochester
17
$16,750.56
$16,733.07
$17.49
17
ISBE - Assistant Supt
Springfield
8
$17,352.64
$16,511.38
$823.41
$17.85
18
Lincoln Community High School District 404
Lincoln
13
$37,816.41
$15,972.37
$21,843.90
$0.14
19
Tri City Community Unit School District 1
Buffalo
11
$78,262.96
$14,059.02
$64,201.99
$1.95
20
Lincoln Elementary SD 27
Lincoln
22
$79,211.78
$12,848.06
$66,352.40
$11.32
21
Pleasant Plains Community Unit School District 8
Pleasant Plains
13
$51,420.97
$12,205.29
$39,210.73
$4.95
22
Chester-East Lincoln Community Consolidated School District 61
Lincoln
5
$10,316.21
$10,316.08
$0.13
23
New Berlin CUSD 16
New Berlin
14
$29,116.95
$9,492.12
$19,623.41
$1.42
24
Springfield Ball Charter
Springfield
3
$8,663.67
$8,663.67
25
Pawnee Community Unit School District 11
Pawnee
4
$7,094.60
$7,094.60
26
McFarland Mental Health
Springfield
1
$6,796.47
$6,610.34
$186.13
27
Greenview Community Unit School District 200
Greenview
2
$2,977.73
$2,977.33
$0.40
28
Auburn Community Unit School District 10
Auburn
10
$22,950.21
$1,739.86
$21,210.35
29
Mt Pulaski Community Unit School District 23
Mt Pulaski
6
$83,656.00
$1,667.83
$81,988.17
30
Regional Office of Educ 51
Springfield
2
$749.82
$749.82
31
Capital Area Career Center
Springfield
2
$24,169.26
$663.62
$23,505.64
32
East Coloma-Nelson Cesd 20
Rock Falls
7
$17,784.34
$532.19
$17,250.88
$1.27
33
Hartsburg-Emden CUSD 21
Hartsburg
5
$27.37
$26.36
$1.01
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Chester-East Lincoln Community Consolidated School District 61• Porta Community Unit School District 202 Board• Isbe - Regional Supt• Rochester Community Unit School District 3a• Lincoln Community High School District 404• Il Education Association• Regional Office of Educ 51• Sangamon Area Special Education District• Lincoln Elementary School District 27• Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5• Athens Community Unit School District 213• Pawnee Community Unit School District 11 Board• Pleasant Plains Community Unit School District 8 Board• Auburn Community Unit School District 10 Board• Champaign Community Unit School District 4• Illinois Department of Corrections• Greenview Community Unit School District 200 Board• McFarland Mental Health• Springfield Ball Charter• Isbe - Assistant Supt• Williamsville Community Unit School District 15• Riverton Community Unit School District 14• Springfield School District 186 Board• Capital Area Career Center• East Coloma-Nelson Consolidated Elementary School District 20• Crystal Lake Community Consolidated School District 47• Il Assoc Of School Boards• Mid-State Special Education• New Berlin Cusd 16
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