Jontry defends regional office of education after latest call for elimination

Posted on March 28, 2018
Regional Superintendent of Schools Mark Jontry says regional offices of education continue to provide required services. (Photo courtesy Cynthia Grau/WJEZ)

By Crystal Donaldson

BLOOMINGTON – The future of Illinois regional offices of education could be in jeopardy.

A new plan proposed by State Rep. Deb Conroy, D-Villa Park, explores eliminating the regional offices to repurpose the $12 million it currently spends on the ROEs.

In a statement, Conroy said she doesn’t feel the social and emotional needs of students are being met.

“I take issue with her comment that we’re not meeting the needs of students on a social and emotional [level],” said Regional Superintendent of Schools for DeWitt, Livingston, Logan and McLean counties Mark Jontry. “We’ve done a ton of professional development for teachers and staff over the last few years.”

Jontry told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, “for $12 million across the state they’re really getting a really good value and a really good bargain”.

“My districts, they’re continuing to ask me for more shared service opportunities,” Jontry added. “They’re continuing to send their staff to the professional development that we deliver. They’re continuing to ask me to look at providing different types of services and interventions to help their districts.”

Crystal Donaldson can be reached at [email protected].

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