By Patrick Baron

PONTIAC – Prairie Central District 8 has received some extra spending dollars following the implementation of a new school funding formula.

Speaking with WJEZ’s Todd Wineburner, Superintendent Paula Crane explained the new funding formula brought in some money that the state hasn’t been able to provide.

“Certainly when you’re in the situation that we are in, any amount of money that we can get helps,” said Crane. “We got about $139,000 which we have about a $22-23 million budget overall, so it kind of makes up for some of the lack of funding that is happening right now.”

She said the money will likely be used to help solve some of the transportation issues that the state hasn’t been able to assist the district with.

“For us, being such a large district land-mass wise – we’re 386 square miles – with that comes transportation issues,” Crane explained. “Transportation is one of the things that, historically, has not been paid well by the state and so that has a very big impact on the Prairie Central schools. So that money will help us make up, maybe a little bit, for that money that’s not coming in.”

Crane noted the district is behind over $400,000 from the state. She said if the state doesn’t follow through on funding, the transportation budget will have a deficit.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].