Three years after the law was passed, as of today, the 44 regional offices of education in Illinois have been consolidated into 35. Rock Island County still has its own office, but the change affects offices in several neighboring counties.
Formerly the regional superintendent for Whiteside County, Bob Sondegroth, is also now in charge of certification, GED, and other programs for Lee and Ogle counties.
One of the major challenges though is money. Sondegroth says each office used to receive a base grant from the state, plus money for each student.
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The combined office serving Whiteside, Lee, and Ogle counties has a staff of 35, a loss of only one position.
Also as of today, the regional office of education in Knox County has been combined with the office serving Mercer, Henderson, and Warren counties, based in Monmouth.