McHenry Times

Riley Central Consolidated School District 18 received $566.46 per student from the federal government in 2015, or $175,604.46, according to data published by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

The $175,604.46 equals approximately 5.7 percent of District 18's total budget. The state average for federal funding of public school districts is 8 percent, according to ISBE.

The Obama administration is threatening to pull federal funding of local schools that refuse to follow Washington directives. Most recently, it ordered all public schools to allow transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity.

Chicago Public Schools gets 16 percent of its funding from the federal government, or twice the state average. Chicago property taxpayers pay for only 49 percent of their school bill; District 18 taxpayers pay for 83.9 percent.

District 18 spent a total of $9,938 per student in 2015, 8.7 percent more than in 2010, when it spent $9,142 per student.

Among McHenry school districts, Harvard District 50 ($849.03 per pupil) and Marengo-Union District 165 ($671.84 per pupil) receive more money from the federal government than District 18.

Johnsburg District 12 ($468.19 per pupil) and Nippersink District 2 ($377.49 per pupil) receive less.

Harvard Community Unified School District 50 spends the most money on public schools in McHenry, at $15,040 per pupil.