High schools across the state will have to pay dues to be part of the Illinois High School Association this year. Ottawa High School Principal Patrick Leonard says OHS will pay $1,625 after years of paying nothing. Supt. Mike Cushing says the IHSA is hurting financially.
The IHSA got about $1.7 million from the state championship series events last school year. That was about 29% of its overall income. Those events haven’t happened this school year because of the pandemic
But OHS could come out nearly even when the fee’s combined with a rate cut for being in the Interstate 8 conference. Principal Leonard says the group will meet in the next month to decide how much to shave off. OHS pays $6,900 now.