At the latest Indian Prairie School Board District meeting, Chief School Business Official Jay Strang presented a draft budget for 2019-2020, and credited the state’s evidence based funding for helping provide the district with new resources.
D240 Proposed New Additions
“We’ve hired 17 additional elementary teachers to work with larger classes and at risk populations,” said Strang. “We’ve hired six new instructional coaches, 1.5 additional mental health staff, and three new mental health high school coordinators.”
How Much Money Does D204’s Budget Have?
IPSD is projected to receive $800,000 from the state this year. The district’s operations and maintenance capital outlay has tripled since EBF was implemented in 2017. This has allowed 204 to work on projects like installing air conditioning units throughout the district.
Total projected operating funds are around $357 million, which is up from last year’s tentative budget by more than $16 million. But so are projected expenditures, sitting near $356 million.
Potential Problems D204 Could Face?
Those numbers could change if the state decides to pass Senate Bill 690, which would freeze property taxes.
“The downside is that’s our most reliable source of income. What would likely happen is the money would go down to Springfield and it will be allocated across the state,” said Strang. “I don’t think 100% of the money that came from our community down to the state of Illinois would come back to us.”
This could be a problem for the district, since property taxes make up 79% of 204’s local revenue.
Strang will present a tentative budget to the board on August 12, which will be up for public review until September 23.
Naperville News 17’s Christian Canizal reports.
