The state Board of Education delivered some good news to 52 school districts across Illinois by declaring them eligible to receive money from the state for school construction projects.
Overall, 56 districts applied for construction grants, a program that was part of a broad school reform package adopted by the General Assembly during a special session in December.
About $1.1 billion will be available over the next five years to help defray the costs of local school construction projects. About $30 million in grant money is available for fiscal 1998, which ends June 30.
Of the districts deemed eligible, 24 are from the Chicago area. One Chicago-area district, Cicero Elementary School District 99, and three Downstate districts were denied eligibility in a list released late last week by state Board of Education officials.
While the news brought relief to superintendents of Chicago’s overcrowded suburban school districts, being listed as eligible was just one hurdle. It doesn’t ensure a district will receive state money for construction projects.
The state will now conduct on-site inspections. On April 3, it will rank eligible districts according to need. The Capital Development Board will determine whether a district will receive money–and how much–later this year.
Districts must also pass construction bond issues, or have cash balances on hand, before being awarded any grant money to show they have the means to pay for a portion of the projects. Of the eligible districts, 30 have construction bond issues on the March 17 ballot. Districts that plan on placing referendums on the November ballot will be considered for next year’s state construction grant money.
“Our feeling all along is that we would qualify simply because of a lack of space and from the perspective that we are a growing district,” said Norman Wetzel, superintendent of Community Unit School District 300, based in Carpentersville. District 300 has a $74.5 million issue on the March ballot to build two new schools, add onto nine others and make $14.2 million in state-mandated repairs.
McHenry Community High School District 156 has a $46 million construction bond issue on the March 17 ballot to build a new high school and renovate its West Campus.
“We’re just waiting now,” said Michael Kelly, business manager. “The next thing that happens is the release of the priority list. We’re waiting to hear what the answer is.”
The state determined eligibility based on a district’s need for repairs, additions or new construction, taking into consideration population growth, district size and local property wealth.
Last month, after weeks of complaints from legislators and local school officials, the state expanded the eligibility rules by including those districts that have projected growth.
Indian Prairie School District 204, which has led the fight to reform the rules governing the construction grants, plans to submit an application by the regular April 1 deadline to qualify for fiscal 1999 funds.
Although considered the fastest-growing school district in the state, Indian Prairie officials fear they still may be shut out of any grant money.
A deadline set in the $1.1 billion school construction funding law passed last year requires that only referendum issues passed after Jan. 1, 1998, will be eligible for construction grant funds.
This precludes districts like Indian Prairie, which passed its referendum for $109 million in March 1997, unless the district decides to put another referendum on the ballot next November.
“Hopefully the language (of the rules) will get changed by that time,” said Gail McKenzie, superintendent of the district, which serves parts of Naperville, Aurora and Bolingbrook.
Legislation has been introduced by state Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst) and state Rep. Mary Lou Cowlishaw (R-Naperville) to move the deadline back so that referendums passed after Jan. 1, 1996, could be eligible for the grants.
Explaining the program to voters has been a difficult task, although Wetzel is sure that District 300 residents understand the important points.
“It’s all about five letters–space. They know that means classrooms. It’s not personnel, it’s not technology, it’s not salaries. It’s about space and only space,” said Wetzel.
In Cook County, the following districts are eligible: Arbor Park School District 145, Calumet City School District 155, Country Club Hills School District 160, Dolton School Districts 148 and 149, Kirby School District 140, Lansing Elementary School District 158, Lincoln Elementary District 156, Midlothian School District 143 and Sandridge School District 172.
In DuPage and Will Counties: Community Consolidated School District 93, Glenbard Township High School District 87, Lincoln-Way High School District 210 and Rockdale Public School District 84.
In Kane County: Carpentersville Community Unit School District 300, Geneva Community Unit School District 304 and St. Charles Community Unit School District 303.
In Lake County: Antioch Community High School District 117, Barrington Community Unit School District 220 and Kildeer Countryside District 96.
In McHenry County: Huntley Community Consolidated School District 158, McHenry Community Consolidated School District 15, McHenry Community High School District 156 and Richmond-Burton Community High School District 157.
Twenty-eight districts Downstate also were placed on the eligibility list.
