Following a series of failed school tax increase proposals and state funding cuts, West Chicago Elementary School District 33 is looking to lay off more than 100 teachers and staff and drastically reduce its programs.
Administrators will present a $5 million budget cut proposal to school board Thursday. If approved, the plan would trim 20 percent of the education fund, which is the district’s major operating fund for services, programs and personnel.
School officials said the impact on educational programs would be devastating.
“When you cut 20 percent of your education fund budget there’s not much left other than basic education,” said Supt. Jon Mink. “We’re going to do our best to deliver a core academic program but not much more.”
Mink declined to say Monday what programs could be affected, but he noted that a full list of what programs could be eliminated would be made available at this week’s board meeting.
He said the district can no longer provide its current range of services without a property tax increase. Class sizes will have to increase and programs eliminated, he said.
In the last year, the district saw a 19 percent cut in state aid, and it had a proposed 64-cent increase in the education fund tax rate soundly rejected by voters.
Since 1985, when the last education fund tax increase was approved, voters have defeated four proposed tax increases.
School administrators plan on putting another 64-cent education fund rate increase proposal on the ballot in spring, and officials expect to restore most programs if voters approve the measure. But without additional funds, drastic cuts will be made, said Becky Koltz, a district spokeswoman and former school board member.
“Our need is real; it is not manufactured,” she said. “The cuts are going to be broad-based, and they are going to touch every area of our curriculum.”
The state’s fiscal crisis has meant deep financial trouble for a number of districts, but District 33 faces one of the more severe funding crises.
Roughly 33 percent of the district’s pupils are from low-income households, which forces the district to rely more heavily on state aid. The district also serves a large bilingual population, requiring additional resources. Currently, 55 percent of the student body is Hispanic.
Meanwhile, the district has seen a steady growth in enrollments. Since its last tax increase proposal was approved, enrollment has grown from 2,450 to more than 3,900.
Given the state’s deepening budget deficit, school officials said they have no choice but to raise revenue or cut programs. But that message may be tough to accept for some taxpayers, given that the district weathered a similar crisis in 1997.
The district then made draconian program cuts after a tax increase was rejected, but later restored the programs because of an unexpected influx of $1.4 million in state revenue.
“We need to make people aware that there’s not going to be any bailout from the state this time,” said Dave Barclay, a school board member.
