District 204 looking at modest budget surplus

With the state catching up on some of its payments to schools, Indian Prairie District 204 is looking at an $11.7 million surplus to use in its tentative budget for the next fiscal year.

“Now that sounds like a lot of money, but I have to point out the fact that the previous year in 2010, there was artificially a deficit of almost $6 million caused by delayed payments,” said Dave Holm, assistant superintendent of business. “It’s important to know that most of that excess just fixes that hole that was created back in 2010.”

The news was given Monday night to school board members who voted in favor of the tentative budget. A public hearing and final approval vote will be held Sept. 26. The budget calls for District 204 revenue to be at about $285.8 million with expenditures at about $285 million.

Board member Mark Rising was concerned about how little wiggle room was left in the budget. “It’s a little scary to me,” he said. “That’s real tight.”

Holm said it is a sign of the times, and he anticipates the district will be tight for a few years. “We’re still feeling the effects of austerity,” he said.

Because of uncertainty in state funding, District 204 officials were conservative in planning for the next fiscal year and anticipated receiving only three payments from the state this year. A fourth payment contributed to the surplus, along with about $2.5 million in reductions made by district staff. Those cuts ranged from asking schools to use less paper to reducing some bus routes by not providing service to students who drive themselves to school. The surplus and cost cutting money will be used to pay for school maintenance like roof replacements, computer updates and other such improvements that have been put off in recent years.

The state still owes the district $4.5 million, and in this year’s legislative session cut funds used to transport kids to school. That action, which could be reversed during the legislature’s fall veto session, means $500,000 to District 204.

The District 204 budget will be on display at district headquarters at 780 Shoreline Drive in Aurora or on the district website at www.ispd.org until the public hearing.