District 54 budgets for building additions, design changes
Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 board members have approved a tentative budget for the 2018-19 school year that anticipates an 8.3 percent increase spending and a 3.5 percent increase in revenues.
Contributing to the significant increase in costs are building additions to Churchill and Dirksen elementary schools in Schaumburg already under way, an addition at Link Elementary School in Elk Grove Village yet to be approved, and a number of planned changes to the districts' learning space designs.
Costs are budgeted at $279.3 million and revenues at $267.3 million. The $12 million difference would be covered by the district's reserves, spokeswoman Terri McHugh said.
A public hearing on the tentative budget is scheduled for the school board's meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at the district's administration center, 524 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg.
Final approval of the budget for the district's 28 schools could occur at the same meeting.
Among the design changes planned are the establishment of Makerspaces - collaborative work spaces for making things and learning - at all of the district's elementary schools beginning this fall.
Other changes planned within the budget year are the conversion of media centers at the junior highs and Lincoln Prairie School into "Creation Studios" with Makerspaces and audio and video production labs by August 2019.
During the same time frame, those schools also will have fitness centers built while the junior highs' locker rooms are renovated.
The changes are driven by the district's newly updated strategic plan, which seeks to further engage students with technology, board President Mary Kay Prusnick said.
The enrollment-driven additions being built this summer will bring eight new classrooms to Dirksen and six new classrooms and an expanded gym to Churchill.
"They're going very well," Assistant Superindent for Business Operations Ric King said of their progress.
The additions will cost approximately $5 million each in the new budget, as would eight more classrooms at Link. That work is planned for approval next month and construction next summer, officials said.
The property tax levies for the budget year were based on the rates of inflation, which were 2.1 percent for the 2017 levy and 2.5 percent for the 2018 levy.
Federal and state aid are expected to provide $2.5 million during the coming year, while an additional $2 million was received from an annual early childhood grant.
District 54's interest income is projected to increase this year because of increases in the federal rate.
An increase in benefit costs of about 3 percent is budgeted. The district will continue a freeze on spending in supplies, purchase services and capital outlay. There are exceptions for the operations and maintenance fund, where cost increases can't be controlled, and in the education fund for textbooks and technology.
Tuition costs are budgeted at the same level as last year, but could fluctuate depending on what special education services may need to be outsourced, officials said.
The district intends to remain debt-free as it has been since December 2011.