District 204 expecting extra money from state

The Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board passed a $260 million balanced operating budget Monday that includes more money from the state than originally expected.

Dave Holm, assistant superintendent for business, said it appears the district will receive about $3.5 million more from the state than it included in its tentative budget last month.

Holm has set aside the funds for several general areas.

"Tonight's budget recommendation includes additional appropriations for curriculum purposes such as textbooks, building modifications, renovations and technology," he told the school board.

The board will discuss more specific uses for these funds once it gets the final figures from the state. The district is already assessing potential technology and facility needs. It previously identified $9 million in facility maintenance projects and $1.5 million to replace the Student Information System software as future needs.

The 2008 budget allots $3 million for technology upgrades, $1 million of which is from the additional state money.

State funding makes up 16.2 percent of the district's budget. Its main source of revenue is property taxes, which are expected to bring in nearly $211 million this year, up from $203 million last year.

Nearly 80 percent of the district's budget goes to employee salaries and benefits, which are projected to be about $201 million this year, an increase of roughly $16.3 million from the previous year.

Holm said the district's operating expenditure per student is considerably less than the rest of the county and state. As of 2006, District 204 was spending about $8,600 per student while the state average was $9,500 and the average for DuPage County was about $10,300.

District 204, which includes portions of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield, has had its budget on display since Aug. 20 to allow time for public review. No residents made public comments during the budget hearing Monday night.