District 301 focusing on conserving this school year

Steady growth, teacher contract negotiations and a lean budget all factor into the 2009-10 school year, which began Wednesday at Central Unit District 301.

About 3,370 students are enrolled so far, 138 students more than last year, Superintendent Todd Stirn said.

Before the housing market slowed, the district was seeing an average of 13 percent growth each year between 2002 to 2005. In 2007, growth dropped to 6 percent, and has hovered between 4 percent and 5 percent since.

That decline is coupled with fewer checks from developers, which help defray added costs new residents place on local government services, including schools.

"Last year was a low year in developer checks, and this year we're behind that," Stirn said.

The district received checks from construction of 44 homes last July and August. This year, it has only received checks from 22.

As a result, Stirn said, District 301 has factored the downturn into this year's budget.

Stirn says that instead of spending money adding new programs, the district is focusing on improving those it already has.

A half-million dollars in federal stimulus money, however, will help.

"We're using some of that for guided reading materials at the elementary and middle schools, and for some of our high school interventions. That money has really helped us meeting those educational needs," Stirn said.

Contract negotiations for the district's 257 teachers have been ongoing since June.

With their current three-year deal set to expire Aug. 31, Stirn said Tuesday that sides were "getting close" to an agreement, but declined to divulge any specific information about sticking points.

Because of the economy, the new contract will likely last only one or two years, Stirn said.