District 46 using a guide in considering budget cuts

Members of a special Grayslake Elementary District 46 financial committee have listed what's most important to their children's education as they consider ways to close a projected $2.27 million budget gap.

District 46's advisory financial task force has been asked to identify budget cuts and new revenue sources for the 2010-11 academic year. School board members will receive the group's recommendations before making a final decision.

At an inaugural meeting last week, District 46 Superintendent Ellen Correll asked the advisory panel members to write down the three most important things for their children's schooling, without the projected $2.27 million deficit as a consideration.

District 46 parent Aaron Strain said providing help to struggling students, class size and not eliminating certain activities are most important to him.

Another parent, Sen Sridas, pointed to curriculum and instruction, a good learning environment and well-rounded extracurricular activities.

Correll took the suggestions of those on the 18-member panel and jotted them on poster-sized paper. The list will be tacked to a wall for each of the financial task force's meetings.

"These are important for us to keep in mind when we look at areas to cut," Correll said.

District 46 is in a financial jam similar to other suburban school systems because of a flat consumer price index, or inflation rate.

Since 1991, Illinois law has limited many taxing bodies to increase property taxes at the rate or inflation or 5 percent, whichever is lower. This means schools can't get as much cash if the inflation rate is flat.

Residents began publicly questioning District 46's finances last spring after officials eliminated 29 jobs as part of an effort to fill a $2.8 million budget hole before the current school year.

In addition, some residents at a public forum last summer questioned the district's spending related to a South Carolina-based private consultant, Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Inc.

District 46 has sent employees to Blue Ribbon conventions and accepted company awards for three schools since 2007. Records show the district has spent more than $80,000 in consulting and conference fees, airfares, hotels, rental vehicles, food, gas and incidentals.