U-46 to get more help from state

With state lawmakers finally approving a funding bill for the 2007-2008 school year, Elgin Area School District U-46 officials estimate the district could receive an additional $6.4 million in general state aid this year.

U-46 also could receive extra state money earmarked for programs such as the bilingual, early childhood and special education programs.

The estimates fall short of what was rumored, U-46 says.

Last school year U-46 received about $67.6 million in general state aid and $42.3 million in state aid for special programs. Revenue projections for this fiscal year, which began July 1, include $65.2 million in general state aid and $42 million in aid for special programs.

Like many districts, U-46 did not factor increases in state aid into its spending plan for this year because legislators and the governor were still haggling over the state budget.

"We did not build our budget around changes," U-46 Chief Financial Officer John Prince said Tuesday, adding that without the state aid bump, the district's budget was extremely tight.

Prince said it's hard to predict precisely how much U-46 will ultimately receive from the state, since increases in one area of state aid have sometimes been offset by decreases in others.

The new money U-46 will add to its $400 million budget is "significantly less than the numbers I've heard floated," Prince said.

During public comment at school board meetings, some in the community have cited anticipated double-digit increases in state aid as reason to hire more teachers and reduce class sizes.

Prince also told the school board Tuesday that a three-month delay in taxes from Kane County would cut into the district's projected investment income this year.

The funding bill is awaiting signature by the governor.