Interest growing in potential Dist. 23 shift to grade centers

Curiosity over the possibility of Prospect Heights Elementary District 23 reorganizing its elementary schools into grade level centers is beginning to bubble up.

Parent Bob Zeman asked the school board Wednesday for both information and transparency, saying he was responding to rumors circulating among parents over the potential shift.

In grade level centers, elementary schools house students by grade, instead of geography: One school would hold kindergartners and first graders; another school have second and third-graders; and the another school would take 4th and 5th-graders, for example. The middle school would likely remain intact.

A blog opposing grade level centers in District 23 has already appeared online.

A report from the administration on the financial, facilities and transportation implications of reorganizing the schools into grade level centers will come to the board in October, said Martha Olsen, president of the board.

More information would be expected in January, and if grade level centers are adopted the decision would be made then, said Guarrine.

"Board members have no more information than you do," Olsen told Zeman. She said grade level centers were raised as a cost-saving idea when committees proposed ways to trim the district budget.

A previous study on grade level centers was done in 2003.

The 2010-11 budget adopted Wednesday by the board is short $500,000 in the education fund if the state makes its payments and $900,000 if it does not, said Luann Mathis, business manager. The state owes the transportation fund $380,000.

The total budget is about $20 million, said Superintendent Greg Guarrine. This represents cutting more than 10 positions, most through retirement, he said.

Currently the district has just over 25 percent in reserves, but since local property tax payments are also expected to be late borrowing will be necessary, said Judi Zimmerman, a member of the board.

The board is considering asking voters to approve a property tax increase in the spring.