District 200 board talks new revenue sources

Advertising on scoreboards, increasing opportunities for naming rights and helping the NEW 200 Foundation grow are a few revenue-generating ideas being considered by the Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 school board.

The board set a goal earlier this year to explore alternative revenue sources in response, at least in part, to suggestions from residents who attended last year's Engage200 outreach sessions.

Superintendent Jeff Schuler said the topic is increasingly important as legislators discuss proposals that would shift more state money toward downstate districts.

“There's no alternate source of revenue that would recoup the loss that we potentially face under some of those legislative changes,” he said, adding that pension costs are a concern too.

Before laying out new revenue options, Assistant Superintendent Bill Farley said several groups already do “an incredible amount of work” to help fund district needs. Those groups include the NEW 200 Foundation, booster clubs and parent teacher associations, which together bring in about $485,000 a year.

Of the many revenue options that are available, advertising in gyms and stadiums and on scoreboards, websites and newsletters appears to be among the best fits for the district.

“Do we want to have Coca-Cola Field?” he said as an example. “It's something that we as a district have to obviously consider. There is great potential there.”

Some other revenue sources — several of which the district already utilizes — include fees for registration, technology, driver's education, transportation and supplies, and the sale of class rings, yearbooks and items with a school's logo.

Farley said the district can work with corporations to generate money through reward programs such as Box Tops for Education, beverage contracts with products like Gatorade, or the installation of cell towers on district property. Many of those options already are being used.

Reviewing the district's current rates for renting facilities to groups such as churches and private sports teams is another possibility.

Investment revenue has its limitations, as interest rates are low and funds need to have a certain level of liquidity, Farley said.

Many grant opportunities have dried up with the economic downturn, which means the district has to regularly weigh if the amount of staff time and paperwork that goes into applying for a grant results in a big enough return.

Board member Joann Coghill said she is glad the district is “trying to get ahead of the game” and would like to see many alternative revenue avenues pursued before the district turns to the option of putting a referendum question on the ballot.

Board member Jim Mathieson said he would like to see the district develop better relationships with alumni who might be interested in taking part in fundraising events like dinner dances, golf outings or runs.

Board President Barbara Intihar asked if organizing such events should be the responsibility of the district or the NEW 200 Foundation.

Board member Rosemary Swanson said she thinks the community is looking for a “regular stream of income that is coming from other sources” that is “focused and coordinated.”

Swanson said the district might benefit from the hiring someone with a role similar to a development director. The person's responsibilities, she said, might include looking for business partnerships, searching for rental and advertising opportunities and cultivating alumni relationships.

“Unless we have somebody who had a focus on just doing that, I think all we're going to get is what comes to us,” she said. “I don't know if any other public school districts that have this position. That doesn't mean that maybe we shouldn't do something like that.”

Intihar suggested the staff look at the board's current policies in regard to naming rights and advertising first, to make sure it isn't “opening up the floodgates to something we don't really want to have happening in our schools.” Schuler agreed and said recommendations for moving forward will be presented at a future meeting.