Warren High complimented on financial management

Warren Township High School District 121 in Gurnee has received another high grade on its creditworthiness, which officials say is good news for taxpayers.

Carol Rogers, District 121's assistant superintendent for business, said it's not easy for school systems to remain financially healthy.

"I just want to state that this really is a reflection of the culture that the board of education has embedded along with the administration," Rogers said.

Board President John Anderson said Rogers also deserves kudos for Warren's sound financial footing.

Higher credit ratings for a school district or other local government typically result in more favorable interest rates and less cost to taxpayers when money is borrowed. That's why Warren officials say the Standard & Poor's report on the district is good news for taxpayers.

Standard & Poor's this month released a report showing District 121 once again has an AA+ long-term credit rating, just below the highest AAA level. Warren was at the same AA+ level in 2013.

"Very good news that we didn't lose any ground there," Rogers told the school board as she covered the Standard & Poor's highlights this month.

S&P analysts Blake Yocom and Jessica Akey prepared the report on District 121. They wrote that five-year enrollment projections indicate continued declines, which can be beneficial through managing expenditures.

Warren has a moderate overall debt burden and is in a good financial position with strong reserves and a history of mostly positive operations, the S&P analysts wrote.

Rogers said a particularly positive section of the S&P report states Warren has a "strong, well embedded, and likely sustainable" financial outlook.

"We consider the district's financial management practices 'strong' under our financial management assessment methodology," according to S&P.