Naperville 203 officials propose budget increase to $331 million

Naperville Unit District 203 officials are proposing a $331 million budget for the 2023-24 school year, which represents a 2.5% increase from this year's budget.

The tentative budget was presented to the school board at Monday's meeting. Following workshops and public hearings, the board is expected to adopt the budget in June.

"The budget reflects what we're seeing educationally in the needs of our students and support for our staffs," Superintendent Dan Bridges said.

Staffing increases, which were evaluated and approved by the school board in March, are incorporated in the 2024 budget with 21.11 additional positions. That's a big chunk of the projected $17 million increase in expenditures for next school year.

Additionally, administrative hires include seven assistant principals, a project manager for diversity and inclusion, campus supervisors at Naperville Central and Naperville North high schools and five other positions.

Salaries and benefits make up more than $262 million in expenses, a 6.89% increase from the current budget. Capital outlay expenditures will be roughly $10 million less than this school year.

"The largest budget item is personnel cost, which makes up nearly three quarters of total expenditures," said Mike Frances, the district's chief financial officer and chief school business official.

Nearly 85% of the district's revenue will come from property taxes. Revenues are projected to increase by nearly $15 million to $326 million, a boost of 4.78%. Despite the increase, the 2023-24 school year budget includes a $4.8 million deficit.

"On the revenue side, we've got a couple areas we'll hopefully get more money than we budgeted for, which would reduce that deficit," Frances said. "On the expense side, we're always hopeful that we don't need to spend as much money as we budgeted.

"That being said, I don't see how we don't end the year with some sort of deficit," he said. "We do need to watch this closely."