D100 referenda

[Ted]

 OK. It sounds like that for $350 per year for the next 20 years, I am getting 3 to 6 new classrooms added on to each elementary school and I am getting heating, electrical stuff and air conditioning added or fixed in some of the 6 buildings.

  That's around $60 per year per building.

  So, what am I getting for that extra $620 per year in taxes? (the tax increase due to the tax rate referendum that increases the tax rate by $1.40.)

  Are my taxes being increased by $620 per year because D100 can't balance its budget?

  Why is it that D98 can balance its budget and even pay off its debt but D100 can't balance its budget?

[buzz]

Are my taxes being increased by $620 per year because D100 can't balance its budget?
Why is it that D98 can balance its budget and even pay off its debt but D100 can't balance its budget?

Bold, new leadership ?

[mustang54]

OK. It sounds like that for $350 per year for the next 20 years, I am getting 3 to 6 new classrooms added on to each elementary school and I am getting heating, electrical stuff and air conditioning added or fixed in some of the 6 buildings.

  That's around $60 per year per building.

  So, what am I getting for that extra $620 per year in taxes? (the tax increase due to the tax rate referendum that increases the tax rate by $1.40.)

  Are my taxes being increased by $620 per year because D100 can't balance its budget?

  Why is it that D98 can balance its budget and even pay off its debt but D100 can't balance its budget?

Ted the last time I checked 201 also had a balanced budget.

[mustang54]

Are my taxes being increased by $620 per year because D100 can't balance its budget?
Why is it that D98 can balance its budget and even pay off its debt but D100 can't balance its budget?

Bold, new leadership ?

Ask Morton,Mundelein,and Proviso people how that same bold leadership worked for them.

[mom]

I can tell you one way D98 is "teaching" with a balanced budget. We have NO technology to speak of! Classes at one school just got Mimeo projectors over winter break - this is a simplified (and cheaper) version of an interactive whiteboard. Students do not have their own laptops, I-pods or any updated technology, classroom computers are still running VISTA. Textbooks are being phased out everywhere, but what is being used is old. Teachers are doing what they can with what they have and residents are too busy trying to survive to cry for "improvements".

Part of the problem is the fiction that test scores have anything to do with education. You cannot compare schools without a level playing field - which we do not have! The bar is raised every year, so even if a school improves they will not reach the "goal" because it is now even higher. When so many of the schools in the state are "failing" it seems to me that it is the testing procedure that is at fault - not the teaching. Why are we not advocating for reform in school funding and a way of measuring student learning that actually measures more than how they score on a single test?

[berwyn senator]

Doesn't the responsibility for laptops belong to the parents? Maybe failing schools are the result of parents not supporting the education of their own children.The state of art equipment in a school is not the answer to a better education or a better school system.Education is not a priority with the parents so how can it be with the children,fixing the parents will fix the children and we will have better schools,money is not the answer!!

[Shelley]

Shelley,  is there a price tag for each of the items?  How much is the cost of adding on a classroom to a building?  How much is the cost to fix or replace heating or air conditioning or electrical stuff?

One thing that puzzled me was that there are more classrooms being added on to Irving and Pershing and Komensky than to Hiawatha?

  I was expecting Hiawatha to have added to it 6 classrooms - one per grade level. Yet, it is Pershing which is getting 6 additional classrooms, not Hiawatha.  That surprised me.

  Also, is it expected that these new classrooms will be used for pre-school classes for 3 year olds and 4 year olds?  Is that why they are adding on 3 to 6 classrooms to each building - to accomodate public pre-school for 3 and 4 year olds?

I think the plan is based on the facilities study that was done (linked above by Rob A?) and an enrollment study that shows projected population growth patterns and current conditions (which buildings are overcrowded and by how much).  In 2008 our enrollment was 3591.  In 2014 it is 4107.  Here are the projected numbers for each building to 2023:

•   5 out of 6 elementary buildings currently are over capacity
Building         2013      Projection – 2023
Hiawatha      107%                      114%
Irving         106%                      118%
Komensky      108%                      120%
Pershing         112%                      135%
Piper         108%                      120%

Programming may also have played a part in the decisions, but I wasn't part of those conversations.  In the meetings/conversations that I participated in for the past years, discussion revolved around population increases, not increasing early childhood opportunities *.  I think the additional classroom space will be used by existing pre-5th grade population with, perhaps, slight increase in ECE classes in buildings that currently "force transfer" those ECE students who qualify because there is no room in their building.  For example, if you live in the Piper school boundary and qualify for ECE, your child attends ECE at Irving, I believe, because there are no ECE classes at Piper.  THese are all my guesses.  I'm not on the board nor part of the administration.  I've attended meetings when I could and took notes and kept handouts.

*Side note:  (Although, I do know that with national research pointing to Early Childhood Education as the key to increased achievement, it does remain a topic of discussion generally and I'm sure within the D100 board and administration.  Since I've been involved in education, increasing early childhood education opportunities (especially among low-income students) has been mentioned and supported by every leader including present and past D100 superintendents, present and past D100 school boards and presidents, our current and past Governors and Presidents.) 

I'll try to write a post about the tax rate  increase and what I understand to be the general curriculum/educational improvements that will occur in D100 if that passes when the 2 year old naps.  I will tell you that currently our per pupil spending is lower than the state average and 20% lower than most of the districts surrounding us.  The tax rate increase will result in a per pupil spending that allows for more teachers, both classroom teachers and special interventionists.   That will mean lower student:teacher ratios, smaller class sizes and better educational opportunities for all students.  If it doesn't pass, then (again, me guessing, but it stands to reason) a balanced budget in D100 will mean millions of dollars in cuts.  That means less teachers, less special/interventionists, higher teacher:student ratios and less attention and services for all students.  Not trying to use scare tactics here, just calling it like I see it.  Most of a school district's budget is human resources and most of that is teachers.  Any classroom teacher, especially one that has a class of 28 students, will tell you that the cuts mean noone supporting him/her.  No special reading teacher coming in to take a small group, no gifted teacher pushing in to help co-teach a lesson so that ALL kids are challenged, no special education aide to help with individualizing and modifying the curriculum.  If it is a balanced budget, it is bare bones education:  a LOT of students in a class with one teacher.  As our population increases and state funds decrease (7% state funding cuts to education), the property tax that you pay is divided by that many more students.  Our district has not asked for a tax rate increase in 20 years. 

[buzz]

*Side note:  (Although, I do know that with national research pointing to Early Childhood Education as the key to increased achievement, it does remain a topic of discussion generally and I'm sure within the D100 board and administration.

But now that more time has elapsed (and studies are done with larger more reliable population samples) many are contradicting that.  Many are showing there is not much difference.
The jury is still out.

[DonWadell]

Very interesting comments.  Does anyone go to the meetings and hear the truth?  How many have actually gone to a Board meeting, or the DACEE meetings, or the principal coffees, or the PTA meetings, or the CARES meetings?  How many of you have taken the tour of the buildings to see for yourself the conditions of these buildings?  This referendum should have been presented to the voters 15 years ago.  The district is lucky that there hasn't been a major issue with these deplorable conditions in the schools.  As far as the seniors are concerned, taxpayers paid for their children to go to school in relatively newer buildings.  Now it's time to return the favor.  Your freeze will make it less a burden.  Stop complaining, you all want the best but are unwilling to pay for it.  I want my property to be worth something.  That's only going to happen if we have good schools.   

[mustang54]

  Your comments are just as interesting. A DACEE or CARES meeting? Of course they are all going to support the referendums. Isn't a 100 board member also the chairman of DACEE and the CARES president? If someone from 201 was in that position people on this thread would be whining like babies. Also can you GUARENTEE raising taxes will make peoples property worth more? Will you GUARENTEE higher grades and test scores? You are right increases should have been asked for 15 years ago. That is true with pretty much all schools. Smaller amounts over time. Problem is these great administrators we hear so much about are actually lost when it comes to any kind of business plan on how to run a school system.. Instead they have chosen to wait for doom and gloom stories while all the while the kids get screwed and the adults get pay raises.

[buzz]

  I want my property to be worth something.  That's only going to happen if we have good schools.   

Really ?  Were our schools considered "high performing" before the real estate bubble burst ?  My property was worth more then.  So to me, it doesn't seem to make much difference.

Also, through the years my tax dollars have helped pay for Freedom and Heritage so I don't feel the least bit guilty about anything.

[Ted]

...  Does anyone go to the meetings and hear the truth?  How many have actually gone to a Board meeting, or the DACEE meetings, or the principal coffees, or the PTA meetings, or the CARES meetings?  How many of you have taken the tour of the buildings to see for yourself the conditions of these buildings?  This referendum should have been presented to the voters 15 years ago.  The district is lucky that there hasn't been a major issue with these deplorable conditions in the schools.  As far as the seniors are concerned, taxpayers paid for their children to go to school in relatively newer buildings.  Now it's time to return the favor.  Your freeze will make it less a burden.  Stop complaining, you all want the best but are unwilling to pay for it.  I want my property to be worth something.  That's only going to happen if we have good schools.   

   OK, so does that mean those of us who have never had kids in the school system have permission to vote against the referenda?  Is it only seniors who used to have kids in the school system the ones who feel shamed into voting for the referenda?

  This is a steep increase in the taxes people pay.  A year ago, the board was telling people that the increase would be in the low hundreds of dollars.

  Now that the language of the referenda is out, we are seeing that the increase will actually be in the high hundreds to low thousands of dollars, when today most people pay between $1200 to $1800 to District 100.  They are going to see that go up to between $2000 to $3000!

Why the bait-and-switch?  Why did the board increase the amount so dramatically over the last 12 months?

And, what is this money going to be used for?  It's a hell of a lot more than is needed to balance the budget.

One word of advice - Preaching at people like a Willow Creek pastor ain't gonna cut it in this election.  That may work well at Apple Conferences but it won't work for the average Berwyn voter.

  People are going to want to know what they are getting for such a steep increase in their taxes.

[Ted]

I still want to know what I am getting for that increase of $620 per year for the non-building stuff?  That is a lot more than is needed to balance the budget.

Also, why did the board decide on such a dramatic increase?  A year ago they were saying it would be a 30 cent increase in the tax rate.  Why did the 30 cent tax rate increase balloon up to a $1.40 tax rate increase?

  What is the board planning on doing with all that extra money?

  Is there a list of initiatives (with costs attached) that tells me what that $620 increase per year is going to be used for?

[berwyn senator]

Meetings! are nothing more than bullshit propaganda they are slanted toward the tax increase nothing more!  Lets talk about the seniors when they raised their kids and paid for schools.Berwyn was a top suburb to live in,these people worked hard helping make the schools and community a great place to live.These people gave plenty over their life time,maybe its time for them to be comfortable. They did pay for the schools when money was used in a frugal manor not like today!!!Funny thing their children learned,schools were rated high! Can we say that about today? Lying double talking about tax increases doesn't cut it today.Notice one thing no one talks about all the cuts that were made,dead wood removed,none are trusted,none are believed.Time for seniors to pay up?how about people with all the kids in school to pay their share!!!

[Ted]

....  This referendum should have been presented to the voters 15 years ago... 

When I re-read this, I started laughing.

I guess "Don Wadell" doesn't realize that the voters DID pass a referendum 15 years ago.  It was what Buzz referred to - D100 voters passed a referendum 15 years ago for bonds to build the middle schools.

We're still paying for those bonds today.

Hey, Donnie Boy, brush up on your D100 history!

[berwyn senator]

We keep wanting the best but do not want to pay for it! What a crock of shit! If anyone can find the best running the schools show me and shock me at the same time.Tax increases have not brought us the best,only the worst and nothing but same old same old,so with more money were at the bottom.How far can we go?When are we going to change the school boards?or are we afraid of the politics?

[buzz]

....  This referendum should have been presented to the voters 15 years ago... 

When I re-read this, I started laughing.
I guess "Don Wadell" doesn't realize that the voters DID pass a referendum 15 years ago.  It was what Buzz referred to - D100 voters passed a referendum 15 years ago for bonds to build the middle schools.

Yep, that was it, although I doubt many people picked up on it.  Those referenda passed because they were presented honestly and in detail, unlike these latest proposals. If these referenda have any chance of passing they're going to need to present them in detail and with realistic figures.
What $$$$$ are going toward balancing the budget ?  What are the "new" initiatives and what will the true cost be ? 

[buzz]

Here is the link to the facility evaluation.  I haven't had time to read it completely but it looks pretty thorough. 
http://www.bsd100.org/www/ud00/d/d4d1709b8073469b9d1ae1cb36b1f94e/Personal_Documents/South%20Berwyn%20100_103013_Final.pdf

Rob, thanks for the link.  At 138 pages, I didn't finish it all either.  Good detail.  Now if someone could clarify the non-building expenses ?  Is there another document somewhere ?
I know it was part of the complete assessment but why did they recommend condemning the "Sears" house over by Heritage ?  Anyone ? 

[Ted]

....  Those referenda passed because they were presented honestly and in detail... 

I agree. The D100 board 15 years ago did a great job of reaching out to people and organizations to try to make sure the referendum passed.

[OakParkSpartan]

  I want my property to be worth something.  That's only going to happen if we have good schools.   

Really ?  Were our schools considered "high performing" before the real estate bubble burst ?  My property was worth more then.  So to me, it doesn't seem to make much difference.

Also, through the years my tax dollars have helped pay for Freedom and Heritage so I don't feel the least bit guilty about anything.

You answered your own question...it was a bubble.