Public input sought as District 191 begins developing 2024-25 budget

Over the course of the next few months, District 191 will develop a budget for the 2024-25 school year.

As always, District 191 will take a values- and priorities-based approach to creating next year’s budget, including achieving the district’s Strategic Directions and its commitment to be a PreK-12 Pathways district. 

In a presentation to the School Board Dec. 14, Superintendent Dr. Theresa Battle outlined the upcoming budget process timeline and shared key factors that will affect the district's budget. These factors included:

• the end of $8.2 million in federal pandemic relief funding, which has helped sustain existing positions and supported several new positions over the past three years.
• an expected decline in enrollment
• new mandates from the state government, some of which are unfunded or only partially funded
• increase in state aid of 2% for general education
• possible double-digit increases in costs for transportation, food, supplies and utilities

Along with aligning spending toward the district's strategic plan, Dr. Battle said the district's goals include thinking long-term and ensuring the district's budget is sustainable.

"With the loss of pandemic relief funds, many school districts say they are facing a fiscal cliff," Battle said. "Through good financial management and planning, we've put ourselves in a position where we can slowly step away from that funding, limiting the impact that our students, families and staff feel during the transition."

Public Input

Community members can help District 191 achieve its budget goals by providing their input into the budget process, sharing their priorities and ideas for how the district can be more efficient. Input will be accepted through Feb. 2. 

Learn more about next year's budget process and submit your input at www.isd191.org/budget. 

2024-25 Budget Timeline

December 2023

• Board receives report on FY25 budget timeline, assumptions

January 2024

• Board approves FY24 revised budget
• Budget input form open to public

February 2024

• Board receives report on FY25 budget assumptions & parameter options

March

• Preliminary budget recommendation presented to Board
• Online feedback form open to public

March-May

• Public meetings held to receive feedback
• Board receives feedback on preliminary budget recommendation
• Superintendent presents adjusted budget recommendations to the Board

June 13 - FY25 Adopted budget presented

June 20 - FY25 Adopted budget approved