Referendum 2024 Facts
Frequently Asked Questions For The Bond Referendum
More than $5.2 million of the facility improvements that were eliminated from the bond referendum will be addressed with non-referendum funds on a pay-as-you-go basis from the Capital Improvement Fund.
District Number 64, Cook County, Illinois, alter, repair and equip existing buildings,
build and equip additions thereto and improve school sites, including but not limited
to improving safety and security; replacing roofs, plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC
efficient improvements; increasing accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities
the amount of $89,106,629 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?"
What is a bond measure?
A bond measure is a method of borrowing school districts use to pay for larger capital investments, similar to the way people take out mortgages to purchase their homes. Proceeds of a bond measure are often used for school renovations and additions.
When was the last time voters in District 64 approved a bond referendum?
It has been 27 years since district voters approved a bond referendum for capital improvements. The 1997 voter-approved bond measure funded the construction of Emerson Middle School. Link to school building timeline and referenda.
Have other school districts in the area been successful in obtaining voter approval of a bond referendum?
Yes. Many of our peer districts and other districts in our area have passed bond referenda for school building upgrades, including Maine 207, Elmhurst 205, Glenview 34, Palatine 15, Arlington Heights 25, Winnetka 36, and Northbrook-Glenview 30.
The District’s schools range in age from 26 to 96 years old. Three were built in 1928 and three were constructed in the 1950s, as noted in the following list:
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Field Elementary School (1928)
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Lincoln Middle School (1928)
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Roosevelt Elementary School (1928)
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Carpenter Elementary School (1950)
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Washington Elementary School (1953)
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Franklin Elementary School (1956)
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Emerson Middle School (1998)
The District allocates approximately $8.3 million annually toward the operation and maintenance of its seven school buildings. About $2.5 million of the District’s yearly budget is also earmarked for larger capital improvement projects. While these funds play a critical role in helping protect and improve our school buildings, they are not sufficient to address the major capital facility needs that have been identified.
Can existing reserves be used to address improvements at the District’s seven schools?
District 64 has already allocated a significant amount of its reserves to capital facility improvements in recent years. For example, $38 million was invested in renovations needed for full-day kindergarten, programming that will soon be mandated by the State. The District also seeks to maintain a base level of reserves for ongoing operations and emergency needs, as well as to protect its credit rating, which has a direct impact on borrowing costs.
What is the size of the bond referendum that will be on the November 5, 2024 ballot?
The District 64 Board of Education unanimously voted to place an $89,106,629 million bond referendum on the November 5, 2024 ballot. Approximately 28% will go toward health, safety, and security upgrades (this includes the Lincoln Middle School addition, which would relocate the cafeteria out of the basement, which does not currently have fire sprinklers.), 34% toward mechanical and infrastructure improvements, 26% towards classroom improvements, and 12% towards building additions.
Would it cost more to address the proposed facility improvements if the District waits?
Yes. The cost becomes significantly higher each year the District waits. For example, if the District waited for five years and construction inflation was 4%, the cost would increase by more than $19 million.
Why not replace Lincoln Middle School?
Not only would it be much more expensive to replace Lincoln Middle School than to renovate it, but there is strong community support to protect and preserve the historic school. Many current residents have moved back to the District so their children can attend this iconic school. It is also much more sustainable to renovate the middle school. The carbon footprint impact of constructing a new school is significantly higher than renovating the existing school.
What facility needs have been identified at Emerson Middle School?
While the challenges are not to the same extent as those faced at Lincoln Middle School, Emerson has many facility needs, including outdated HVAC, roofing, plumbing, electrical and lighting, interior doors, and fencing. The science labs are also outdated, and the band, choir, and orchestra rooms are undersized. Additionally, the gym entrance has foundation issues, and the special education spaces are overcrowded and poorly configured.
What are the highest-priority facility needs at District 64’s five elementary schools?
Like the two middle schools, there are a variety of pressing facility challenges at each of the elementary schools. Four of the schools have outdated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and two of the schools have foundation issues. All of the elementary schools have aging roofing, plumbing, and electrical systems; dated, inefficient lighting; outdated interior doors and frames; and asbestos abatement needs.
How did the District identify its capital facility needs?
The identification and prioritization of capital facility needs was accomplished through the continuation of a master facilities planning process. This included a comprehensive audit of District 64’s facilities by architects and engineers; input from District leadership, staff, teachers, and community members; and other community engagement efforts.
The student services action plan has been developing since the fall of 2022. The referendum helps support the SLC program by upgrading the facilities at Washington, where eligible students from across the District requiring programmatic support targeting language/communication and social interactions are placed.
- The current construction at Lincoln will build new, specially designed spaces for these students as they matriculate from Washington to the middle school.
- The building addition at Franklin will support the new Life Skills program so that qualifying/eligible students have access to state-of-the-art facilities and support such as ADA-compliant bathrooms and doorways. As students advance to middle school, the students from Franklin will move to new spaces at Emerson.
- At Carpenter, the new program targeting the social-emotional learning needs of students will be designed to support emotional regulation and the development of coping skills in a smaller environment before providing opportunities for students to generalize these skills in larger environments/general education settings. Currently, the District utilizes programs outside the District, costing taxpayers $60,000-$90,000 per student.
Minor construction would allow the District to create spaces designed to support these specific needs, bring students back to the District, and provide more specific support to students within our schools. The academic instruction program will provide support for students receiving special education services at Field and Roosevelt. This program targets supporting the needs of students who require a self-contained setting and an alternate curriculum in order to access their education.
All together the entire plan impacts a very small number of students with specific needs, some of whom the District cannot currently meet given our buildings and programming. To learn more about the student services action plan, please view the board presentations here, as well as the information posted on our website (which includes presentations at parent meetings) available here.
Proposed Improvements
What mechanical and infrastructure improvements are part of the bond proposal?
Bond proceeds would go toward improvements to foundations, roofing, gutters, plumbing, electrical, and lighting.
Which existing instructional spaces would be updated with bond proceeds?
The plan calls for upgrades to science labs as well as band, choir, and orchestra rooms at the middle schools.
What new construction projects are part of the bond proposal?
A portion of the bond proceeds would go toward an addition to Lincoln Middle School, which would include a cafeteria/commons area, kitchen, and serving area. Additions to accommodate special education programming and student support services are also planned for both Field Elementary School and Franklin Elementary School.
How would bond proceeds be divided between the middle and elementary schools?
Approximately 56% of the funds would go toward improvements to the two middle schools and 44% toward the five elementary schools.
Anticipated Benefits
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Protecting academic excellence
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Creating healthier, safer, and more secure schools
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Investing in long-term solutions rather than funding costly and disruptive temporary fixes
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Extending the useful life of existing facilities
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Enhancing ADA-accessibility
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Ensuring each District 64 student has access to a quality learning environment
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Improving energy efficiency, saving taxpayer dollars
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Attracting and retaining quality teachers
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Protecting property values
By how much would the District’s utility expenses be reduced with the proposed districtwide improvements?
The District estimates that it could save more than $300,000 annually with updated HVAC systems, new LED lighting, and the replacement of failing plumbing.
In addition to rising construction costs, why else are the proposed facility improvements urgent?
There is nothing more important than keeping students and staff healthy, safe, and secure, which the proposed improvements would help do. In addition, the condition, size, and/or configuration of classrooms, science labs, performing arts spaces, student support spaces, and teacher collaboration spaces are negatively impacting programming, student support, and the ability to attract and retain quality teachers. Furthermore, emergency repairs can be expensive and extremely disruptive to day-to-day programming.
What is the construction timeline, and how would programming disruption be minimized?
If voters approve the proposed bond referendum, construction would begin as soon as the Summer of 2025. It is estimated that all of the improvements could be completed within two years. Similar to the approach successfully used by Maine High School District 207, much of the work would be addressed during the summer months as well as during after-school hours.
Funding Proposal/Taxes
The following is a breakdown of the estimated annual tax impact of the proposed 25-year, $89.106 million bond measure by home value as determined by the County Assessor:
| Fair Market Value | Tax Impact |
|---|---|
| $350,000 | $279 |
| $500,000 | $411 |
| $750,000 | $632 |
Referendum 2024 Tax Calculator
District 64 has created a tax calculator as a convenient way to estimate the impact the bond referendum would have on your taxes. Enter the “Fair Market Value” found on your most recent Cook County property tax bill. Then indicate with Yes or No the various exemptions for which you as a Cook County homeowner may qualify. The calculator is intended to estimate the increase in the bond portion of the District 64 tax bill only. Does not include property taxes paid to other governments (e.g. city, park district, county, etc.).
Opportunities To Learn More and Stay Informed
- Thursday, October 10 - Lincoln Tour #4 - 7:00 pm
- Tuesday, October 15 - Virtual Referendum Presentation - Noon
- Thursday, October 17 - Beans, Brew & Ben Community Coffee #4 - 9:30 am - O'Connor Community Building (733 N Prospect Ave, Park Ridge)
- Monday, October 21 - Beans, Brew & Ben Community Coffee #5 - 9:00 am - Maine Park Leisure Center (2701 W Sibley Street, Park Ridge)
- Monday, October 21 - Beans, Brew & Ben Community Coffee #6 - Noon - Niles-Maine District Library
- Thursday, October 24 - Lincoln Tour #5 - 7:00 pm
- Tuesday, October 29 - Virtual Referendum Presentation - Noon
- Tuesday, October 29 - Virtual Referendum Presentation - 7:30 pm
- Monday, November 4 - Virtual Referendum Presentation - 7:30 pm
Additional questions and feedback can be sent to referendum2024@d64.org, and you can find more information at d64.org/referendum2024
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