Citizens for D303 Accountability

Are you getting what you paid for with the Learning & Teaching Department?!? The Learning and Teaching Department costs taxpayers $5M (23/24) annually. Up 66% from $3M in 2018/2019. Yes, the BLOATED L&T department went from 36 employees to 40 in 5 years and almost doubled the cost to taxpayers. Maybe this number could be justified if D303 was the #1 school district in IL. It is not. Overall academic proficiency is 53% ELA, 52% Math, and 72% Science (21/22). SAT composite declined to 1078 in 2022 vs. 1121 in 2017. Also in 2022, the percent of AP exams with scores of 3, 4, 5 have declined to 76% (under 80%).
This large, non-productive department takes up valuable space across the buildings in the district and seems to be the source of past/present discussions on school closures, repurposing, and construction. D303 is in the RED budget wise and taxpayers are the largest source of funding. The board is aware of this bloated department. This post is to make you aware of where your hard earned money is going when you pay taxes.

The board is getting ready to discuss a huge facility decision on June 29. Price tag: potentially $23M in bonds (DEBT). But what is clear from the June 12 meeting is that there are serious issues with balancing the budget and the shrinking fund balance. The Education fund that pays out salaries will be in the RED for the next 4 years. A deficit will last the duration of the recently passed teachers contract. The only way to balance the budget for the next 4 years is to shrink the fund balance. On June 12 the board approved raises for administration as well. So the board needs to balance the budget to cover the SCEA contract and administration raises. Once the fund balance is reduced to 28-32 percent of expenditures, as expenditures increase, the fund balance has to increase also to keep the 28-32 percent ratio. Employees and programs take up space. This proposed construction and bond referendum will potentially put a strain on the budget and future finances. Ultimately the burden will be on the taxpayer.
Here are some questions for the board:
1. What personnel, including administrators, and programs will be cut to balance the budget?
2. How much space will the Learning and Teaching Department need if it is reduced in favor of high school department chairs? High school department chairs are part of the new teacher contract.
3. Should Compass Academy with only 14 graduates and only 2 of the 14 attempting a 4-year college be returned to the high schools with more skill-based courses there for at-risk students?
4. How much money can be saved by returning Compass Academy students to the high schools and using current high school personnel for ALOP students?
5. It took a lot of planning and money to relocate the Transition Program at Haines with the Instructional Intervention offices in front of the Transition space. Now after two years, why is it being recommended that the Transition Program move to Lincoln? The taxpayer paid for the new Transition space at Haines that was to be its forever home.

June 12 Board meeting: https://www.youtube.com/live/wI5kM18DyK4?feature=share&t=5

Very fortunate to have Dr. Gordon leading District 303

Fox Ridge Early Childhood students joined Dr. Gordon in the LRC for storytime!

District 303’s North High School, Norton Creek named 2022 National Blue Ribbon schools The U.S. Department of Education has recognized two schools in St. Charles School District 303 – St. Charles North High School and Norton Creek Elementary School – as National Blue Ribbon schools for 2022.

Tomorrow is the first listening session!
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Show up, speak up, let them know you’re paying attention. More importantly, be active in the direction you want to see our district go.

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🎙NEW Podcast Episode! Listen now ➡ https://trst.in/Kyifez
Superintendent Dr. Paul Gordon talks about his professional journey from teacher to superintendent, and also discusses the importance of the District’s upcoming community engagement sessions, Listen Learn Return.

St. Charles School District to start listening sessions later this month The district later this month will start its first round of listening sessions, which will be hosted by School Superintendent Paul Gordon, who recently started with the district.

Check your inbox, the new Superintendent is asking to meet you.

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St. Charles School District to review findings of equity audit The St. Charles School District will review the findings of an equity audit that was done to better understand where inequities exist in the district.

Stay involved D303