At Prospect Heights School District 23, we engage ALL students in experiences that inspire EACH to grow as learners, individuals, and community members.

Because we’re a small district, we are able to build relationships between families, staff, and the community at large that make our schools feel like family. Through our innovative grade-level center approach, we are student-focused, ensuring every child gets the personal support they need to meet their full potential. As a result, all four of our schools are rated “Commendable,” our students’ readiness and proficiency rates are significantly above the state average, and we are among the top 25% of districts in the state for math and reading.

Now, the State of Illinois has created an unfunded mandate requiring school districts to implement full-day kindergarten by 2027, which puts the quality education our community expects at risk. We don’t currently have the space, staff, or funding to meet this unfunded mandate. Every feeder district to High School District 214 offers full-day kindergarten except us, and we are one of less than 2% of districts throughout Illinois that do not offer full-day kindergarten. We know there are about 150 students in the community who desire full-day kindergarten and early learning opportunities that we can’t provide right now. We must meet this mandate, because our families deserve the same opportunities as those in neighboring districts.

In addition, we have identified several safety and security concerns that we must address at Eisenhower School. The building needs a more secure entrance. We have run out of space at the school and are over capacity. Reading specialists, occupational therapists, and other service providers are crammed into shared spaces, forcing vulnerable students to receive support in hallways and the corner of the library with no privacy. The nurse’s office doesn’t even have a bathroom. And the parking lot is too small for the number of parents who drop off their kids, creating safety hazards and backing traffic up onto Camp McDonald Road.

We are one of the most fiscally conservative districts in the region. Our tax rate is second lowest among all our neighboring districts, we always operate with a balanced budget, and we deliberately maintain the lowest fund balance in the region—we see that as good stewardship of our community’s tax dollars. We haven’t passed a referendum since 1987, despite receiving limited funding from federal and state sources. As a result, our funding levels are among the lowest in the region, but we make do with what we have, actively maintaining our facilities while focusing every possible dollar into classrooms to benefit students.

But without additional funding, meeting the state’s mandate will require the district to reallocate existing resources, leading to increased class sizes and cuts to programs and services districtwide. For a community that takes so much pride in our high-quality education, this is not the future we want for our kids. Especially since it would also likely hurt our property values as prospective home buyers begin to look elsewhere.

That’s why our community has come together to develop a fiscally responsible plan to address these challenges. In March of 2024, voters narrowly rejected a $25.5 million referendum, requesting changes to make it more affordable. We listened and reduced the number of projects, which lowered the referendum’s cost by $6.2 million and the average tax impact by 25%.

This new, more affordable $19.3 million plan will appear on the April 1st ballot, with a reduced annual tax impact of $349 for the average home. If successful, the referendum would build a 21,050 square foot addition at Eisenhower School to:

●  Fulfill the State’s Mandate for Full-Day Kindergarten

●  Ensure Safe Schools for Our Kids

●  Provide Adequate Spaces for Instruction and Student Support

The referendum would allow the district to fulfill the state’s mandate requiring we offer full-day kindergarten by 2027 without needing to increase class sizes or cut programs. We would build six new classrooms and multipurpose space at Eisenhower School and hire the additional teachers and staff needed to provide full-day kindergarten. In addition to increasing academic and social-emotional learning for our early learners, this would potentially lead to childcare savings for families.

The referendum would further increase safety and security at Eisenhower. We would build a larger parking lot and improve traffic flow so parents can safely bring their littlest learners into school each day. We would relocate the main office to provide a centrally located, secure vestibule and entrance with clear sight lines for parents and visitors. And we would create a new, required FEMA shelter space to protect students in emergencies.

The referendum would also allow us to better provide individual support for every student who needs it. We would build 11 new dedicated student service offices at Eisenhower to alleviate overcrowding and create the instructional spaces teachers and other providers need to support students. We would add an occupational/physical therapy room and private restrooms in the nurse’s office. And we would renovate the library into a more collaborative and usable space.

Our kids deserve the same quality educational opportunities available to students in neighboring districts. The community’s plan for our schools would meet the state’s mandate and provide our littlest learners a more comprehensive kindergarten experience, which has proven to improve their academic success throughout their entire lives. It would increase safety and security for our teachers and students. It would ensure every student has the support they need. And it would maintain and even potentially increase home values for our residents.

click on the links to learn more about the Building a Better D23 Plan