July 7, 2025

D23 Board of Education Votes to Approve NO TAX INCREASE Funding plan to provide FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN by August 2027.

After months of continued investigation following the failed referendum efforts, the Board of Education voted to move forward with a plan that would provide funding to design and build a smaller addition at Eisenhower and provide Full-Day Kindergarten by August 2027, which meets the State mandate. The NO TAX IMPACT solution provides $16.5M to address critical construction needs at Eisenhower, MacArthur, and across the District by refinancing our current debt.

CLICK HERE to view the presentation.

As with a home equity loan for which you might borrow against the value of your home, the District will borrow funds, paying off our existing debt and extending payments for $16.5M for 30 years. This will provide the necessary funding to:

Build a 4- or 5-classroom addition at Eisenhower, making space for Full-Day Kindergarten.
Replace and expand the current East parking lot at Eisenhower, providing a safe, dedicated space for student drop-off and pick-up.
Replace the deteriorated windows, siding, and doors at MacArthur Middle School.
Provide funds to address other limited, prioritized capital projects such as restroom renovations, paving, flooring, or roofing.

Because these funds are available under our existing tax cap, there will be NO TAX INCREASE for residents under this plan; however, there will be an impact to operations to fund the ongoing staffing, supply, and utility needs. Over the next two years, the Administration will work to develop and articulate the plan for reductions in staffing and/or programs to provide the needed operational funds.

While this solution is less than for which we had hoped and does not provide any space for expansion of services, it will meet the current need for classroom spaces for Full-Day Kindergarten, limited new office space for interventionists, the relocation of the main office, a smaller new multipurpose room, and renovations to the East parking lot.

The Board and Administration are committed to continuing our investigation and planning for sustainable financing, limiting operational impacts, and meeting the needs of our students, staff, and community. While we are excited about providing Full-Day Kindergarten and the safety improvements, we know there is more work to be done as we communicate these plans and support sustainable operations.

June 2025

The Administration and Board of Education have continued to investigate options and solutions to address our current and future needs while being responsive to the three failed referendum efforts. A presentation was developed and shared at the May and June finance committee and Board meetings to provide insight into the benefits and drawbacks of a range of potential solutions.

Two Community Forums were held to share this information with residents. The slide deck from these meetings can be viewed by clicking THIS LINK.

April 2, 2025

Dear Prospect Heights School District 23 families and staff,

Thank you for speaking out and making your voices heard on the referendum. According to preliminary results, voters opposed the referendum by a 55% to 45% margin. We are still waiting for some provisional and mail-in ballots to be counted, but we don’t expect the outcome of the referendum to change.

We have heard you, and we will be re-engaging with you in the near future to develop a plan that meets the community’s approval while solving the district’s challenges. As you know, District 23 is challenged by the need to provide additional classrooms to fulfill the state’s full-day kindergarten mandate by 2027 and significant infrastructure and safety challenges at Eisenhower School.

As we have always done, we will continue to work together and support each other to deliver the highest quality education to our students despite the challenges we face. We look forward to continuing this discussion as we work together to solve our infrastructure and space challenges.

Sincerely,

Dr. Don Angelaccio

District 23 Superintendent of Schools

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