The proposed $63.8 million budget for District 233 operations for the 2022-23 school year is balanced and shows a surplus of about $400,000.
The budget is currently available for review before it is scheduled to be approved at the Sept. 20 board meeting.
The budget shows 65% of expenses are for salaries and benefits for 358 staff, plus additional expenses for stipends, substitute teachers, security and other personnel needs at Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
“Salaries and benefits will always be the driving force of Homewood-Flossmoor High School,” said Lawrence Cook, District 233’s chief school business official. At the end of the last school year, 15 teachers retired, but Cook doesn’t anticipate another retirement wave in the next several years.
Purchases and services are budgeted at 23%, supplies and materials at 7%, and capital projects at 3%.
Real estate taxes pay for 59% of the budget. Cook has estimated taxes at $37.46 million. That is about a 1.8% increase over the previous year. Under Illinois’ property tax caps law, District 233 is allowed to ask for a tax increase of a maximum 5% or the Consumer Price Index number, whichever is less. This past year CPI registered at 7.1%, so the most the district can ask for is 5%.
The state’s Evidence Based Funding support of $18.4 million covers approximately 28% of the budget. The state funding is based on a number of factors, starting from total enrollment, the number of special enrollments, English Language Learners, low income, etc. From that a scale is set based on class size, salaries, etc.
Cook said this year the Illinois State Board of Education placed the district in the Tier 1 category because it set its adequacy-based funding at 72.3%. District 233 is at 70%.
The district is required to abate $1.8 million as part of the property tax relief agreement. The district did the same last year.
The remaining 12% of the budgeted revenue comes from restricted grants and other local revenue.
The school board has committed to updating its culinary, fashion and interior design spaces in H-F’s North Building. The work will begin in January, but the primary work will be done in summer 2023. The work will be paid for from a $20 million bond sale in May.
The budget also shows the indoor track in the North Building will be redone. Over the next three years, the board will spend about $1 million in roof repairs. The South Building gym floor also may be replaced, according to Jim Patterson, director of operations.
The budget is on display in the H-F business office in the North Building between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. It also can be accessed through the website at hfhighschool.org. Go to district info and select departments.