A $306.3 million budget was approved by the Naperville District 203 School Board this week that includes money for additional math specialists, English learner/learning behavior specialists and social workers deemed necessary in addressing the pandemic-related learning loss.
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The 2021-22 spending plan has a projected $735,000 deficit revenue is expected to be about $305.6 million, less than one-quarter of 1% of the overall budget, Chief Financial Officer Michael Frances said.
Unanimously approved by the school board Monday, the plan did not change from tentative version presented several weeks ago, Frances said.
Total revenue is expected to increase about 4% over the 2020-21 school year, from $293.8 million to $305.6 million.
Overall expenses will increase 4.3%, from $293.6 million to $306.3 million. At $235.7 million, salaries and benefits make up the largest portion of the spending plan.
New expenses linked to the district’s “return-to-learn” initiatives include $5 million to hired learning specialists and social workers; $1.5 million for tutors; and about $610,000 to expand the Jumpstart early childhood program.
America Rescue Plan Act funding for COVID-19-related learning projects will cover most of the district’s new expenses, officials said. The money is responsible for District 203’s federal revenue increasing from $8.9 million to $14.4 million, a jump of about 62%.
Beyond that, the bulk of the district’s income comes from property taxes.
A budget amendment approved Monday addresses the $10 million in tax relief payments issued to property owners this year and the $1.1 million fee reimbursement paid to District 203 families.
The amendment also reflects a change in fund balances due to the deferral of early taxes from District 203’s most recent audit, Frances said.
“School code allows school districts to amend their budget on an annual basis. District 203 has not amended their budget, I believe, in five or six years,” he said.