Naperville School District 203 board members this week approved the 2021 tax levy and an increase in the daily pay for permanent substitute teachers and received an update on COVID-19 testing at the schools.
Tax levy
A $263 million property tax levy for 2021, received board approval Monday. The amount collected will cover $177 million for the district’s educational fund, $29 million for operations and maintenance, and $36.6 million for special education.
It’s a 2.49% increase over what was levied for the previous fiscal year, board documents said. If the district is able to abate its debt service payment again in 2022, the average tax bill will increase by 1.4%, which is the consumer price index rate used for the levy.
If debt service is not abated, the average tax bill will increase by about 2.5%. Any debt service abatement proposal will come to the board in March.
The property tax levy generates about 85% of District 203’s total revenue. The size of the request is calculated based on the consumer price index, new construction within district boundaries and the equalized assessed value of taxable property, officials said.
Substitute pay increase
Daily pay for permanent substitute teachers will increase from $115 to $175, going into effect Jan. 5, under action taken by the school board.
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Superintendent Dan Bridges said District 203 has about 700 substitute teachers pool, which about 150 fewer than they’ve had in previous school years. The pay increase should attract more substitutes and keep the D203 competitive with other school districts.
Permanent substitute teachers are hired for the entire school year and paid the daily rate each school day, even if their services are not needed.
Other substitutes are classified at long-term and daily. In November, the board approved a $100 bonus for a substitute after every 10 days they work, also an effort to keep temporary teachers returning.
COVID-19 testing
Bridges told the board the district’s “test-to-stay” COVID-19 program is going to be expanded in order to keep more student in school rather than having to quarantine at home.
Under the system, any student exposed to someone with the virus is tested on the first, third, fifth and seventh day after exposure. As long as the student does not test positive, they can stay in school.
The testing protocol is now backed by the DuPage County Health Department, which withheld its support until it was endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control, Bridges said.
Patrick Nolten, assistant superintendent for assessment and accountability, said they’ve had 159 students complete test and be allowed to stay in school and four students who tested positive for COVID, requiring them to quarantine.