Homewood SD 153 superintendent warns of return to deficit, board approves RIF resolution and multiple personnel and payment motions

Superintendent Dr. McAllister told the Homewood School District 153 Board of Education on April 7 that while a November 2022 referendum increased local revenue, changes in assessed valuation produced a roughly $1.7 million shortfall compared with the district’s projection, and without additional changes the district will return to deficit spending next year.

The shortfall, Dr. McAllister said, stemmed from timing and assessment changes used in the Illinois funding calculations; a legislative fix helped set the district’s levy base to $19.5 million but could not recover the entire $1.7 million shortfall. At the same time the district faces rising costs, including a recently negotiated teacher contract, higher replacement costs for new hires, an insurance quote that initially projected a 24% premium increase, high special-education and transportation costs, and building-maintenance needs (Dr. McAllister said the district spent about $1.8 million to replace Churchill’s roof last year and plans a Willow roof replacement this summer that exceeds $2 million).

To…