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Libertyville senior proposes CPI‑U and Treasury benchmark for district investment reporting
Summary
A Libertyville High School senior presented a method to benchmark the district’s investment portfolio using CPI‑U and average U.S. Treasury marketable securities; board members praised the student intern's work and recommended the district incorporate the benchmarks into monthly reporting.
A Libertyville High School senior presented a proposal to help Community High School District 128 evaluate investment performance by benchmarking the district’s portfolio against two measures: the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI‑U) and the average yield on U.S. Treasury marketable securities.
Zach Seiler, a senior and participant in the district’s new workplace internship program, told the Facilities and Finance Committee he selected the two benchmarks after rejecting more volatile options such as the S&P 500 and the federal funds rate as unsuitable comparisons for the district’s conservative, low‑risk investment strategy.
“The main goal with our investment strategy…is to protect against the depreciation of our capital assets,” Seiler said, explaining why inflation (measured by CPI‑U) and a securities‑market benchmark are appropriate. Seiler said the district’s portfolio — made up largely of bonds, certificates of deposit and government products — tracks the trend of total marketable securities and that combining CPI‑U with Treasury benchmarks would allow the district to report both nominal yields and real returns.
Seiler said he sourced data from treasury.gov (average marketable securities yield) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI‑U), both of which publish monthly series the district could use to refresh the comparison on a recurring basis. The student recommended including the two benchmarks in monthly investment reporting so board members and administrators can see whether the district is preserving purchasing power and how yields compare to a liquid‑securities market standard.
Board members praised the presentation and urged the staff to adopt the method. Several trustees complimented Seiler on presentation style and clarity; Seiler said he will attend Southern Methodist University next year to study finance. District staff said the benchmarks are straightforward to implement and are suitable for ongoing operational reporting rather than for use as a speculative growth target.
No formal action was taken; staff indicated they would incorporate the metrics into monthly reporting as an operational practice if the board concurs.
