Naperville 203 board approves waiver to stop newspaper publication of annual statement; members debate equity and outreach

The Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Board on Jan. 20 approved an application to waive the state requirement that the district publish its annual statement of affairs in a newspaper, citing recent statutory changes and an estimated annual savings of about $3,000.

Administration told the Board the state recently removed several duplicative sections from the required statement and that the district already makes the full information available on its website. Administrators noted other nearby districts (Lisle, Indian Prairie, Plainfield) have received similar waivers. The administration recommended approval and said all required information remains publicly available online.

Several board members supported seeking the modest savings and noted the district can add notices to existing communications (newsletters, Talk203) to help direct readers to the online materials. Melissa Kelly Black raised concerns that some community members—especially seniors—rely on newspapers and that eliminating a printed notice could reduce transparency for those residents. Board members discussed practical mitigations, including making printed copies available at district offices or libraries and adding clearer links in community communications.

After the earlier public hearing and later discussion on the consent calendar, the Board voted to adopt the ASA waiver by roll call. Administration said it would attach submitted questions and responses to BoardDocs and pursue additional outreach strategies to address access concerns.