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DeKalb CUSD 428 board approves $50.55 million plan for 24‑classroom ELDC
Summary
The DeKalb CUSD 428 Board of Education voted to approve $50,550,000 to build a 71,900‑square‑foot, 24‑classroom Early Learning Development Center (ELDC), with staff saying the addition would serve roughly 125 more students and enable more full‑day programming.
The DeKalb CUSD 428 Board of Education voted to approve $50,550,000 to build a 71,900‑square‑foot Early Learning Development Center (ELDC) with 24 classrooms, the board chair announced at the April 29 meeting.
“By our work and estimation, that would increase the square footage from around 60,000 square feet to 71, almost 72,000 square feet, and the budget would increase from 41,780,000 to 50,550,000,” said Dr. Lisa Becker, assistant director of student and family services, who presented the revised design and cost estimate.
Becker said adding four classrooms would mean more students, families and staff on site and require added support spaces—hallways, mechanical rooms, family meeting rooms, staff work spaces and toilets. She estimated the addition would accommodate about 125 additional students across program shifts and emphasized the need for sensory and gross‑motor space for early‑childhood programming.
Shannon, a district staff member who addressed capacity planning at the board’s request, said the district could fill a 20‑classroom building based on current numbers, and that full‑day classrooms could hold up to 20 children. “As far as the 24 classroom building … I personally, I am leaning towards that option only to make sure that we’re able to meet the needs of our community,” the staff member said.
Board members pressed staff about tradeoffs with specialty and gross‑motor rooms if those areas are converted to classrooms and asked how the larger scope would affect district finances. A district finance staff member said the board recently revised the tax levy, reducing it by about $3.5 million, and that projections include an added $10 million; staff estimated reserves by fiscal year 2029 would be in the 30–39% range, about $65.8 million, and said that figure could affect timing for other capital projects.
After discussion, the board moved and seconded approval of the project. The chair called a roll‑call vote; the votes recorded in the meeting transcript were affirmative and the motion passed as presented.
The meeting proceeded to new business after the vote; no additional project approvals or amendments to the ELDC motion were recorded at that time.
