Lyons Township High School District 204 approves FY26 amended budget showing $1.5 million operating deficit amid Cook County tax delays

Lyons Township High School District 204’s board on June 16 approved an amended FY26 budget that shows a $1,500,000 operating deficit, district staff told the board.

Mr. Stacek, presenting the budget, said the amended numbers reflect several adjustments: $450,000 moved into the current O&M fund for a door-replacement project (about $800,000 total), an added $500,000 for salary lane changes after 71 staff moved to higher lanes because of additional education, and a $700,000 increase for out‑of‑district tuition and placement costs. He said a planned transfer of $3 million was reduced to $1 million after audit adjustments.

"With these changes, the amended budget shows a $1,500,000 deficit in the operating funds," Mr. Stacek said, adding that Fund 60 (capital projects) is separate from the operating fund accounting.

Why it matters: the district serves roughly 4,000 students across 11 communities, and the revenue picture is still unsettled. Mr. Stacek told the board that Cook County’s ongoing software and distribution issues have delayed property‑tax allocations and that, based on available information, the district’s education fund appears to be about $3 million short of where it would normally be at this time; he estimated the total shortfall could be in the $3–6 million range until the county reconciles distributions by tax year.

Board members asked for additional detail on the tuition and outplacement numbers, and staff agreed to provide disaggregated counts and trends to support budgeting and equity review. Board members also pressed about whether the high number of lane changes — 71 this year versus a more typical ~15 — reflected a one‑time spike or longer‑term trend; staff said the district tracks lane changes and that the pattern is likely to slow after an unusually large cohort moved lanes this year.

The board moved to approve the FY26 amended budget as presented; the motion carried on a roll-call vote with members present recorded as voting in favor.

What’s next: staff said final fiscal-year numbers will be known after the district completes its audit and financial statements, and that the FY27 budget will need to factor in continuing tuition and placement pressures as well as the county’s distribution timing.

Sources and attribution: Budget presentation and explanations by Mr. Stacek; superintendent and LADSI presenters provided related context about outplacements and tuition costs during the meeting.