This Spring, voters living within the Central 301 boundary lines will be asked to answer the following question at the polls:

“Shall the Board of Education of Central Community Unit School District Number 301, Kane and DeKalb Counties, Illinois, build and equip a new high school building, including an auditorium and career technical education labs, build and equip an athletic stadium with artificial turf, a field house and athletic fields on the new high school site, improve said site and issue its bonds to the amount of $195,000,000 for the purpose of paying costs thereof?”

The proposed solution to sustained high enrollment growth was given consensus during our Focus Group conversations in November 2022. The Central 301 Board of Education then voted on December 19, 2022 in favor of placing the above question on the ballot.

WHEN

  • Consolidated Election
  • Tuesday, April 4, 2023
  • Polls – 6 AM CST – 7 PM CST

PROPOSAL

The Focus Group discussions in November 2022, based on this presentation, resulted in the following solution that, if approved, district administrators would explore:

  • Construct a 2,000 to 2,400-student high school on Rohrsen Road (with the potential for that building to be built out to house 3,000 students)
  • Enhance career technical education facilities, including a veterinary science lab
  • Expand academic programming opportunities
  • Build a turf field outdoor stadium as a means to serve multiple athletic contests, district community events, physical education instruction, etc.
  • Develop land for baseball and softball competition fields
  • Construct a fieldhouse and large competition gymnasium
  • Construct an auditorium and cafeteria that would be able to support 3,000 students

COST

$195 Million
($178 annually for $335K Home*)

*variable based on interest / bond rate

HISTORY OF ENROLLMENT GROWTH

Central 301 has had a long standing history of enrollment gains since its founding in 1948. The district student enrollment nearly doubled from 1960 through 1979, growing at a 3% clip on average during that stretch. Enrollment at Central High School grew by 73% from 1987 to 1997, and then nearly doubled from 1997 thru 2007. From 2011-2014, Central 301 saw an approximate 1.2% growth in the wake of a major economic downturn that slowed the housing market dramatically. However, over the last five years, Central 301 has seen an average of 3% growth once again. In the last decade, Central 301 has grown 32.2% therefore setting the stage for the question above.

“We’ve been growing at better than 3 percent for each year for the past 20 years.”

Ed Stock, Central 301 Superintendent of Schools
January 27, 1979 – DeKalb Daily-Chronicle

DEBT LIMIT AND OPERATIONS

This is a brief overview of the Central 301 budget, the projected referendum bond and interest pay schedule, and a tentative project schedule.

TAX CALCULATOR

Central 301 has extensively studied the impact of property tax dollars that would be affected by this ballot initiative. Based on our research, here are some examples of what the expected increase would be for your property tax bill for the levied bond debt:

  • $300,000 — $158.00 annually
  • $335,000* — $178.20 annually
  • $400,000 — $215.45 annually
  • $500,000 — $272.75 annually
  • $600,000 — $330.05 annually

*average home within Central 301 Boundary Map

These figures are based on the Fair Cash Value from the 2022 property tax bill. If you’d like to learn more, scan this QR Code to do your own tax calculation…

Property tax calculator QR code
https://tinyurl.com/2hj8swew

MAINTENANCE COMMITMENT

Central 301 has been and will remain committed to maintaining and improving current facilities, including roof replacements, HVAC, paving, interior upgrades, etc.

The new construction of a high school will remove the need for the following expenses.

  • Central High School (current campus) – Track w / Concrete curb ($400,000)*
  • Central High School (current campus) – Press Box ($200,000)
  • Central High School (current campus) – Bleachers ($600,000)*
    (* = some maintenance will be required)

That’s a total savings of approximately $1.2 Million.

Buildout of 20 classroom addition at the current high school campus: During the Focus Group conversations in November 2022 community members expressed a desire to have grades 6 through 8 remain together.  Should the referendum pass, this project would allow Central 301 to place all students grades 6 through 8 together in one building long term.  Should the referendum not pass, this will allow us to house an approximate 500-600 students in lieu of placing mobile units on the facility. Challenges include space for student parking, cafeteria and auditorium seating.

This proposal allows for an approximate 18-year fix for high school level, 16-year fix for middle school level and 13-year fix for elementary if we maintain a 3% growth rate annually.

HOUSING MARKET RESEARCH

Central 301 officials have spent extensive time learning as much as possible about the growth in our current subdivisions as well as what subdivision have been approved to be built in the future. See a copy of the approved subdivisions here.