Future 113A - November 2026 Election
Planning for the Future of SD113A
Strong schools are the heart of a strong community. As our school community continues to grow, Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A continues to take a conservative and methodical approach to prepare for and address increasing enrollment. While we are grateful that so many families want to experience the excellent education District 113A provides, enrollment growth is exceeding expectations and further steps are needed to prepare for the future.
Over the past several years, SD113A has experienced record enrollment growth, driven by:
- Successful schools and community
- Turnover of existing homes to young families
- Migration from private and parochial schools
- New housing developments
Despite multiple planning efforts — including three demographic studies (2017, 2024, 2026) — actual enrollment has exceeded even the highest projections.
Over the past two years, SD113A has engaged in a thoughtful and comprehensive planning process to plan for the future. Through our strategic planning work, facility assessments, and multiple enrollment studies, we have worked to better understand the challenges created by continued enrollment growth and to establish priorities for our schools.
At their August 2026 meeting, the SD113A Board of Education unanimously approved a recommendation to place Limiting Rate Referendum Question on the ballot for the November 3, 2026 Election.
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Have a question about the limiting rate referendum and the challenges facing SD113A?
Submit your question via our Google Form

Resources
Navigate the Page
Attend a Community Meeting to Learn More
Dr. Orzel and district leaders will be sharing information with the community at upcoming informational sessions.
- Monday, Aug. 31 – 9 a.m. at the Lemont Library
- Monday, Sept. 14 – 6 p.m. at the Lemont Township Community Center
- Tuesday, Oct. 6 – 6 p.m at the Lemont Township Community Center
*Please continue to check the page for additional dates and times that may be added.
Doing More With Less
District 113A operates with a lower tax rate and lower per-pupil spending than neighboring districts. Our challenges are not because of overspending.
The Cost of Educating a Student
It takes 3-4 average houses’ tax dollars to educate 1 student, and we have the lowest operational and instructional per pupil spending in the area.
Increasing Class Sizes
Though we've hired staff to maintain and lower class sizes, SD113A serves more students per class than the state average and neighboring districts.
Rising Enrollment. Limited Capacity.
A Commitment To High-Quality Learning Environments
District 113A is focused on a long-term funding solution that:
- Supports student growth and achievement
- Continues to provide safe, engaging learning environments
- Reduces class sizes as enrollment increases and preserves academic programs, transportation, and student support services, and extracurricular offerings
- Supports the recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers and staff
- Limits the impact on taxpayers
- Strengthens property values by maintaining quality schools
HOWEVER, as growth continues, we are seeing:
- Increasing class sizes
- Learning spaces repurposed (LRC and multipurpose rooms are now classrooms)
- Small group instruction occurring in hallways and corridors
- Staff and students sharing instructional spaces
District 113A has been planning for and managing increasing enrollment. Three enrollment studies were completed over the last 10 years (2017, 2024 and again in 2026) to continue to monitor growth.
Actual growth last year was more than 500 students over what was projected in 2017 and exceeded what was anticipated from the 2024 study.

Options Considered To Support Increasing Enrollment
To address current and future capacity needs, District 113A has evaluated short and long term facility expansion solutions including:
- Classroom additions at all existing schools
- Use of modular (temporary) classrooms
- Reclaiming district-owned facilities
- Building a new school
Steps Already Taken
SD113A has worked for years to manage growth:
- Reopened Central School for the 2022-23 school year
- Repurposed internal spaces (LRCs, shared rooms)
- Adjusted staffing to meet enrollment
- Explored reacquisition of district-owned property
- Conducted multiple demographic studies
- Participated in Village Technical Review Committee processes
- Acquired adjacent property to expand parking at Central

Planning a Path Forward
Frequently Asked Questions
A collection of questions about the proposal and the situation are below. Click on a question to reveal the answer.
Have a question that you don’t see? Use the Google Form to submit a question.
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If the proposal is approved by voters, the district would be able to generate $6 million annually, giving the District the ability to create additional classroom spaces at each of our four schools while other funds will be used to staff, maintain, and support these additional classrooms in order to keep class sizes reasonable. The timeline for planning and construction would be developed quickly but could take up to two years to build the additions onto each building. Please refer to the presentation linked at the top of the webpage for more details.
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If the proposal is not approved, SD113A would continue to face challenges due to rapidly growing enrollment and space constraints. While the district values keeping class sizes reasonable, there would be a need to increase class sizes at most grade levels. The district would also have to make decisions around potential programming cuts in order to have more dedicated classrooms. Additionally, larger spaces in the schools like Library Resource Centers or dedicated specials’ classrooms may need to be transformed into general education classrooms with those programs either becoming mobile (on carts) or being eliminated.
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The financial challenges District 113A faces today are not the result of overspending. Compared with peer districts, District 113A operates with a lower tax rate, lower per-pupil spending, and lower State funding, clear evidence of long-standing fiscal discipline and careful resource management. Many peer districts have tax rates significantly higher than District 113A’s, receive substantially more State Evidence-Based Funding per student, and spend significantly more per pupil each year, underscoring the District’s sustained commitment to fiscal responsibility.
Tax Rate Comparison

113A 1.968 Downers Grove GSD 58 2.237 Hinsdale CCSD 181 2.465 Center Cass SD 66 2.610 CCSD 180 2.704 Palos 128 2.851 Maercker SD 60 2.921 Cass SD 63 2.930 Will County SD 92 2.939 Palos CCSD 118 3.037 Homer CCSD 33C 3.653 North Palos SD 117 3.925 Woodridge SD 68 3.949 CCSD 146 4.580 Lisle CUSD 202 4.862 Many peer districts have tax rates up to 45% higher than District 113A’s, receive substantially more State Evidence-Based Funding per student, and spend at least 30% more per pupil each year, underscoring the District’s sustained commitment to fiscal responsibility.
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The financial challenges District 113A faces today are not the result of overspending. Compared with peer districts, District 113A operates with a lower tax rate, lower per-pupil spending, and lower State funding, clear evidence of longstanding fiscal discipline and careful resource management. Many peer districts have tax rates significantly higher than District 113A’s, receive substantially more State Evidence-Based Funding per student, and spend significantly more per pupil each year, underscoring the District’s sustained commitment to fiscal responsibility.

Instructional Per Pupil Spending Comparison
113A $8,054 Homer 33C $8,879 Cass SD 63 $9,459 Maercker SD 60 $9,916 Palos 118 $9,961 Center Cass 66 $10,078 Palos 128 $10,279 North Palos 117 $10,375 Darien SD 61 $10,601 Gower SD 62 $10,936 DG 58 $11,096 Woodridge SD 68 $11,733 State $11,785 Will County SD 92 $12,486 Hinsdale 181 $14,066 Lisle SD 202 $14,788 Burr Ridge 180 $15,050 
Operational Per Pupil Spending Comparison
113A $13,537 Homer 33C $15,499 Palos 128 $15,681 Palos 118 $15,867 Center Cass 66 $15,919 North Palos 117 $16,486 Darien SD 61 $16,845 Cass SD 63 $17,278 Maercker SD 60 $17,999 Woodridge SD 68 $18,416 Gower SD 62 $19,070 DG 58 $19,593 State $20,129 Hinsdale 181 $22,402 Will County SD 92 $22,670 Lisle SD 202 $25,138 Burr Ridge CCSD 180 $28,233 -
In Illinois education, the "limiting rate" is the maximum property tax rate a school district can levy for funds subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL). It acts as a revenue control mechanism, capping a district's annual property tax extensions to the lesser of 5% or the rate of inflation (CPI).
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District 113A is placing a limiting rate referendum on the November 2026 ballot. If approved, the limiting rate increase would generate an estimated $6,000,000 annually. Please refer to the tax calculator at the top of the webpage to calculate your home’s tax impact.

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SD113A has proactively worked to manage growth:
- Reopened Central School for the 2022-23 school year
- Repurposed internal spaces (LRCs, shared rooms)
- Adjusted staffing to meet increasing enrollment
- Explored reclaiming district-owned property
- Conducted multiple demographic studies
- Participated in Village Technical Review Committee processes
- Acquired adjacent property to expand parking at Central
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To address current and future capacity needs, SD113A has evaluated short and long term facility expansion solutions including:
- Classroom additions at all existing schools
- Use of modular (temporary) classrooms
- Reclaiming district-owned facilities
- Building a new school
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We currently do not have available classroom space at our four schools to be able to handle current and projected enrollment increases.
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SD113A is a good steward of taxpayer dollars, and when facing challenges with space, opted for the most cost-effective solution for facilities, which is adding onto current buildings. We considered building a new building; however, the cost was the highest of the options. Additionally, other districts have utilized a similar option and found that enrollment numbers didn’t increase to those levels, resulting in school closures, which we want to avoid for our taxpayers.
Our facilities were built to last and are well-maintained, but the challenges of simply not having enough space to serve our growing student population require the district to look into other options. Additionally, this proposal ensures that not only will we create extra spaces, but we will have the funds to staff those spaces and keep class sizes reasonable while maintaining our commitment to excellence in programming.
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Yes. SD113A is partnering with architects to determine the priorities for this proposal which will include renderings of planned additions and renovations. There is not a need to purchase additional land at this time, but the district is closely watching properties around schools with future growth in mind.
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In 2022-2023, the District reopened Central School as part of its plan to address increasing enrollment and reduce class sizes. That plan accomplished its intended goal and provided additional classroom space across the District.
Since that time, however, enrollment has continued to grow. Approximately 300 additional students have enrolled in the District since Central reopened, creating new space needs that were not present in 2022-2023. The District has continued to monitor this growth through multiple independent enrollment studies, including the most recent study in 2026.
As enrollment has increased, the District has taken a measured approach—using existing space efficiently, making adjustments within its schools, and continuing to monitor enrollment before considering larger facility investments.
Based on current enrollment and projections, additional classroom space is now needed to maintain reasonable class sizes and provide appropriate learning environments for students. Rather than constructing a new school, which is estimated to cost approximately $65–70 million or more, the District is proposing additions to its existing school campuses. This approach is intended to address current and projected enrollment needs while making use of the District’s existing facilities and infrastructure.
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Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3 with early voting beginning on Monday, Oct. 19. and ending on Monday, Nov. 2.
You must be registered to vote and reside in SD113A to participate in the Limiting Rate Referendum Election.
Get more information about the voting process from the links below:


