Ref FAQ Page

What happens if the proposal is approved by voters?

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.

What happens if the proposal is not approved by voters?

The District would need to continue evaluating ways to accommodate enrollment within its existing facilities and resources, including increasing class sizes, further repurposing instructional spaces and other operational or facility alternatives. Class sizes would continue to increase and the District would have to continue to assess next steps. 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.

What does a limiting rate actually mean?

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).

Is enrollment really increasing in the school district?

Yes. This is actual enrollment growth—not simply projected growth based on future housing developments. SD113A is currently at the highest enrollment level in the District’s history, exceeding our previous historical peak. Enrollment has grown nearly 26% over the past decade, and actual enrollment has exceeded projections from previous demographic studies.

Importantly, this growth is not coming from one source. We are seeing students enter SD113A as existing homes turn over to younger families, students transfer into the District from private and parochial schools, and new families move into the community. New residential development is certainly another factor, but much of the growth we are experiencing today has occurred before we have seen the full student impact of newer developments such as Glen Eagles.

The District’s enrollment data already show record growth independent of the students those developments may ultimately generate. As a recent example, at last night's Board meeting, I reported that we have had 29 new students enroll into the District since last month's Board meeting.

Why didn’t the District plan better to anticipate this level of growth?

The District has been actively planning for growth. We commissioned independent demographic studies in 2017, 2024, and again in 2026. Each of these studies were conducted in collaboration with Lemont High School and the Village of Lemont. Actual enrollment met or exceeded even the highest projections from 2017 and 2024, and enrollment last year was more than 500 students higher than projected in the 2017 study.

The District has also taken significant, conservative and methodical steps before asking the community for additional resources. Most notably, we reopened Central School in 2022 specifically to create additional capacity and reduce class sizes. Since Central reopened, approximately 300 additional students have enrolled in SD113A. We have continued to maximize existing facilities, including converting spaces such as learning resource center and multipurpose areas into classrooms.

Our approach has been to use the space and resources we already have before making a larger investment in additional facilities. The challenge now is that continued enrollment growth has brought us to a point where those strategies alone are no longer sufficient. We have explored building a new building (the most costly option), adding modular classrooms (costly, safety/security concerns, and a temporary solution), doing nothing, or adding additions to each campus, and ultimately decided that building additions was the most reasonable and cost-effective solution.

Why is the District seeking a limiting rate increase?

The primary driver is continued enrollment growth and the need for additional classroom space while maintaining reasonable class sizes, academic programs, transportation, student support services, and safe and appropriate learning environments.

Is this request the result of financial problems or overspending?

No. The referendum is being presented to address enrollment, facility capacity, and the operational needs associated with serving a larger student population—not to address a financial crisis. 

How do SD113A school taxes compare to neighboring districts?

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.

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.

Tax Rate Comparison 

How does SD113A's spending compare to neighboring districts?

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 

Operational Per Pupil Spending Comparison 

What will this cost me?

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. Use the online tax calculator to calculate your home’s tax impact.

What would the additional revenue support?

If approved by voters, the 36-cent limiting rate increase is estimated to generate approximately $6 million annually. It would allow the District to create additional classroom space at all four schools and provide the staffing, maintenance, and operational resources necessary to support those classrooms.

Why are there so many administrators in District 113A? Couldn’t the District cut administrative costs instead?

District 113A actually operates with one of the leanest administrative structures in the area. The District has one of the highest number of students per administrator among comparable local districts, meaning fewer administrators are supporting more students.

District 113A is a nearly $40 million organization serving more than 2,700 students across four schools, yet many major district functions—including finance, human resources, teaching and learning, technology, transportation, and buildings and grounds—are each led by just one administrator. 

The District also does not employ several administrative positions commonly found in comparable districts, such as dedicated directors for communications, multilingual education, early childhood, or assessment.

Reducing this already-lean administrative structure would not address the underlying issue driving the referendum: continued enrollment growth and the need for additional classroom space and staffing to serve more students.