Villa Park School District 45 referendum opposed by voters, budget cuts expected
Villa Park School District 45 announced on Mar. 27 that preliminary results show voters have opposed the district's referendum, with a margin of 51.72% to 48.28%. While provisional and vote-by-mail ballots are still being counted, the district does not expect the outcome to change.
The result means the Board of Education will need to address a projected $3.5 million budget deficit and declining fund balance for the upcoming school year. The board is expected to consider measures such as teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, reduced programming, cuts to extracurricular activities, and possible redistricting or school closures beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
"District 45 has heard the community’s feedback, and in the coming weeks, our Board of Education will discuss the results and next steps. As always, we will continue to work together and support one another as we provide students with a high-quality education despite the challenges ahead," Dr. Brian Graber, Superintendent of School District 45 DuPage County said.
Villa Park School District 45 represents several schools in DuPage County including Ardmore Elementary School, Jackson Middle School, Jefferson Middle School, North Elementary School, Schafer Elementary School, Stevenson School, Westmore Elementary School, and York Center Elementary School according to Illinois Report Card. The district enrolled 3,306 students during the 2019-2020 school year and serves grades pre-kindergarten through eighth grade according to Illinois Report Card.
The district employs a total of 224 teachers with an average salary of $74,159 before pension contributions; about four out of five teachers are women according to state data from Illinois Report Card. There were no teachers reported with more than ten absences in a single school year according to Illinois Report Card.
Demographically Villa Park SD45 is made up of approximately 43 percent White students; nearly eight percent Black; just over thirty-five percent Hispanic; and eight percent Asian according to ISBE. In terms of finances for fiscal year twenty-twenty spending per student was $23,216 totaling $76 million dollars across all schools in this district as reported by Illinois Report Card.
Chronic truancy remains below statewide averages: In twenty-twenty there were one hundred nineteen chronically truant students—a rate just under four percent—compared with nearly ten percent statewide according to state data from ISBE.