CUSD 10 Ballot Initiative Approved by Voters
Letter from Superintendent Dr. Skertich to staff and families:
Click HERE to read the letter in Spanish
Facts About March 19, 2024 Ballot Initiative
This section of our district website is dedicated to providing information you need to make an informed decision about the Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 zero-rate-change ballot initiative to fund safety and security improvements, heating and cooling system upgrades, handicap accessibility in our facilities, and school interior updates to improve the learning environment in our schools.
If you have a question or would like more information, please use the “I Have a Question” tab above to reach out to us.
Message from the Superintendent
Kahok Nation:
Click for the Spanish translation
After extensive evaluation of our district facilities by staff, architects and engineers, and feedback from our community members, the Board of Education has placed a zero-rate-change proposal on the March 19, 2024 general primary election ballot to address critical facility needs throughout Collinsville CUSD 10. The proposal will improve safety and security, update heating and cooling systems, and revamp facilities to provide handicap accessibility; ALL without changing the tax rate.
The ballot proposal will fund approximately $2.3 million annually in facility improvements in our schools. This would allow the district to replace exterior and interior doors to improve safety; upgrade heating and cooling systems to improve efficiency; renovate facilities to allow students, staff and community members with disabilities to have independent access throughout our district; and update dated and worn school interiors to improve the learning environment.
This funding path, chosen by the Board of Education, will not change the tax rate if approved by voters. The school board has proposed a financial strategy known as a tax transfer, which involves reallocating existing funds without raising overall taxes.
Here are the facts:
- The plan would retire debt from the early 2000s to provide funding for an increase in the district’s Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Fund rate from 50 cents to 72 cents.
- The money previously used to pay off facility improvement debt would be redirected to the O&M Fund.
- This shift allows the district to invest more resources in critical facility needs without incurring new debt or paying additional interest, as the total tax rate remains unchanged.
- This method leverages existing resources efficiently to address the district’s facility needs.
Money generated by this proposal will go directly to facility improvements.
A list of identified work compiled through the Kahoks Connect community engagement process is summarized below. The work will be completed at each school over a seven-year time frame. In total, nearly $35 million in improvements will be made to district facilities with zero change to the tax rate.
In summary, on March 19th, voters will consider a zero-rate-change to the Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 Operations and Maintenance Fund from 50 cents to 72 cents. The ballot proposal, in combination with resources from the district’s Health/Life/Safety funding and accumulated reserves, will allow the completion of critical facility improvements over the next seven years without changing the tax rate.
We are committed to educational excellence for all students. Our objective is to upgrade our schools, sources of pride in our community, for generations to come.
Thank you for your constant dedication to our students, our staff and school district!
Sincerely,
Mark B. Skertich, Ed.D.
Superintendent