As the corporate entity charged by law with governing a school district, each school board sits in trust for its entire community

According to the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the most important job of a school board is to hire a superintendent. Through its written policies, the board directs and empowers the superintendent to function as chief executive officer in managing all aspects of district operations. The board evaluates the superintendent’s work and holds that person accountable for district performance and compliance with board policy.

LATEST VIDEO – October 4, 2022 Special Board Meeting

After the referendum loss is June, members of the administration and BOE were told that the community and taxpayers deserve an explanation of how our district, that “exemplified the best of public education”, got to this point. The BOE delivered the following:

Since Superintendent Tiede’s retirement in 2012, the CCSD 66 BOE hired four superintendents – Dr. Tim Arnold (2012-2019), interim Superintendents Dr. Ray Lechner and Dr. Griff Powell (2019-2020), and Dr. Andrew Wise (2020 – Present).

The BOE hired Superintendent Wise for a three-year contract term (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023). However, only seven months into his first school year, the BOE made a decision to extend his contract, with all scheduled salary increases, bonuses and benefits, by an additional 2 years, through June 2025.

The following is the current (contractual) Superintendent’s Base Salary Structure, excluding additional bonuses, pension contributions and other compensated benefits:

DuPage County Information Link – https://www.dupagecounty.gov/Election/Candidates_and_Campaigns/37051/

D66’s Second Tax Increase Referendum in Five Years

The 2017 Referendum projects were planned, prioritized and approved by the District Administration and BOE. The projects were selected from a “Master Facility Plan”, that was started with their architect, in 2016. In addition, the BOE at that time included a Finance Committee, that met regularly to update the appropriation of all funds available. Current BOE President, Liane Raso, served on that Finance Committee. The “Master Appropriation Plan”, also known as the “District 66 Financial Plan Workbook”, was to be reviewed on a regular basis, by the Finance Committee and Board of Education. Changes to the plan required approval by the Board of Education. Finally, the District prepared a “2014-2019 Strategic Plan” to address Finances, Facilities and the Educational Environment.

Everything the current BOE and Superintendent are saying now was communicated to the taxpayers as being done before. The differences, between then and now, the previous Strategic Plan and the 2017 and 2022 referendums, include –

1) millions of dollars in the Fund Balance have been spent, with the approval of several of the same BOE members

2) the $12.9M referendum project went over budget and did not include plans to address the failing intercom or fire alarm systems – a cost of less than 3% of the total dollars received

3) a new Teachers Contract was approved in 2018 and amended in 2019, with the approval of several of the same BOE members

4) the district issued an additional $2.4M in debt certificates in 2020

5) the approach to raising the property taxes – a one time bond referendum, for specific capital projects (to be paid off in 20 years) – versus a permanent, higher limiting tax rate, with the district having an open checkbook and the ability to spend the additional +/-$3M per year, where it deems appropriate

There are commitments being discussed, to provide ongoing accountability, but, as we’ve learned from the past, any policies put in place can be changed, at any time, by new administrators and/or board members.

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.

At the April 12, 2022 BOE Meeting, Superintendent Wise gave the Board Members the floor to state why they voted to support the Referendum Resolution. The following are a few of their responses.

The videos on this page were recorded by attendees at recent Board of Education (BOE) and Community Meetings and are being shared with their permission.

Video – Blame the Previous Auditor (and the Community?)

BOE President Liane Raso has been on the board for 9 years and was one of the authors of the previous 2014-2019 District Strategic Plan, when the BOE committed to “align the District’s budget and prioritize spending”.

BOE Vice President Lori Hoffman, a board member for 3 years.

BOE Member Chris Esposito at the 4/12/22 BOE Meeting.

BOE Treasurer Joan Cullen at the 4/12/22 BOE Meeting. Joan Cullen is another long-serving Board member – 7 years.

Superintendent Wise, who was hired in 2020 and whose contract was extended through 2025 – through Board action on 3/23/21 – responds to a question at the 4/21/22 Community Meeting.

BOE Vice President, Lori Hoffman, at the 5/16/22 Community Meeting, stating assumptions, not facts.