In the News

News Sun, July 29, 2006

HIGHWOOD — There could be a fight in Congress to keep North Chicago public schools alive, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Friday.

Under legislation proposed by Durbin in the Senate and U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Highland Park, in the House, North Chicago schools would continue receiving about $8 million a year in federal assistance, called "impact aid," for its Navy students.

Under the current impact aid formula, North Chicago funding could be cut from $8 million to $1 million or less if military enrollment drops below 30 percent, which seems likely in the next year or two.

North Chicago would continue to receive funding and neighboring districts in Highland Park, Highwood and Glenview with students with Navy and military parents would start getting closer to their fair share of federal assistance under the Senate legislation, Durbin said.

"It will not be easy," he told a press conference at Oak Terrace School. "There will be opposition. I'll have to educate my colleagues on this."

The measure would allow North Chicago and neighboring schools to pool their military students to qualify for higher impact aid payments.

Durbin was at Oak Terrace Elementary School because the school has children whose parents are in the military. Many live in Navy family housing at Fort Sheridan.

With Durbin at Oak Terrace were school officials from North Chicago, Highland Park, Highwood and Glenview, along with area public officials.

Highland Park taxpayers currently are subsidizing the education of military students to the tune of about $3 million a year, Highland Park Mayor Michael Belsky said.

Military families in military housing don't pay property taxes that finance public schools. To make up for it, the federal government provides impact aid to school districts but at a reduced rate if students don't total 30 percent of a district's enrollment.

North Chicago receives about $6,100 per Navy student per year. However, districts that don't have 30 percent military get just $770. Under the Durbin-Kirk measure, aid would be $6,100 no matter where the student went to school.

Under the existing system, school districts and students "are being penalized," said state Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest.

"When I came into office last year this was one of the biggest issues that faced us," North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham said.

North Shore District 112 in Highland Park and Highwood currently has about 100 military students and receives about $77,000 year in impact aid. If the new formula takes effect, that figure would climb to about $620,000.

During the 2005-06 school year, the percentage "hovered around" the 30 percent figure required for full $6,100 per student impact aid, said North Chicago Unit School Superintendent Sandra Ellis. It ranged from 29 to 32 percent over the year.

The percentage is expected to decrease because privatization of Navy family housing is under way and family housing in Navy subdivisions in North Chicago is being cut in half. About 100 new homes for Navy families are planned for Kenosha County.

Under the legislation's formula, North Chicago schools would receive 35 percent of the $6,100 federal payment for students lost to Highland Park, Highwood and Glenview for the first three years, or about $2,100 per student, state Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan, said. The North Shore schools would get 65 percent.

North Chicago schools would receive 40 percent of the impact aid payment, Link said.