One of the district's most pressing problems is its aging grade schools and their lack of flexible instructional space necessary to implement effective teaching strategies. The district continues to grow. There are currently 485 students enrolled in K-5, a 22 percent increase compared to four years ago. Building one, new centrally-located, consolidated elementary school will allow the district to use resources more efficiently and foster greater collaboration among administration, teachers, staff, and students. The proposed new elementary school will help create a healthier, safer, and more secure school while reducing costly and disruptive maintenance and repairs to existing facilities, enhancing ADA accessibility, improving energy efficiency, and strengthening the District’s ability to provide continued excellence in education. The need to address the future of the District’s elementary schools comes just as the District is retiring bonds and is in a position to assume new debt.

“Shall the Board of Education of Rockridge Community Unit School District Number 300, Rock Island and Mercer Counties, Illinois, build and equip a new elementary school building, demolish, alter, repair and equip existing school buildings and improve school sites, and issue its bonds to the amount of $33,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?”

The District proposes building a new PreK-5 elementary school south of the existing Jr./Sr. High School in Edgington, Ill. The proposal also includes site improvements aimed at enhancing the campus infrastructure and ensuring the safety and well-being of all students, and installing air conditioning in the Jr./Sr. High School. This can be accomplished with a zero tax-rate-change by “swapping” old debt with new debt. As the district pays off its existing bond debt, it can issue new bonds for building construction and facility updates. Bonds are commonly known as loans or capital debt.

Yes. The District has invested regularly in the general maintenance of our elementary schools, but the buildings still have systems which need to be repaired or replaced over the next 20 years. Additionally, the buildings are in need of air conditioning, technology items, sprinkler systems and accessibility enhancements that currently do not exist. These major infrastructure upgrades, not to mention instructional space improvements, cannot be addressed without additional local funding.

Each elementary school is nearly 70 years old. There are many deficiencies that affect the safety and comfort for the students in our District and limit academic achievement. Building floor tiles contain asbestos, there is no air conditioning or efficient heating, the buildings are not up to code with proper ADA requirements for people with disabilities, insufficient electrical service in many rooms limits use of technology and windows are inefficient and need to be replaced, just to name a few. Building security and secure entries and fire safety also are needed core improvements. 

In the past 10 years, education and the design of school facilities have been constantly changing. Programs that help support children are expanding each year. Many of the spaces needed in a new school are outside the big classroom. Spaces for small groups, classrooms that allow students to do one-on-one work, and spaces that help students grow and deal with their individual challenges, in general, are not being supported by the current buildings. Many of these programs are being conducted within the corridor, in renovated storage rooms, in old classrooms divided with temporary walls, and even in closets. All the deficiencies are noted in the Physical Needs Assessment and Facilities Functional Assessment completed by BLDD Architects.

Dating back to 2021, Rockridge CUSD #300 hired BLDD Architects to study the effectiveness of its current facilities and to work with them to develop a recommended facility solution. A Physical Needs Assessment of the District’s elementary schools and junior/senior high school was conducted, along with a Facilities Functional Assessment. The information gathered provided the District with a good understanding of the existing conditions, both physical and functional, of its facilities. The studies showed the three elementary schools ranked below the Jr./Sr. High School in every Functional Performance Category – School Site, Structural-Electrical-Mechanical, Plant Maintainability, Building Safety & Security, Educational Adequacy and Educational Environment – with overall scores falling in the “Borderline” category.

That prompted the Rockridge School District to begin engaging with key stakeholders, community members, and BLDD Architects to find solutions to what was determined to be one of the District’s most pressing problems: aging grade schools with lack of space for the education needs of today.

To gain community insight and exchange ideas, a Community Facilitation Team, made up of residents, parents, educators, and local leaders has been working with BLDD Architects since 2023 and hosted a series of interactive, hands-on community engagement sessions. Information on each of the sessions can be found here.

The first session focused on "Discovery." Attendees looked at data collected by BLDD, including how our facilities rate, changing demographics, maintenance cost analysis, and more.

In the second session, participants got to be the architect! More than 60 people worked together to create a vision for the future - drawing dozens of potential building plans. BLDD collected those plans and generated several possible scenarios for everyone to consider. 

Community members who attended the third session had the opportunity to view the various scenarios that were developed from the previous meetings. They also heard from a representative of a firm specializing in Municipal Bonds. He discussed the process of facility funding with those in attendance.

Attendees at the fourth session heard an overview of the entire project and got to compare the 5 main scenarios that were developed as a result of this entire process. At the end, each person present got to vote on their top two scenarios. The information was then shared with the Board of Education. After several months of evaluation and discussion, the Board, in a unanimous decision, chose to present this proposal for a new, centrally-located, consolidated elementary school to our community.

Proposed ideas were numerous and varied.  A total of 5 main options emerged during the Community Engagement sessions:

• Option 1:  Status Quo – continuing to maintain and operate the three elementary schools at the three locations

• Option 2:  Build a new, centrally-located, consolidated elementary school at the current Andalusia Elementary School site

• Option 3:  Build a new, consolidated elementary school at a new, centrally-located site

• Option 4:  Build a new, centrally-located, consolidated elementary school at the Jr./Sr. High School site

• Option 5:  Build new high school, convert the current high school to a junior high, and convert the old junior high to an elementary school

Each option was analyzed for first, or initial costs, ongoing operating costs and functional performance, and a cost-benefit ratio calculated. The higher the cost-benefit ratio, the more cost-effective the option. Option 5 had, by far, the highest total costs and lowest cost-benefit ratio. Option 4 had the highest-cost-benefit ratio, making it the most cost-effective of the options and the best investment for the community, and also was the option most favored by those who attended the engagement sessions.

Option 1, or the Status Quo, had the second least-favorable cost-benefit ratio. Our elementary school buildings are in need of repair. The buildings, built between the 1930s and 1960s, have millions of dollars of repairs and improvements due in the next decade.

The buildings aren’t supporting the needs of the school district by contributing to inefficiencies. The District is running three elementary cafe-gym-atoriums (cafeteria, gym, and stage combined), three elementary kitchens, three elementary main offices, three elementary music rooms and libraries (if space is available for these supporting rooms). 

​It’s a challenge to operate three elementary schools and provide opportunities for all students. It takes 31 miles for one round trip to all elementary buildings. School buses, teachers, support staff and parents could be traveling to two or three of these buildings, sometimes daily. The cost to travel slowly adds up over the school year. However, what concerns teachers and staff more is the time and resources that are lost as they travel between the schools. What they want most is to be present for all of their students throughout the entire day and week.

There are several factors which make Edgington the optimal location for a new, consolidated elementary school. First, the District already owns the property on which the school would be built, so there’s no need to spend additional dollars to purchase property elsewhere, which could be a significant expense. Second, water and electrical infrastructure already exist in Edgington, lowering the cost of the project by eliminating the need to extend these services to a “greenfield” (undeveloped) site. Additionally, 85 percent of the student population lives on the eastern side of the District. Having a central location for the school eliminates discrepancies in grade organization and transportation. Currently, students who live closer to Taylor Ridge or Andalusia are enrolled in classes at Illinois City in an attempt to balance the number of students in each classroom across the District. The location should also be more convenient for parents, who would only need to travel to one location to drop off or pick up their students, or to attend school events.

The District has benefitted from strong financial management and investment growth, and has the second-lowest tax rate in comparison to other local school districts. Its current remaining bond debt will be paid off in December 2024. Simply re-issuing the bonds at the same debt tax levy rate will generate the necessary revenue to pay for the new elementary school. The principal payments will be spread over a 25 - 30 year period. The zero rate-change bond referendum will not require a debt tax rate increase.

In the current operating budget, there is limited funding to do major infrastructure improvements that fall outside the scope of standard yearly maintenance projects, general cleaning, and small-scale improvements.

The new school will offer updated classrooms equipped with the latest technology and specialized spaces for art, music, and physical education - all of which are essential for a well-rounded education. New classroom environments, including the regulation of classroom temperatures, acoustics, lighting, and the addition of flexible furniture, will allow for additional innovative teaching practices.

Modern Facilities: The new school would have a gym, equipped kitchen and a commons area to provide students with better facilities for physical activities, meals, and social interactions. The increased space will also provide room for essential services such as: 

• Intervention Spaces 

• Social Emotional Learning Spaces 

• Speech Therapy 

• Occupational Therapy
  
  

Improved Safety and Security: Independent parking, separate drop-off areas, and secure entry points will create a safer environment for students, staff, and visitors. 

Air Conditioning: Not only would the new elementary school be air conditioned, but air conditioning would be added to the Jr./Sr. High School, creating a more comfortable learning environment.

Infrastructure: Upgraded storm and sanitary systems will improve the overall campus environment, reducing potential disruptions and ensuring that the school grounds remain safe and functional during all weather conditions.

Additional phases, which may occur concurrently or in the future, include:

• Secure entry points throughout the campus to enhance safety.

• Overall site and parking improvements to facilitate better access and traffic flow.

• Relocation of transportation facilities and enhancements to athletic training facilities to better support student activities.
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These phases will be funded through local resources, including sales tax revenue, District reserves and contingency funds as annual budgets allow. 

The infrastructure upgrades for the school will be engineered in cooperation with the village. But be assured that the school’s demands on the village infrastructure will not significantly affect current demands. The district will work with the village engineer in obtaining the proper permits and determining capacity needs for water with respect to the school. The project will likely improve the quality and efficiency of the current village infrastructure

Water rates are not controlled by the school district. Any rate questions should be addressed with the village. The school currently uses water service from the village.

At present, the district utilizes its own septic system. As part of the overall improvement program, that will be upgraded and modernized.  Improved surface drainage is also a part of the project. The school will be required to meet current permit standards from the IEPA. One of those standards is that storm water cannot leave the site faster, or in greater volume, than it currently does.  Thus any existing conditions will be improved or unchanged when the project is completed.

Although there will be more students, the project will improve the flow of traffic and implement best practices with respect to bus and automobile pick-up and drop-off areas. The majority of students currently utilize district bus service.  This is expected to continue. The project design will address traffic flow to and from the site making overall safety the top priority. 

As stated above, the safety of our students, their parents, and all community members is a top priority for our district. We will work with the village regarding traffic controls including speed limits — something that is under the jurisdiction of the village, county or state.  Once the plans are finalized and submitted, the entity with jurisdiction may make changes in speed limits, traffic signals, etc. This is a normal part of the design and permitting process and will be given top priority.

If the bond referendum passes, a new, centrally-located elementary school will be built on the site of the Jr./Sr. High School in Edgington. After construction is complete and the new school opens, the three current elementary buildings will be retired. The District has funds set aside to demolish the buildings for green spaces, as the community agreed during the engagement sessions they should not be left to deteriorate.

The total amount of the project is $33 million, which will be financed through the sale of General Obligation Bonds. A bond issue is similar to a loan, in which you have a fixed interest and scheduled payments. Bonds are generally used to fund building and facilities projects. Rockridge has a unique opportunity to build the new elementary school and fund other improvements without changing the debt tax levy rate residents currently pay. As previous debt from an earlier bond issue is paid off at the end of 2024, the district can take on new debt. If the zero rate-change referendum passes, the new bonds would be paid off over 25-30 years, so the debt service portion of the tax rate will not increase during that time period.

First, it is important to know that the overall tax rate paid to our district will not change if our bond proposal passes. That is good news. This can happen because older debt (bonds) has been retired or paid-off. That allows our district to retire new debt (or the new bonds) without increasing the portion of the overall tax rate that retires bonded indebtedness. Bottom line — the financial stewardship of district funds has put the school in a position to make these once-in-generation improvements to our schools with zero change in the tax rate.

If the zero rate-change referendum passes, the District’s debt levy tax rate, which determines how much the District allocates in its budget to pay off outstanding debt, will not increase. Each year in December, the Board of Education approves a tax levy for the district. The tax levy usually includes an

adjustment to account for assessed values. The Property Tax Extension Limitation Law limits the adjustment to five percent or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is lower. The debt levy is not included in this portion of the tax levy as it is based on the district’s debt schedule. Since the District will pay off the debt from an earlier bond issue at the end of this year, it can take on new debt without changing the debt portion of the tax rate.

The District wants to be transparent about the impact of this taxpayer investment. It is important to understand that the district has no control over determining property values, on which property taxes are based. That is determined by the County Assessor. For any given year, the total amount of property taxes you pay to support our schools might change due to certain exemptions that lower the taxable value of your home, the variability of your home’s assessed valuation and changes in the tax base (i.e., the total number of property owners in the school district who pay taxes).

For instance, your total tax bill can remain the same or decrease even though your property’s assessed valuation is increased, if the tax base increases (more people paying property taxes) or the taxing districts do not increase their tax levies. Conversely, your total tax bill can increase even though your

assessed valuation remains the same or decreases if the tax base decreases (fewer people paying property taxes) or the taxing districts increase their tax levies. However, the District’s tax rate for debt retirement will not change if voters approve this zero-tax-rate change proposal.

No. When bonds are issued, voters have decided to give a school district approval to take out a loan to do larger projects that are impossible within the operational levied funds. The principal amount of the loan is fixed at the time of voter approval – in this case at $33 million. When the bonds are sold, the final interest rate is locked in and fixed payments are then made over time, similar to a house mortgage.

Since the bond is a fixed, annual repayment amount, the annual amount of impact on the taxpayer goes down if the property values in the district boundaries rise. Increasing property growth and property values add to the pool of money to pay off bonds.

No. The referendum is asking for $33 million, and it is not legal for the District to go above that number. If the price of the project comes in above what is estimated when the project is bid, the Board will have to make decisions to reduce the project in some way, but no additional taxes can be levied to cover any overage.

No, this is not a referendum for utilities, salaries, supplies or anything outside the proposed project. Proceeds of the referendum would be used specifically and entirely for the new school and related improvements.

​The actual interest rate on the bonds will not be known until the bonds are sold, but please note that interest rates for school bonds (loans) are much more stable than residential borrowing, where rates are at approximately eight percent. The anticipated rate for the school District is approximately five percent.

If the referendum is successful, the design team will sit down with staff members multiple times over the course of a few months during the beginning of the design process to gather input on specifics with their space and experience. The current concept will be continuously tweaked using their expertise with an eye on maintaining the cost of the proposal.

The biggest challenge is that the longer the District waits to address its highest-priority facility needs, the more it will cost. This means the total cost would increase or the scope of improvements would need to be significantly reduced. Not only that, our elementary school buildings will continue to age, and students will continue to attend schools not equipped for a 21st century education. Any future bond proposals will likely require a tax rate increase from the community instead of the zero tax-rate-change opportunity this November.

Our Board of Education will face that situation should it occur. But the options are difficult. Today, the district is facing millions of dollars of maintenance needs on the three existing schools. That reality is why our long range facility improvement plan was developed with extensive community involvement. Resulting from that program was the recommendation to replace three obsolete elementary buildings and do so via referendum. As stated above, there is not a Board approved alternative plan. But the list of maintenance and repair needs that must be done if older buildings stay in use is daunting. So the issue is implementation of the current proposal or spending money on obsolete buildings in an attempt to keep them functional.

Again, the Board has not discussed available options in case the bond proposal fails. One possibility is to utilize the state law that allows districts to issue Health Life Safety Bonds (HLS) to repair, maintain or replace aging facilities without voter approval.  This path would likely offset any rate reduction for an extended period of time. Since steps must be taken to address the many maintenance issues, it is impossible to gauge any rate reduction for an unknown alternative plan.

There is a comment form at the bottom of the referendum website. You also are welcome to contact: Marcus Bush, Superintendent, at (309) 793-8001, or mbush@rr300.org