Frequently Asked Questions
Why has WTHS District 121 placed a limiting rate proposal on the June 28, 2022 ballot?
WTHS seeks to protect academic, activity and athletic programming, as well as improve academic support and mental health services. If approved by voters in June 2022, the 60-cent limiting rate increase would address, to the fullest extent possible, the following needs:
- Maintaining the 8-period day needed to continue offering many Advanced Placement (AP) opportunities, ensure full participation in career and technical education classes at the Technology Campus, and preserve current curricular and co-curricular programs.
- Restoring academic support and mental health services.
- Continuing to offer band, drama, choir and other student activities and clubs.
- Continuing to offer athletic programming across all grade levels.
What is the estimated tax impact of the referendum?
A 60-cent limiting rate increase would have an estimated annual tax impact of $200 ($16.67 per month) per $100,000 of a home’s fair market value.
Where do I find my home’s fair market value?
The “fair market value” of a home is explicitly listed on the tax bill that is sent from the county collector’s office.
Why did the District purchase the Stearns School Road property?
In 2008, WTHS was anticipating and planning for continued growth through the district. The District’s enrollment at that time was over 4,200 students and steadily growing. At that time, there was approximately 6,000 undeveloped acres of land generally in the north section of the District’s boundary, that could have increased our student enrollment. Each of our campuses have a capacity of 2,400 students with a district overall capacity of 4,800 students. The investigation and planning for a third campus was a priority for the District.
In August 2010, the District’s enrollment was over 4,500 when the Board of Education purchased the Stearns Schools Road property for $7,990,000, which was located in the northern section of our boundary. The 100-acre parcel was large enough for a projected high school campus and was also located in the area of anticipated growth.
The Board of Education periodically reviews the need to retain this property relative to our current and projected enrollments and the potential growth of the undeveloped land in the district. There are still approximately 5,400 undeveloped acres within WTHS’s boundaries, which does not include forest preserves, state parks, conservation areas and wetlands.
The District owns property on Stearns School Road. Have you considered selling it to raise funds?
This 100-acre parcel was purchased in 2010 for approximately $8 million dollars.
On September 14, 2021, the Board reviewed the history and intent of the Stearns School Road property. After reviewing the intent of the original Board that made the purchase to ensure the district would have a good option for another campus if undeveloped land to our north were to be developed, our current Board decided not to investigate selling at this time. The Board may certainly review this in the future, but as of now the Board wants to maintain the property for potential future district campus needs.
A one-time cash infusion by selling the land will not resolve the District’s long-term operational needs.
If the District is short on operating funds why did it invest in solar panels?
The net cost of the solar project was $4.8 million. This capital expenditure was paid for with bonds, rebates, and incentives. It is anticipated to generate an average of approximately $300,000 in annual savings over 20 years.
Warren Township High School completed the installation of solar panels at the Almond Campus in June 2020. The $7.3 million capital expense was offset by $2.5 million in Solar Energy Renewal Credits (SRECS) and other incentives, a net cost of $4.8 million. There is a possibility the District will receive an additional $1.8 million in SRECS in the 16th year through 20th year of the project. This project was one of several infrastructure projects the District completed when bonds were refinanced in December 2018.
The solar project generates enough energy to fully power the Almond Campus, resulting in an annual savings of approximately $300,000 in operational costs. The full cost was originally anticipated to be recouped in approximately 16 years. The original projected annual energy cost escalator was 2.5%. It is important to note that since the inception of the solar project, electricity costs have increased by nearly 40%. This will increase the financial benefits of the solar project.
The District is not permitted to use capital funds for operating expenses, so this was a prudent way to reduce both our carbon footprint and annual operating expenses. Learn more about the solar project here https://www.d121.org/Page/764
Click here to view information on the first year's energy savings, which was published in the January 2022 Warren Connection newsletter.
Are salaries and benefits driving the need for a referendum?
WTHS spends about 62% of the annual budget on salaries and benefits. This is lower than most other Lake County high school districts and is typical of school districts, which are people-driven enterprises.
Click here to view a comparison chart.
WTHS compensation is median for Lake County high schools—five districts have higher average salaries and four have lower. D121 teachers have an average of 15 years of experience and 73% hold master’s degrees. An individual’s compensation is tied to his/her years of experience and education. The current teachers’ contract runs through June 30, 2023.
Click here to view a comparison chart.
What are the likely impacts if the school day is reduced from eight periods to seven periods?
Eliminating one period per day, which will shorten the school day, will impact WTHS students in various ways:
Click here to view this information in the November 2021 Warren Connection newsletter.
- Students applying to college will be at a disadvantage compared to neighboring districts when academic opportunities, including some of the District’s Advanced Placement (AP) courses, are reduced.
- The 8-period day allows students to explore academic and career interests, take multiple AP classes, and have access to many curricular and co-curricular programs. A reduction to a 7-period schedule will reduce those offerings and will also impact students who participate in job training.
- The 8-period day allows for full participation in Tech Campus programming, while the 7-period day will not. Tech Campus is a Lake County Cooperative that allows students to participate in career training and earn college credits while they are still in high school.
We heard about the “Tech Campus” in one of the presentations. How many students go there and why?
The Lake County Technology Campus (Tech Campus) is an important part of the high school education for WTHS students. The Technology Campus provides students from Lake County high schools with educational opportunities in Career and Technical Education that local school districts are unable to offer.
In the 2022-2023 school year, it is projected that approximately 20% of WTHS junior and senior students will attend the Tech Campus as a part of their daily schedule.
The Tech Campus offers 21 programs for students to choose from, including Law Enforcement, Welding/Fabrication, Game Programming and Visualization, Certified Nurse Assisting, Biomedical Science, Automotive Services, and Culinary Arts. Click here to view a full list and detailed information on each of the Tech Campus’ programs. In addition to valuable educational experiences in the classroom, students in these programs are also able to earn college credit from the College of Lake County at no cost to the student.
Students who participate in the programs at the Tech Campus are able to experience career-oriented and hands-on learning, which prepares them for related post-secondary education opportunities, or to enter the workforce in a field with high labor demand. Most of these programs are also two-year programs that future WTHS juniors would not be able to fit in their schedule if WTHS needs to move to a seven-period school day without additional funding.
What is the impact of the 7-period day for students who want to attend the Tech Campus?
In a 7-period day, WTHS students will not be able to attend the Tech Campus until their senior year. Many of the programs at the Tech Campus are two-year programs. Since WTHS students will only be able to participate in these programs for one year, they will not be able to take advantage of all of the dual credit and industry credentials the Tech Campus has to offer.
How many students participate in WTHS athletics?
In the 2018-19 school year there were 1,567 participants. In the 2019-20 school year there were 1,618 participants. In the 2020-21 school year, our numbers were lower due to COVID at 1,199 participants.
Click here to view the number of students who participated in the WTHS athletic programs over the past 25 years.
What are recent significant accomplishments by WTHS athletic teams?
WTHS is proud to highlight the following team accomplishments:
In the 2020-21 school year, Warren won seven NSC Championships in football, boys soccer, girls soccer, boys volleyball, boys lacrosse, softball, and boys track and field.
WTHS also had an individual IHSA state champion wrestler in 2020 and an individual state champion high jumper in 2021.
- Boys lacrosse team placed 2nd at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Finals in 2019.
- Football team placed 2nd at the IHSA State Finals in 2019. The Football team won the North Suburban Conference (NSC) Championship the last four seasons, going undefeated 26-0 against the conference opponents.
- Boys cross country team qualified for the IHSA State Finals in 2020 and 2021.
- Girls soccer team won the Regional Championships in the 2020-21 school year.
- Dance team (Devilettes) qualified for the State Finals the last four years in a row.
- Softball team won eight straight IHSA Regionals, excluding the cancelled 2020 spring season due to COVID.
If additional funding is not approved how will athletic programming be impacted?
Without additional funding, the athletic programs will be eliminated as early as the 2023-2024 school year. This includes the elimination of the entry-level athletic team for 32 sports beginning in fall 2022. Sports with four levels of participation will be reduced to three; sports with three levels of participation will be reduced to two; and sports with two levels of participation will be reduced to one, with the entry-level team being eliminated in each case. These reductions will be mostly likely reduce student participation opportunities for all sports and across all grade levels, as most or all programs will need to make cuts based on ability.
Click here to view this information in the August 2021 Warren Connection newsletter, which includes a chart showing the entry-level athletic teams which would be eliminated.
Click here to view the number of students who participate in the WTHS athletic programs.
How many students participate in school-based activities other than sports?
Annually, we anticipate about 2,000 participants in formal WTHS clubs and activities.
These include our performing and fine arts groups, our competitive activities, and a variety of other interest-based, culturally-based or service-based clubs. We also have intramural sports hosted at our campuses in partnership with the Gurnee Park District.
Click here view this information in the September 2021 Warren Connection newsletter.
In addition to these formal activities, we also host a large number of athletic games, music and entertainment events that many students attend as spectators. School dances are also held a few times each school year, with the exception of the last few years due to COVID.
What types of clubs and activities would likely be eliminated if additional funding is not approved?
Without additional funding, it is projected that WTHS will need to eliminate 55 clubs and activities at WTHS as early as the 2023-2024 school year. Clubs and activities include band, choir, drama, the fall play and spring musical, robotics team, Scholastic Bowl, Science Olympiad, speech team, foreign language clubs, student council, and others.
How does WTHS compare academically?
Warren Township High School Recognized as One of the Top Schools in the Country
Warren Township High School has recently been recognized as one of the Best High Schools in America by U.S News & World Report. The publication measures the performance of over 24,000 high schools nationally in several areas:
Warren has earned recognition as one of America’s Best High Schools annually for more than 10 years.
In 2021, Warren ranks in the top 1/8th of schools nationally and in the top 15% of all schools in Illinois.
Click here to view how Lake County high school districts compare on Newsweek ranking.
Click here to view this information in the January 2022 Warren Connection newsletter.
- The percentage of 12th grade students who took and passed an Advanced Placement exam.
- Student performance on state-required assessments (i.e., SAT).
- Performance on state assessments (i.e. SAT) by black and Hispanic students in comparison to other student subgroups in Illinois.
- 4-year graduation rate of the district.
My taxes seem high. Why does WTHS need more money?
WTHS is only one of the several taxing bodies that receive a percentage of your overall real estate tax. WTHS also receives less per-pupil revenue from taxes than any other high school district in Lake County.
The chart compares these amounts to areas with nearby communities with similar household incomes, for example, on a $300,000 home:
This revenue problem continues to be a critical challenge for sustaining the current level of programming at WTHS.
Click here to view this information in the January 2022 Warren Connection newsletter.
- Warren Township High School District 121 receives $2,231.79 from property taxes.
- Mundelein Community High School District 120 would receive $2,511.51, or approximately 13% more tax revenue annually.
- Antioch Community High School District 117 would receive $3,091.10, or approximately 39% more tax revenue.
- Grayslake Community High School District 127 would receive $4,326.82, or approximately 94% more tax revenue.
How much money did the solar field save the District over the last year?
Solar production from November 2020 through October 2021 was 2,908,562 kWh. This generation accounted for 91% of all the electrical needs at the Almond Campus. It reduced the District’s electrical costs by $215,639. The District also received $666,708 in SRECs (solar renewable energy credits) and a ComEd rebate of $601,965, for total benefits of $1,484,312.
Click here to view this information in the January 2022 Warren Connection newsletter.
With all the businesses within Gurnee, why doesn’t WTHS have the funds it needs?
Schools do not receive separate funding such as sales taxes from businesses. Rather, a school district’s largest source of funding comes from local property taxes, which accounts for approximately 75% of the district’s total revenue. The district receives the property taxes on the land and building value of that business, but not the sales.
Click here to view this information in the December 2021 Warren Connection newsletter.
Property values have gone up significantly. Isn’t WTHS getting significantly more in tax revenue?
Unfortunately, no. Warren Township High School District 121 only receives a total of what it received the prior year in taxes plus the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the month of December plus any new growth (new building and/or construction).
Even with Gurnee seeing an 11.8% increase in property values year over year, Warren Township High School is limited to the consumer price index of the previous December (December of 2020) for what it will receive in the 2021-22 school year, which was 1.4%. The maximum by law is 5% per year, but only if the CPI is 5%.
Over the last five years the average has been 1.9% annually. Over the last 10 years the average has been 1.7 % annually.
WTHS District 121 has only increased 1.4% over what it had received last year. There has been very little growth over the last decade within our district’s boundaries.
Click here to view this information in the December 2021 Warren Connection newsletter.
What are the anticipated benefits of the limiting-rate proposal?
The anticipated benefits include:
- Protecting the quality of Warren Township High School and, in turn, property values.
- Helping to fund advanced and diverse programs that ensure students are not at a competitive disadvantage when applying to college.
- Protecting Advanced Placement (AP), career and technical education, and other academic and job training opportunities.
- Keeping students engaged in high school by continuing to offer activities/clubs and athletics.
- Continuing to allow students to explore academic and career interests
- Providing more students, including at-risk students, the academic help they need to be successful.
- Addressing growing mental health needs.
What has WTHS done to reduce expenses?
WTHS has already taken many steps to balance its budget, including eliminating 66 teacher and staff positions over the past five years, refinancing outstanding debt, reducing the cost of employee benefits through a new healthcare cooperative, and renegotiating vendor contracts. The District has also continued to draw down its fund balance, which has reached the lowest level recommended by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
How does the District use federal grant money?
The District currently receives two different types of federal grant funding: recurring and COVID-19 related grants. The District’s recurring annual federal grants are Title I, II, III, IV, Perkins, and IDEA. The District’s current COVID-19 related grants are Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER) II, ESSER III, and IDEA ESSER III.
The recurring annual grants have specific purposes in which funds can be utilized.
The grants related to COVID-19 (ESSER Grants) are one-time allocations of funds from the federal government to help overcome learning loss and to help equip school districts for in-person learning. This one-time funding is just that, one time. It is not ongoing or recurring. Another factor to these federal grants is that a district must spend the funds first prior to reimbursement. For WTHS, this continues to be a cash flow issue with our district. The District must spend funds that it does not receive reimbursement for until months later.
The recurring annual federal grants are for a single year. However, ESSER II and ESSER III are able to be allocated over multiple years. The District is utilizing ESSER II funds during the 2021-2022 school year, and ESSER III funds during 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years.
Click here for the Federal Grant Budget Detail that the District receives.
Highlighted in blue are grants that are recurring, totaling $1,629,629, which is made available to the District on an annual basis. These recurring grants are used for district programming, which is permanent in nature.
Highlighted in yellow are one-time grants, totaling $4,020,400. These grants will be used through the 2023-2024 school year, which accounts for approximately $1,300,000 annually. The one-time funding grants are used for intervention work that is temporary in nature.
During the 2020-2021 school year, the District spent approximately $100,000 of its ESSER II allotment. During the 2021-2022 school year, the District has budgeted to spend approximately $1,300,000. During the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years, the District anticipates spending approximately $1,300,000 per year of ESSER III funds.
Please click here to learn more about our ESSER III Grant Plan.
Click here for the Federal Grant Budget Detail that the District receives.
- Title I is intended to fund academic programs for academically at-risk students.
- Title II is intended to fund professional development activities for teachers and administrators.
- Title III is intended to fund programs for students who are English Learners.
- Title IV is intended to fund activities that promote well-rounded education for students, safe and healthy behaviors amongst students, and to provide additional access to instructional technology.
- The Perkins grant is intended to provide additional funding related to Career and Technical Education programs in the school.
- The IDEA grant is intended to provide additional funding for local Special Education programs.
When was the last time voters approved additional operating funds for WTHS?
Voters approved a 12-cent limiting rate increase 20 years ago.
How many additional teaching positions will be eliminated if the proposal is not approved?
While some staff may continue to be laid off to account for declining student enrollment, it is projected that over the next two years 33 more teaching and staff positions will be eliminated resulting in increased class sizes, fewer curricular and co-curricular programs, as well as a reduced school day (moving from eight to seven periods).
How have previous funding cuts already impacted the District’s student support services?
Previous rounds of cuts have negatively impacted academic support programs, including math and English intervention programs. Mental health support services have also been reduced.
Click here to view information about academic supports for students in the December 2021 edition of the Warren Connection newsletter.
Click here to view information about mental health services for students in the October 2021 edition of the Warren Connection newsletter.
What is the District’s mission when it comes to equity programming?
WTHS wants to ensure that every student, including at-risk students, has access to and success in the most academically challenging programs.
Click here to see our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Master Plan, which is on the District's website.
How does WTHS’s funding compare to other Lake County high school districts?
WTHS has the lowest per-pupil funding compared to other high school districts in Lake County.
Click here to view the comparison chart.
How do WTHS’s staffing ratios compare to other Lake County high school districts?
The District has fewer teachers, certified staff members, and administrators per student. The District’s student-to-teacher, student-to-certified staff and student-to-administrator ratios are higher than those of its peer districts. For example, there is one teacher for every 19.9 (1 to 19.9) students in WTHS. The state average is 1 to 18.6 and in the Grayslake district it is 1 to 16.9. With additional staffing cuts that number will increase.
Click here to view the comparison chart.
Does Grayslake 127, which has about 1,200 fewer students, receive the same funding as WTHS?
That is correct, even though Grayslake has 1,200+ fewer students, their total funding is about the same as WTHS.
Will the District’s fund balance be drawn down even further next year?
The District will need to draw down its fund balance below the minimum amount recommended by the Illinois State Board of Education for the 2021-2022 school year. This may reduce the District’s credit rating and require short-term borrowing.
Based on projected revenues and expenses, when would the District’s fund balance be depleted?
Without additional funding, or further cuts in staffing and programs, WTHS’s fund balance will be depleted within the next four years. Districts operating with negative fund balances may be subject to additional oversight from the State.
What role do property values play when evaluating costs and benefits?
The quality of WTHS impacts demand for local real estate and, in turn, property values.
Has the District explored additional State and Federal funding?
Federal funding represents approximately 2% of the District’s budget and is earmarked for specific programs including special education and transportation. Illinois provides about 15% of the District’s revenues in the form of grants and general funding. The District will continue to pursue additional grants, but these are typically tied to capital projects, not operating expenses.
How has the Illinois pension system impacted the WTHS?
The pension system is not controlled at the local level. Therefore, the District is obligated to contribute at specified levels. There are currently no options for decreasing costs or converting to another type of plan like a 401K.
Can the District borrow (sell bonds) to cover these expenses?
In a word, no. Bonds typically are sold to cover capital needs including buildings and renovations. Increasing operating funds to meet educational costs on a long-term basis requires a limiting-rate tax increase like the one D121 is considering.
How were the comparison school districts selected?
The comparison data includes all Lake County high school (9–12) districts. Unit (K–12) districts including Waukegan, Lake Zurich, and Round Lake are not included because their operating expenses and enrollment are not comparable. Wisconsin districts are not included because although they are geographically nearby, every state has different funding mechanisms.
Click here to view comparison charts.
How is running a school district different from running a business?
School districts are obligated to educate all students and meet state and federal mandates. Regulations designed to ensure sound educational and financial practices place constraints on school districts that are quite different from those that businesses face when developing budgets. Unlike businesses, revenues for school districts are in large part tied to taxes. There are constraints on how much Illinois school districts can raise their tax levy each year to address growing expenses. In fact, over the past decade, districts have not been able to increase their tax levy by more than 2% annually. WTHS has attempted to cut every possible expense that does not directly impact students and many that have. It has been about 20 years since an operating rate increase was approved. If expenses are further reduced it will mean eliminating additional staff and programs.
What if I have additional questions?
Superintendent Dr. John Ahlgrim is available to answer any questions you have regarding the funding proposition. He can be reached at jahlgrim@wths.net or (847) 548-7144. Time is also made available at WTHS Board of Education meetings for public comment. The schedule is posted on the District website.