The Unit 5 school board on Wednesday heard a first reading of changes to the district's policy regarding law enforcement requests for information about student citizenship status.
New language would replace the term "‘police interviews" with "law enforcement requests," broadening the scope of policy protections for students. It also outlines steps the district would not take in instances regarding students with questioned or known immigration status concerns, or who come from households with residents of questioned or known immigration status concerns.
The language, to be adopted at a later meeting, largely comes from requirements set by Illinois school code that will take effect next year.
The district will not engage in practices that exclude these students or members of their households from activities, and will not disclose or threaten to disclose information related to citizenship or immigration status with nongovernmental entities or persons, the policy states.
The only instance where this information is not protected is if governmental law enforcement agencies request it, and the district has direct knowledge of the status.
The language also clarifies that school employees stand in place of parents or guardians during the school day. Still, if questioned by law enforcement agents, the school district will ensure that parents or guardians are notified and make reasonable efforts to ensure they are present during questioning.
If that's not possible, school employees — social workers, psychologists, counselors or any other mental health professional, for example — will be present during such questioning.
Tax levy
Also Wednesday, the board was given a preliminary presentation on the 2025 tax levy from Chief Financial Officer Marty Hickman.
The $165.8 million levy will be up for a public hearing and vote in December.
The estimated EAV [equalized assessed value] increase is 7.4%, compared to a 9% expected increase when the budget was adopted in September.
Hickman said the district utilized a practice known as ballooning.
“We balloon the request [for the budget] to make it a little bit higher, in case the EAV actually comes at a higher number than what we're estimating, in order to capture those additional tax dollars in case there is a surprise to the upside," Hickman told the board.
Hickman added he thinks the downside is more likely.
The estimated EAV increase also is subject to effects from property owners who file an assessment complaint regarding their property value decisions with the McLean County Board of Review. The proposed levy takes into account potential changes coming from those reviews.
The estimated tax rate also went down to $4.81 per $100 EAV, compared with $5.07 last year. Hickman added projections from fall 2022 — made to explain the future outlook before an education fund resolution — had 2025’s estimated tax rate at $5.16.
For property owners, the tax rate is further decreased by the tax abatement made possible by approval of the County Facility Sales Tax. That action was guaranteed by Unit 5 and many other school districts in the county while voters considered the sales tax, and Unit 5 will make that official with a vote next month. The district plans to abate roughly $6.5 million.
For property owners of a $250,000 home in 2024, if their property value increased by 7% a year later, they would see a $57.52 increase on their property tax bill. If it were a 5% increase instead, the bill would decrease by $14.63.
The school board also heard a presentation on the 2024-25 audit. Brian Mateas, signing director at CliftonLarsonAllen Peoria, said it was a clean audit with no findings, the third year in a row for Unit 5 with such a report.
Solar
The school board also approved a resolution joining a 20-year agreement with the Illinois Shines community solar project.
The off-campus solar project is expected to save Unit 5 between $3.8 million and $5.3 million over the 20-year agreement. It adds to solar facilities that have been on-campus since 2023, and energy efficiencies added by Unit 5 in 2017.
The agreement also earns Unit 5 a 20% rebate on its Ameren utility bill.
