Here's Why Elmhurst Residents Pay More For Schools

Elmhurst IL

22 September, 2021

9:51 AM

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ELMHURST, IL — In Elmhurst School District 205, 88 percent of its money comes from local sources, primarily property taxes. The rest is from the state and federal governments. Statewide, about two-thirds of money for schools comes from local sources. At Tuesday's school board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Chris Whelton explained why Elmhurst taxpayers foot a greater portion of the bill than in other districts. "Elmhurst is more funded by local property taxes because of our healthy property tax base we have here in Elmhurst," he said. In layman's terms, Elmhurst is wealthier than most places. It has a lot of valuable real property from which to tax, including all those retail buildings on Route 83. Elmhurst also rates well in other categories. Its median household income of $119,000 is nearly double Illinois' $66,000, according to the U.S. Census. And the district's low-income student population is 15 percent, less than a third of the state's. By contrast, East St. Louis taxpayers pay just 15 percent of the costs for their local district. More than 99 percent of students are considered low-income. And the median household income is $24,000. In Illinois, local sources pay a bigger share of school budgets than in any other state, according to a 2016 report from the Congressional Research Service. (Illinois changed its funding formula for schools three years ago, giving more state money to poorer districts.) Many states give far more money to schools with the intent of leveling the playing field between poorer and richer districts. In New Mexico, just 16 percent of school budgets come from local sources.