With the April, 2007 Operating Rate Referendum passage, District 129 has set the following goals:

1. Balance the budget,
2. Maintain enough reserves so that the District does not have to borrow money to pay the bills, and
3. Have enough operating revenue to
   • Handle expected growth in student enrollment (more than 180 per year for the next several years),
   • Implement Vision 129, which includes a plan to improve teaching and learning
   • Improve safety and security, and
   • Perform routine maintenance.

February 2009 Issue $12 million in tax anticipation warrants   December 2008 Create 403b Cooperative with School Dist. 131   October 2008 Form finance committee August 2008 Share costs with School Dist. 131 of administrating new federal mandate to provide more services concerning 403(b) retirement plans Implement new automated substitute teacher assignment service to reduces costs and improve communication Strengthen residency checks to assure that only District 129 children attend district schools Settle teachers’ contract – longer schools days – class size maximums February 2008 Save taxpayers $2.7 million by refunding its existing debt at lower interest rates June 2007 Hire PMA Consulting to provide detailed financial analysis and projections May 2007 Cut special education transportation costs by partnering with School District 131 February 2007 Hire performance-based auditor		March 2009 Obtain Standard & Poor's highest short-term rating of SP1+ Implement Financial Planning Program   January 2009 Decrease costs by increasing bidding, bidding review     November 2008 Place accounts payable expenditures on Web for public viewing   September 2008 Accept gift of $50,000 play - ground at McCleery from Nestlé Pure Life and Jewel-Osco Form District financial advisory committee to develop responses to economic changes Receive gift of new $50,000 playground at McCleery     June 2008 Approved purchase of high school and middle school band instruments     April 2008 Receive $8,900 Library Grant   March 2008 Apply for $6 million Safe Schools, Healthy Students grant     August 2007 Join state consortium for purchase of paper Receive $971,000 Teaching American History grant to share with four other districts Receive $10,000 BP Amoco grant for West High biofuel project Use $2 million Reading First grant to improve reading of kindergarten through third-grade students at Greenman, Hill, Lincoln, Nicholson and Schneider     April 2007 Referendum passes. Voters approve new operating rate Save taxpayers $3.2 million by refinancing bonds     May 2006 Receive grant to install light fixtures that cut electricity costs $50,000 a year