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Name: David Scarpino
Age:
Town:
Office sought: CUSD 300 School Board
1. What skills, qualities or experience do you possess that separate you from your opponents?
My six years (2004-2010) as the associate superintendent in District 300 overseeing the day-to-day operations of the entire school district, combined with five years (2010-2015) as principal of Hampshire Elementary School, also in District 300, have provided me with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of District 300. When combined with my overall 40 years of public school service as a: classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, associate superintendent, superintendent of schools and principal mentor, I am uniquely prepared for the job of board member. In those positions I have experience with: preparing and implementing budgets, contract negotiations, referenda, employee discipline, parent concerns, student issues, curriculum evaluations and incorporating charter schools into a public school district, and all other areas of public education.
2. What can School District 300 do and what should it do to ease the property tax burden on homeowners?
Unfortunately, virtually every school district in the nation is faced with this same issue. How do you continue to provide a high quality education for the children and keep the costs down for the homeowners? Fortunately for us, we have seen new property coming on our books that has provided extra tax revenue to District 300. District officials have actively negotiated with our villages on TIFs so that the District does receive some financial benefit if they are approved. District 300 officials are doing an outstanding job of watching how the homeowners’ tax monies are spent. However, everyone must realize that approximately 85 percent of the budget is spoken for on contracted services that include: food service, transportation, employee salaries and benefits, Special Education outsourcing and the charter school. Out of 23 school districts in Kane and McHenry counties, District 300 has the sixth lowest tax rate. The school board and district administration are being fiscally responsible to the homeowners.
3. Do you support school building consolidations in the near future? If so, when? If not, why not?
Not at this time. My reason is simple, student enrollment along with housing starts in the school district are increasing. As the student population increases, district officials along with taxpayers and all stakeholders, will be faced with the following questions. How will we house the new influx of students? How do we redraw the boundaries to help ease the overcrowding at particular schools? Consolidating school buildings is not the answer at this time.
4. What will be the biggest challenge that School District 300 will face over the next four years and how will you meet it?
Unfortunately, no one can see into the future. However, if you take into consideration the factors that are contributing to the school district at the present time, I would say funding. How does a school district continue to offer high quality K-12 programing at an affordable price to the taxpayers? How does the school district manage long-range planning and budgeting when the State hasn’t had a budget in two years and is seriously re-considering how it finances public education? The current school funding formula has been a benefit to District 300 in a declining EAV environment. As EAV begins to increase again, District 300 will see a decrease in its school funding. However, administration has factored this decrease into their financial projections and are positioned to maintain a healthy financial position despite the decline in school funding. It is my understanding that the proposed changes to the school funding model would actually benefit the school district. The district is currently at a 39 percent fund balance threshold and the board policy is 25 percent. If there are any further changes to district finances, this cushion in the fund balance would provide time to adjust finances if needed.
5. Do you believe the school funding formula in Illinois should be changed? If yes, how? If no, why not?
I wish that I had a definitive and concise answer. In 40 years of working in public education in three states, how to fund public education has been the consistent issue. In Texas it was called the “Robin Hood effect." Wealthy districts attract wealthy residents because they can support huge funding for their school districts which, in turn, attract more wealthy residents. They can sustain the high property taxes to maintain the schools. Poor districts are the opposite. Is it fair to the tax payers of the wealthy districts to send their property tax money to the poorer districts to level the playing field? The state of Illinois has some of the highest property taxes in the country and the governor and state legislators are discussing possible property tax freezes and funding more of the school districts with state money. This money would have to come from income taxes, sales taxes or some other form of tax. For a state that is already deeply in debt it would require raising taxes in some form. This risks driving residents and business out of Illinois, thereby placing the burden of funding school districts on a declining tax base. If the answer to the question was an easy or simple one it would be done already. The only thing that can be done at the district level is for the school board to come to some agreement on a position and to convey that position to our legislators. If elected, I will work with my fellow board members to create that position.
6. Do you believe most students are prepared to enter the workforce or attend college by the time the graduate from high school? Why or why not?
Yes. If you take into consideration the “workforce” consists of a wide variety of jobs that have a wide range of qualifications the students who successfully graduate one of our high schools are prepared to enter the workforce. Additionally, I believe the students who intend to further their education are prepared provided that: 1) the student has been in regular attendance, 2) the student has taken and successfully completed the appropriate coursework, and 3) the student has met the entrance requirements of the higher education institution. When you consider the fact that we have students who receive scholarships to very prestigious institutions of higher learning and students who enter the workforce right after high school and become successful in their endeavors, I believe we are successfully preparing our students to enter the workforce or attend college.