DeKalb City Council approves DeKalb School District 428’s plans for Charter Street property

DeKALB – DeKalb city leaders gave the green light this week to DeKalb School District 428′s plans to relocate its transition program.

The transition program is dedicated to serving students ages 18 to 22 with intellectual and developmental disabilities and has been based at DeKalb High School for several years.

When the district was part of the DeKalb County Special Education Association Cooperative years ago, its special education programming convened in a residential house along Ellwood Avenue in DeKalb that was used by the county’s districts, school board documents show. It provided a space for students to practice their adult daily-living skills working toward independence.

It wasn’t until during the 2008-09 school year, however, that the DCSEA dissolved and a decision was made to relocate the transition program to DeKalb High School, school board documents show.

Third Ward Alderman Tracy Smith questioned what the Charter Street property renovations are for.

“Like Alderman Perkins and I, we were at the commission meeting,” Smith said. “We’re not opposed to the zoning, but I just want to know the definition. I think we’re falling into it being a school and not a program.”

Kyle Gerdes said the program is meant to provide an opportunity that is best suited for young adults.

“Our [age] 18-to-22 program is a program very similar, and I’m going to draw the analogy to Project Search,” Gerdes said. “Basically, that is a transition program that DeKalb students – as well as other county students that go to other districts in our county, even Ogle County – can be accepted to.

“It serves a very similar purpose to our 18-to-22 transition program that’s currently at our high school, which is to help prepare our young adults with development disabilities or intellectual disabilities for independent living [or] independent functioning.”

The cost to renovate the building is expected to exceed $1 million, although the project has not yet gone out to bid, officials said.

Tammy Carson, the district’s director of facility and safety operations, said the building’s construction is expected to start in August or September.

The district intends to enter into a lease purchase agreement to obtain the right to occupy the space for $3,850 a month, according to school board documents.

The district also has the option to purchase the property at the expiration of the 24-month contract set forth by state law without holding a referendum as long as the purchase price of $315,000 and any closing costs are paid.

Smith urged the board to be more transparent going forward, saying he’s disappointed that some of this didn’t come to light during the school board’s tax levy discussions.

In a pair of 7-1 votes, the City Council decided to back the district’s rezoning request to support the transition program. The only dissenting votes were cast by 7th Ward Alderman John Walker.