Unit School Districts provide k-12 education in much of McHenry County.
By looking at the summary prepared by a Friend of McHenry County Blog, one can see that there was little restraint in the levying of taxes for this year.
The Unit School Districts took a higher percentage increase than the Grade School Districts.
Only in the small part of McHenry County served by the Wauconda Unit District did taxes decrease.
Taxes in
- Alden-Hebron District 19
- Algonquin District 300
- Barrington District 220
- Belvidere District 100 (a very, very small portion of the county)
- Harvard District 50
- Huntley District 158
- Johnsburg District 12
- Wauconda District 118
- Woodstock District 200
all increased
The lowest increase was in District 300, up 1.44%.
The highest increase was in Barrington, up 7.18%.
Also on the high end was Huntley at 3.14%.
Woodstock D200 took about the same tax levy ($61 million) as Huntley 158, but Woodstock enrollment is about 2500 fewer students than Huntley (28% lower enrollment).
Woodstock has 6300 enrollment to 8800 at Huntley.
Woodstock D200 takes $9683 locally per pupil while Huntley taxes only $7045 per pupil. That is 37% higher taxation per pupil by Woodstock.
More horrifying is the amount Woodstock CUSD 200 spends per pupil compared with peers, according to federal government data.
In a Peer Comparison of 50 schools across America, Woodstock CUSD was outspent by only 1 district in NY.
Woodstock Total Current Expenditures per pupil were $16,786. Peer average was $11,113 (most of the other 49 schools spent very close to that number).
In every category Woodstock spends shockingly more per pupil than peer school districts:
Instructional:Woodstock $9666 vs Peer Average $6772
Student and Staff Support:Woodstock $2134 vs. Peer Average $994
Admin:Woodstock $2102 vs. Peer Average $1285
Operations, Food Service, Other: Woodstock $2895 vs. Peer Average $2061
Here is where this comparison tool can be found:
https://nces.ed.gov/edfin/search/search_intro.asp
Education accounts for 65% – 74% of our property tax bills.
Lay the blame where it belongs:
the School Boards, the teachers’ unions, and a State Government that constantly games its obligation to fund Education at the required statutory levels…