ROCHELLE — Rochelle Elementary District 231 will see a surplus of approximately $675,000 after passing its fiscal year 2021 budget Tuesday night.
Board members approved its budget despite having many unknown numbers due to state funding, according to superintendent Jason Harper. Passage of the district’s intention to issue $1.2 million Working Cash Fund Bonds helped the district pass a budget with no deficit.
Harper recommended the district issue $1.2 million Working Cash Fund Bonds following a presentation by Andrew Kim from PMA Securities at the board’s Aug. 11 meeting. The recommendation was approved Tuesday night by board members.
School districts can issue bonds to fund working capital expenditures that arise from a variety of circumstances. Traditionally, working capital bonds have been issued as short-term obligations where the proceeds are used to cover a district’s temporary cash flow, or operating, deficit.

Enrollment
Harper updated board members on the district’s to-date enrollment.
The numbers that Harper discussed don’t include district pre-kindergarten numbers. Currently, in-person enrollment for kindergarten through eighth grade is at 64 percent; remote learning is at 34 percent; and 2 percent are currently pursuing ‘other’ schooling options including homeschool or private schooling.
“We are still allowing students to opt-out on an ongoing basis based on needs and circumstances,” Harper explained.