(WAND) - The Illinois State Board of Education announced Property Tax Relief Grants for 32 school districts Monday.
The grant program is part of the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act. It lets school districts reduce local property taxes and replace that revenue with state funds.
The $49.3 million in fiscal year 2024 grants will result in $54.2 million in property tax relief for Illinois residents.
Participating school districts must abate taxes for two consecutive years. A district's grant amount becomes a permanent part of its EBF Base Funding Minimum going forward.
"I extend my gratitude to Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly for their continued commitment to Evidence-Based Funding, a crucial effort that not only increases funding equity and adequacy for school districts but also lowers property taxes for Illinois residents through the Property Tax Relief Grant,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. “I encourage every district across the state to apply next year.”
Districts that are eligible for the grant are those that have the highest tax rates within their organization type (elementary, high school, or unit district) out of all those that applied.
Eligible districts have to submit an abatement resolution to their county clerks by March 30.
ISBE will distribute the grant to each eligible district after receiving the Certification of Abatement Form from the county clerk.
A total of 155 districts applied for the grant in fiscal year 2024. All districts can apply for the grant each year.
The districts receiving the FY 2024 Property Tax Relief Grant, pending their reduction of local property taxes, are:
Bremen High School District 228
Cahokia Unit School District 187
Community Consolidated Schools District 168
DeKalb Community School District 428
Dolton School District 148
Elementary School District 159
Evergreen Park Community High School District 231
Flossmoor School District 161
Ford Heights School District 169
Franklin Park School District 84
Gen. George Patton School District 133
Harlem School District 122
Hazel Crest School District 152-5
Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233
Hoover-Schrum Memorial School District 157
Kirby School District 140
Lansing School District 158
Lindop School District 92
Marquardt School District 15
Matteson Elementary School District 162
North Palos School District 117
Park Forest School District 163
Rich Township High School District 227
Skokie School District 69
Skokie School District 73.5
South Holland School District 151
Thornton Fractional High School District 215
Thornton Township High School District 205
Tinley Park Community Consolidated School District 146
Willow Springs School District 108
Worth School District 127
Zion Elementary School District 6
To see each district's grant amount and required abatement amount, as well as more information on the Property Tax Relief Grant, go to the ISBE website.
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