During its Aug. 10 meeting, the District 88 Board of Education approved the placement of a referendum question on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot to address facility needs at Willowbrook and Addison Trail high schools.
The question requests permission to authorize the issuance of $118 million in referendum bonds, without a net tax rate increase. Facility improvements include safety and security upgrades and improvements to infrastructure, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and Career and Technical Education (CTE) spaces.
According to the district, the board “made this decision after reviewing a comprehensive facilities assessment that was completed by the district’s architectural firm, as well as engaging the community for a year to gather feedback and input from a variety of stakeholder groups.”
The district noted that if approved, the bond referendum would fund safety and security upgrades and improvements to infrastructure, ADA accessibility and CTE spaces at both facilities without a net tax rate increase. District 88 stated that this is possible because the district has existing referendum debt that will be paid off after levy year 2026, and because the proposal is limited to the highest-priority needs.
The question that will appear on the ballot this November asks:
“Shall the Board of Education of DuPage Community High School District Number 88, DuPage County, Illinois, improve the sites of, and alter, repair, and equip school buildings and facilities, including, but not limited to, installing safety and security improvements; increasing accessibility to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act; updating roofing, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems; renovating career and technical education (CTE) spaces; and installing energy-efficiency improvements; and issue bonds of said School District to the amount of $118,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?”
For more information about the bond referendum, visit www.dupage88.net/Proposal.
District 88 invites residents to attend upcoming public information meetings to learn more, ask questions, and tour the buildings. There will be an online meeting that starts at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28. Another meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at Willowbrook on Thursday, Oct. 8. One more meeting will start at 10 a.m. at Addison Trail on Saturday, Oct. 10.
