The High School District 214 Board of Education voted Aug. 6 to place a $295 million bond question on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.
The question asks voters whether to authorize bonds to address foundational needs across the District’s seven campuses, which range from 53 to nearly 70 years old. The work falls into four categories: safety and security, infrastructure, mechanical systems, and prioritized instructional spaces. Every school would see work in every category.
Safety and security work includes fire alarm system replacement, doors and secure card access, elevator replacement, and stadium and gymnasium bleacher safety and accessibility compliance. Infrastructure covers roofs, windows and pavement. Mechanical systems include heating, ventilation and air conditioning, boilers, electrical systems and plumbing, many of them original to the buildings. Instructional space work addresses safety and accessibility conditions in rooms such as science labs and theaters.
In 2022, District 214 began a full assessment of its buildings. Independent engineering and architectural firms examined every campus, tagged major assets and documented the life expectancy of each major system.
Those assessments, along with the project list shared with the community for input across three phases of engagement, totaled more than $800 million. In response to feedback about affordability and timing, the Board scaled the proposal back twice, narrowing the scope by nearly two-thirds. Projects not included in the referendum may be addressed through District funds and facility planning in the coming years.
The seven campuses opened between 1957 and 1973: Prospect in 1957, Forest View Educational Center in 1962, Wheeling in 1964, Elk Grove in 1966, John Hersey in 1968, Rolling Meadows in 1971 and Buffalo Grove in 1973. District 214 last asked voters to approve a bond referendum in 1971, when voters approved the bonds that established Buffalo Grove High School.
Since 1985, the District’s Capital Projects Program has funded annual, prioritized projects to repair, replace and modernize systems in every school. Over the past decade, the District has funded nearly $200 million in facility work through the program within its existing resources. District 214 holds an Aa1 bond rating and a 4.0 ISBE Financial Profile Score, the state’s highest financial designation.
In 2014, a Capital Projects Feasibility Task Force gathered community input through listening sessions and written comments to prioritize potential projects, which included the natatorium at Prospect High School among other projects, and the Board of Education approved a capital plan built on the task force recommendations.
“Our buildings have been maintained carefully for decades, and maintenance can extend the life of a system but cannot make it permanent,” Superintendent Dr. Scott Rowe said. “The community asked us to focus on what matters most and to respect what households can afford. That is what the Board placed on the ballot, and the decision now belongs to the voters.”
Between now and Election Day, the District’s role is education and information. The District does not urge any vote. Additional information about what the question asks, what the funds would address, estimated household cost, and voter information will be available soon. Residents may submit questions to info@d214.org.
The ballot question:
Shall the Board of Education of Township High School District Number 214, Cook County, Illinois, alter, repair and equip school buildings and facilities, including replacing fire safety and emergency response systems and equipment, installing secure doors and hardware, constructing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant stadium and gymnasium bleachers and other ADA accessibility compliance improvements, removing asbestos, repairing and replacing roofs, windows and electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems and renovating instructional spaces, including science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) classrooms, improve school sites and issue its bonds to the amount of $295,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?