INTRODUCTION AND RESULTS

In anticipation of the need to accommodate the growing Unit 5 student population, UNICOM•ARC a communications company specializing in school district research, was engaged in October 2007 to conduct a telephone survey of Unit 5 residents. This independent company was chosen because of their significant experience with survey data collection. The survey group for our community was drawn from a random sample of registered voters in the Unit 5 School District. The purpose of the survey was to learn about public perceptions of and priorities for Unit 5, particularly with respect to a possible referendum on behalf of the District.

The survey had been independently funded by private citizens with a desire to obtain broader community perspectives concerning a potential Unit 5 School referendum. No Unit 5 funds were used to pay for any portion of the survey.

The results of the survey indicated a majority of those polled were in favor of Unit 5 moving forward with a referendum to fund building and operating expenses on the February 2008 ballot.

Results of the survey indicated that 60.8% of those surveyed were in favor of a proposed referendum by McLean County Unit District No. 5 that would build two elementary schools, one middle school, expand and renovate Sugar Creek Elementary School, and make renovations to eight other elementary schools. At the time of the survey an amount for this proposal had not been determined. For the purposes of this question an assumption was made that it would be between a $90-$100 million bond proposal.

Additionally 58.8% of those surveyed were in favor of a proposed referendum by the Unit 5 School District that would raise the District's tax rate by ten cents to fund operational expenses and address cash flow.

The survey results indicate a majority of those polled would support a referendum authorizing Unit 5 to build and fund schools needed to accommodate the increasing student population in the district.

Five hundred (500) interviews were completed, with a sample of this size yielding an overall error margin of ±4.4%. The PDF documents in the table to the right provide a summary of the questions and the survey results.

For additional information please contact Citizens for Unit 5 at 309.662.4333.

Citizens for Unit 5