For the tenth year in a row, District 196 has received the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) from the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International. 

 “The district’s budget books aim to provide our district community the roadmap through our budgeting process that breaks down the complex world of school finance into more easily understandable sections. The progressively detailed layout allows us to share the district’s financial story in a variety of ways to help maintain transparency and trust with our communities," said District 196 Finance Coordinator Danny DuChene.

The Meritorious Budget Award program promotes and recognizes excellence in school budget presentation. The award is conferred only on school districts meeting or exceeding the program criteria following a rigorous review by professional auditors. This year’s award is for the 2024-25 fiscal year budget. 

All budget documents for the current fiscal year and nine previous years are available on the Finance Department page at District196.org. These include the annual certified property tax levy, preliminary budget, final budget, capital expenditure budget and the annual comprehensive financial report for each fiscal year.