Dozens of school districts around the state are scrambling to keep preschool programs intact — or to lay off staff — after learning their preschool funding was reduced or zeroed out.

Illinois lawmakers approved $50 million in additional money for preschool this year, so it was a shock to many of the programs to learn their funding was slashed.

With a deadline approaching to put a referendum question on the November ballot, Elmhurst Unit District 205 officials will survey the community one more time before deciding whether to seek a property tax increase to pay for tens of millions of dollars in building improvements.

School board members on Thursday voted to spend up to $22,500 to have a company conduct a telephone poll in mid-July. The results will be available in time for an Aug. 14 meeting, which is the last opportunity for board members to consider a fall referendum question.

Behind-the-scenes activities continue on long-sought projects in downtown Libertyville, but the ceremonial groundbreaking shovels aren’t being readied just yet.

Both the plan for Station Square featuring single-family homes, row houses and apartments for a former industrial site known as the Trimm property, and a renovation of the Metra station just to east are highly visible projects that have languished.