ROSSVILLE -- Six years ago, Rossville-Alvin school district voters approved a ballot proposal to deactivate the high school and send students to Bismarck-Henning or Hoopeston Area high schools.

When they go to the polls Tuesday, they can weigh in on whether their school should be reopened.

Days before Election Day, some residents said they were still torn.

"I think it would be great for the community if we had our own high school," said Mildred Williams of Rossville. "But we have to make sure it's best for the kids."

Others already have decided.

"A yes vote just means the board can investigate it more thoroughly. It doesn't mean it will happen," said Rick White, a rural Rossville resident and referendum supporter. He added he would want the board to reopen on the condition that "the money is there and we can give our kids a quality education."

School board President Darren Duncan said the referendum is nonbinding, meaning its passage wouldn't obligate the board to reopen the school even if a majority were in favor.

"The board didn't want to stir things up needlessly," he said. "But we have to weigh a lot of options for our district, and reactivation seems to be one that has the most interest from people. This is a way to gauge whether the community is in favor of it."

If it passes, board members would examine reactivation in depth and nail down more accurate costs. Members wouldn't take that step unless it's financially feasible and the school could deliver a quality education, Duncan said, adding "we do not feel like a tax increase is possible."

If it fails, the board won't pursue the matter. But "the status quo isn't beneficial to the district financially," Duncan said, adding it will have to explore another option such as remaining deactivated and sending students to one of the neighboring schools, not both, or merging with another district.

For years, the district struggled with declining enrollment and state aid, which put it under financial strain. After studying various types of mergers with nearby districts, the board settled on deactivation as its best option. Voters passed a ballot proposal to deactivate by a 761 to 419 margin in 2005, and the school closed in 2006.

Over the last few years, leaders have cut costs, erased a $213,767 education fund deficit and boosted the ending-fund balance. But they fear the cost of tuition, transportation and operating two buildings, one of which is only partially used, coupled with the uncertainty of state funding, could send the budget back in the red unless something is done.

The board began discussing options when faced with a tuition increase in 2009. It approved another two-year deactivation agreement after negotiating a 5 percent discount, but it won't be so lucky this time, Duncan said.

He said the district is facing about a 10 percent increase. Next year's tuition is projected to jump from about $6,935 per student ($783,657 in total) to $7,603 per student ($821,165 in total). Factor in transportation, the cost of maintaining the high school that houses the cafeteria for the grade school across the street, the CARE preschool program and a private day care, and that could easily total $1 million or so.

Duncan said the board explored moving K-8 programs to the high school, building a cafeteria onto the grade school, turning off utilities in the high school or selling it, but deemed those ideas as too expensive or risky.

The board hired consultants to do a reactivation feasibility study. The consultants, both Eastern Illinois University professors, projected that high school enrollment would dip slightly in the next few years then stabilize. They also outlined a possible curriculum that would meet Illinois graduation requirements and University of Illinois admission requirements and address vocational, special education and other needs.

They estimated the first-year reopening costs at about $1 million about what the district may have to pay with a tuition increase and keeping the second building open, Duncan pointed out. He believes operating costs over the next few years wouldn't be as much because textbooks, technology and equipment that were factored in wouldn't be purchased every year.

Some residents are concerned about the cost. They also wonder whether the curriculum would give students the course options they have now, from honors classes and electives to marching band, show choir and athletics.

"Are we going to provide that? If so, can we afford it?" said Cammy Hufford of Rossville, who believes forcing the students to return to a school with fewer options wouldn't be in their best interest.

Others said residents can't afford to let the ballot proposal fail, or else the board could be forced to study other options such as a co-oping, consolidation or annexation that may be more expensive and less palatable to residents.

White hopes people take the time to research the facts before they vote.

"No matter what happens, it's going to affect the town," he said.

Here is the text of the ballot question:

"Shall the Board of Education of Rossville-Alvin Community Unit School District No. 7 be authorized to reactivate the Rossville-Alvin High School facility and to discontinue sending pupils of Rossville-Alvin Community Unit School District No. 7 to Hoopeston Area Community Unit School District No. 11 and Bismarck-Henning Community Unit School District No. 1?"