News Summary
The Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board met to discuss a significant budget deficit and declining enrollment, which may lead to school closures. As part of a financial strategy, the board plans to vote on potential closures in the fall while gathering community feedback through public meetings. The district is struggling with maintenance costs and underutilization of facilities, prompting urgent discussions on resource allocation and academic performance metrics. With enrollment down 20% since 2018, the board is prioritizing community input for sustainable education.
Evanston, IL – The Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board convened for over four hours to address the potential closing of schools amid a significant budget deficit and declining enrollment. The discussions highlighted the district’s serious fiscal situation, which has prompted the board to develop a Structural Deficit Reduction Plan aimed at managing its financial challenges effectively.
As part of the upcoming decision-making process, the board is expected to vote on school closures in the fall, although specific schools slated for closure have not yet been identified. The next board meeting will take place on September 29 at the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center, where preliminary scenarios for school closures will be presented. However, no official votes are planned for that meeting.
To ensure community voices are heard in this sensitive matter, the board adjusted its meeting schedule to provide opportunities for public feedback, following family-teacher conferences. Additionally, four community meetings are set to occur from October 14 to October 16 to gather input from parents and residents regarding the potential closures.
Evaluation Process for School Closures
Assistant Superintendent Stacy Beardsley explained the process through which the school closure scenario scorecards will function. These scorecards will evaluate schools based on critical criteria, including geography, equity considerations, building functionality, potential income from closures, and associated costs. The board is contemplating including two to four schools in closure scenarios, although some options may still reflect zero or one closure.
The proposals have led to discussions about the inclusion of middle and magnet schools—previously ruled out in public discussions—raising further awareness around the community’s educational options. In June 2024, the district voted to close the K-8 magnet Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies at the end of the current school year, demonstrating that school closures are already a pressing issue for the district.
Maintenance and Capacity Challenges
Adding to the district’s challenges, there is an estimated $200 million in deferred maintenance costs across its buildings, with only $2 million allocated for annual maintenance. Board members have suggested a capital bond referendum to address these repairs; however, they noted concerns about asking taxpayers for additional funding without showing responsible financial stewardship.
Currently, District 65 is facing a significant underutilization of its facilities, averaging only 65% capacity usage, which could further diminish to approximately 58% with anticipated future school closures and planned openings. This highlights the urgent need to reassess how resources are allocated within the district.
Academic Performance Metrics
The meeting also covered test scores from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). Preliminary results revealed that 54.6% of students met language arts standards while only 42.1% met math expectations. However, new cut-off scores indicate that proficiency levels stand at 64.1% for language arts and 52.7% for math. The district is shifting from the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test to the i-Ready assessment for math and the Renaissance STAR for literacy, reflecting a broader shift in their academic evaluation framework.
A new accountability framework is set to be introduced, which will include quarterly progress updates, an interactive public data dashboard, and various scorecards to monitor the district’s strategic goals. Additionally, there have been proposed changes to transportation policies, such as reducing the number of crossing guards and implementing fee-based busing for magnet schools, although these proposals were not examined in detail during the current meeting. Votes on these policy changes are also scheduled for the September 29 meeting.
The ongoing conversation about school closures and maintenance issues in District 65 illustrates the district’s substantial fiscal challenges, having experienced a 20% decline in student enrollment since 2018. As the board prepares for future votes, the focus remains on gathering community input and ensuring the long-term sustainability of education within the district.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
District 65 Faces Potential School Closures Amid Budget Deficits
Vallejo Schools Face Closure Amid Financial Challenges
Evanston/Skokie School District Considers School Closures
Additional Resources
- Evanston Round Table: District 65 School Closures and Deferred Maintenance
- Evanston Now: Board Leaning Towards at Least Two School Closings
- ABC 7 Chicago: District 65 Students Head Back Monday
- Chicago Tribune: Evanston Skokie D65 May Close Four Schools
- Evanston Round Table: Potential School Closures in District 65
- Google Search: Evanston school closures
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