News Summary
The Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board held a four-hour meeting to address severe budget issues, including the potential closure of schools due to declining enrollment and financial deficits. The discussions focused on the criteria for closures, maintenance challenges, and academic performance metrics. Community meetings are planned to gather public input on the situation, with preliminary scenarios regarding school closures to be shared in September. The board is under pressure to make decisions that will significantly impact the students and the community.
Evanston, IL – The Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board recently convened for an extensive four-hour meeting to deliberate on severe budgetary challenges and the possible closure of school buildings due to a structural deficit and declining enrollment. The discussions highlighted the district’s financial plan aimed at reducing a significant deficit while considering the impacts on students and the community.
Board President Sergio Hernandez acknowledged the gravity of the situation, which necessitates careful examination of school closure criteria and other pressing issues such as maintenance and test score performance. While no specific schools have been identified for potential closure, a final decision is expected in the fall.
The board’s forthcoming meeting is scheduled for September 29 at the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center. During this session, preliminary scenarios regarding school closures will be shared with the community, although no formal votes will take place at that time. The alteration of the meeting schedule was made strategically to facilitate community input following family-teacher conferences.
Community Engagement and Input
In an effort to incorporate public opinion into the decision-making process, four community meetings are slated for October 14 to October 16. These meetings will focus on gathering input from residents regarding the potential closures, allowing families an avenue to voice their concerns and perspectives.
School Closure Criteria
During the meeting, Assistant Superintendent Stacy Beardsley introduced the school closure scenario scorecards, which will analyze schools based on various criteria, including geography, equity, building functionality, potential income from closures, and estimated costs. The board is currently contemplating the number of schools to include in these scenarios, leaning towards evaluating two to four closures, although some options still suggest maintaining the status quo with zero or one closure.
Impact on Marginalized Schools
Throughout the discussions, there was some debate about potentially including middle or magnet schools in closure scenarios. Historically, middle schools had been considered off the table in previous talks. Additionally, the board had previously voted to close the K-8 magnet Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies by the end of the current school year, which contributes to the urgency of their deliberations. A consideration was reached to analyze the closure scorecard for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Literary and Fine Arts School, which operates a RISE program serving students with disabilities.
Maintenance and Capacity Challenges
The board’s discussions were further complicated by the district’s substantial maintenance issues. District 65 is currently facing an estimated $200 million in deferred maintenance costs, with only $2 million allocated annually for upkeep. To address these critical repairs, a capital bond referendum has been proposed; however, members expressed hesitation regarding the request for increased funding from taxpayers without prior evidence of responsible financial management.
As capacity concerns mount, the district’s facilities are averaging only 65% utilization, which is projected to decline to approximately 58% with future school openings and potential closures. This falling usage of school facilities raises additional questions about the sustainability of the district’s operational model.
Academic Performance and Assessment Changes
In conjunction with financial and operational discussions, the board examined recent academic performance metrics. The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test results revealed that only 54.6% of students met language arts standards and 42.1% met math expectations. Yet, new cut-off scores indicate that 64.1% and 52.7% of students are now performing at proficient levels, respectively. To adapt to changing educational needs, the district will transition away from the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test to i-Ready for math evaluations and Renaissance STAR for literacy assessments.
Finally, a new accountability framework is on the horizon to include regular updates, an interactive public data dashboard, and various scorecards to track the district’s strategic goals moving forward. Votes concerning transportation policies, such as reduced funding for crossing guards and fee-based magnet school busing, are also anticipated during the September 29 meeting, signalling a comprehensive overhaul of the district’s operational strategies in response to current constraints and challenges.
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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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