News Summary
The Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board has initiated discussions on potential school closures due to significant budget deficits and a drop in student enrollment. With a critical Structural Deficit Reduction Plan in place, decisions regarding which schools to close are expected to be made in the fall. The board has planned community meetings to gather public input, while infrastructure challenges and academic performance metrics also remain pivotal topics in upcoming meetings.
Evanston, IL – The Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board held a lengthy meeting addressing the potential closure of schools amid significant budget deficits and declining student enrollment. Over four hours of discussions led to an acknowledgment from Board President Sergio Hernandez regarding the critical nature of the district’s Structural Deficit Reduction Plan. Decisions regarding school closures are expected in the fall, although specific buildings have yet to be identified.
The next meeting is scheduled for September 29 at the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center. This session will focus on preliminary scenarios for potential school closures. However, no official votes on closures will take place at this time. The board arranged this meeting schedule to accommodate community feedback and ensure it occurred after family-teacher conferences.
Community Engagement and Feedback
In an effort to gather public input, the district plans to conduct four community meetings between October 14 and October 16. These meetings aim to engage the community in discussions surrounding the anticipated school closures.
Closure Criteria and Evaluation
During the meeting, Assistant Superintendent Stacy Beardsley presented a framework for evaluating schools based on several factors. The closure scenario scorecards will assess schools in terms of geography, equity, building functionality, potential income from closures, and associated costs. Board members deliberated on the number of schools to consider for potential closures, focusing on two to four, while some scenarios proposed zero or one closure.
Debate arose regarding possibly including middle or magnet schools in these scenarios, despite prior indications that middle schools would be excluded from discussions. Earlier 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.
Infrastructure Challenges
Another significant issue facing the district is its financial burden of approximately $200 million in deferred maintenance on school buildings. Currently, the district allocates only $2 million a year for maintenance costs. A capital bond referendum was suggested to address these repairs, although board members expressed reluctance to request further funding from taxpayers without demonstrating responsible budget management.
Currently, District 65 operates with only 65% capacity utilization in its buildings, which may decline to 58% as future openings and planned closures take place. This decline correlates with the district’s loss of 20% of its student population since 2018, exacerbating financial strain.
Academic Performance and Assessment Changes
Alongside the potential school closures, academic performance remains a focal point. Preliminary results from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test showed that 54.6% of students met language arts standards and 42.1% met math expectations. However, new cut-off scores adjust these figures to indicate proficiency rates of only 64.1% in language arts and 52.7% in math.
In response to evolving educational needs, the district is transitioning from the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test to the i-Ready assessment for math and Renaissance STAR for literacy evaluations. A new accountability framework will soon be introduced, which will include quarterly performance updates, a public interactive data dashboard, and various scorecards to monitor district strategic goals.
Upcoming Policy Discussions
While the meeting did not delve deeply into proposed policy changes regarding transportation—such as reductions in crossing guards and the implementation of fee-based magnet school busing—votes on these policies are anticipated for September 29.
The discussions surrounding school closures, maintenance challenges, and academic performance illustrate the ongoing fiscal difficulties faced by Evanston/Skokie District 65 as it navigates declining enrollment and budget deficits.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Vallejo School District Faces Potential Closures Amid Financial Struggles
Vermont Commission Emphasizes Community Involvement in School Closures
Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School Closure Continues
Safety Concerns Addressed for New Elkhorn Elementary Schools
Evanston District 65 Faces Financial Crisis and School Closures
Vallejo School District Considers School Closures Amid Challenges
Evanston 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
Author: STAFF HERE CLEVELAND WRITER
CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER The CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER represents the seasoned team at HERECleveland.com, your premier source for actionable local news and information in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and beyond, delivering "news you can use" with in-depth coverage of product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news impacting the region—backed by years of expert reporting and robust community input, including local press releases and business updates, while providing top reporting on high-profile events like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Cleveland International Film Festival, and holiday parades, alongside key organizations such as the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Orchestra, and Great Lakes Science Center, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and healthcare like Sherwin-Williams and University Hospitals, and as part of the broader HERE network including HEREDayton.com, offering comprehensive, credible insights into Ohio's vibrant landscape. HERE Cleveland HERE Dayton
