D65 delays budget cut/school closing vote

The District 65 school board will not decide Monday whether to cut $20 million from the budget, and will also postpone starting the process to close two schools. The board had scheduled action Monday on the comprehensive budget reduction plan, as well as voting to schedule required public hearings on shutting Dewey and Lincolnwood Elementary Schools. However, in a message to the community, Board President Nichole Pinkard, Vice-President Chris Van Nostrand, and Interim Superintendent Eric Witherspoon said, “given the significance of the decisions ahead, board leadership and district administration believe it is important to allow additional time for discussion and consideration of the proposed financial stability plan.” That discussion will continue Monday, “with a vote anticipated on Nov. 16 regarding whether to commence the public hearing process for possible school closings.” The district message also contains another proposed revision of school boundary lines . The school leaders also thanked a citizens group, the Legion of Data Nerds, for their “thoughtful work” about school attendance areas. The “Nerds” have been a regular fixture during the public comment portion of recent school board meetings. The new boundaries do not retain Dewey and Lincolnwood, as they are still in the proposed-for-shutdown category. The D65 announcement comes just two days after the district’s lawyer told a group of Dewey parents that the scheduled vote would NOT be delayed, because the parents’ request for postponement was “premature.” The parents, who are also attorneys, had requested a delay, saying D65 was about to violate a number of rules as well as the state school code by moving forward now. They had threated to sue the district if the November 9 decision was not postponed. Interim superintendent Eric Witherspoon had presented the long-term fiscal stability plan, saying that the financially troubled district could no longer go from year to year with a series of stopgap reductions and expect to stay financially sound. However, the district’s math was questioned by some parents, who discovered a $17 million error, which the district later said was actually $27.35 million over five years. While the district said in theory, that particular money could be used for operations, the administration said it should instead go into reserves (cash in the bank,) and much-needed capital improvements. That may still turn out to happen, but “Mathgate” has given critics of the budget cuts and potential school closings some ammunition. Josh Stern, one of the parents/attorneys who requested the delay, said the group will likely comment, although not necessarily right away. Stern said they are simply dealing with whatever D65 may or may not do. “They drive the ship. We just respond.” In an email to a parent, Board VP Van Nostrand summed up the challenges of this entire process. “I have at times struggled with managing my emotions during this period of uncertainty. I entered into process with a ‘trust but verify’ approach, but the latter has obviously proven difficult. We’re delaying the Nov. 9 vote so we can step back for at least a week to try to re-assess the information the board has been provided.” Related