D65 union OK’d concessions to save jobs

The District 65 school board has approved a contract extension with the union representing workers in the School Age Child Care Program (SACC), which had been slated to be cut as part of the comprehensive fiscal stability plan. Ending before and after school care would have meant eliminating 21 positions. The three-year extension, which kicks in when the current contract expires next summer, was unanimously approved by the board of education on Monday night. Natalie Copper, president of the union, the Evanston Association of Child Care Professionals, confirmed to Evanston Now that the contract extension includes concessions by the workers. Copper thanked the school board for preserving SACC, a program which was vociferously defended by working parents who drop their kids off in the morning and pick them up at the end of the day. About 350 children participate district-wide. “This is more than just before and after school care,” Copper said. “It’s a place where children feel safe and supported, and it’s an essential part of our families’ lives.” Specific terms of the contact have not yet been made public. Evanston Now has requested a copy. So at this point it’s unclear if all of the 21 positions will be saved, if there will be any layoffs, and/or any give-backs in pay or benefits. It’s also not yet revealed if the union’s concessions will make up for the $400,000 in annual savings which the district had projected from eliminating SACC. In its original effort to cut the program, district administrators said SACC would need a 35% fee increase just to break even, making it uncompetitive with private alternatives. Now that SACC is staying, another question becomes will the price go up, or will the union concessions be enough to keep the fees as they are now. The cost is $504 per month for using AM and PM sessions. There are discounts based on family income. While SACC is no longer being sacked, the administration is still looking to cut the early childhood Head Start program in mid-2028. While no one disputes Head Start’s value, with D65 looking to cut $20 million, district leadership says the school system needs to concentrate on core programs for grades K-8, and Head Start doesn’t fit. The intent and assumption is that another agency will take over what D65 is running now, but even if that happens, it’s unknown now whether a new operator will hire all of the same people, or if it will have a union. The same union which represents D65 SACC employees also includes Head Start and Early Head Start workers, which the administration currently shows as a nearly 70-person staffing reduction. Before Monday’s board meeting, about 100 people rallied outside the JEH Center, urging the district to keep Head Start. Uncertainty seems to be the rule. Kelly Post, head of the DEC teachers union (which also faces potential job cuts), told the board on Monday that even if the news is bad, “it’s time to make a decision. We can’t do another year of uncertainty. It’s like the Hunger Games all over again.” Post said “we are all bracing for the worst. This is bringing out the worst in our district-wide community.” Post said the teachers need to be able to plan for whatever comes next, and how it will impact their jobs and their lives. Some answers may come Monday, when the school board is expected to vote on the $20 million budget reduction and school-closing proposal. Related