Evanston, IL, September 10, 2025
News Summary
The Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board is exploring potential school closures due to significant budget deficits and declining student enrollment. Recent meetings addressed evaluation criteria for closures, maintenance challenges, and a new accountability framework. Community engagement meetings are scheduled for feedback on proposals, while decisions on closures are expected in the fall. The district faces $200 million in deferred maintenance, highlighting urgent financial challenges.
Evanston, IL – The Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board is grappling with a significant budget deficit and declining enrollment, leading to discussions of potentially closing schools. During a recent meeting that lasted over four hours, board members assessed closure criteria, performance metrics, and pressing maintenance issues impacting the district’s facilities.
Board President Sergio Hernandez underscored the gravity of the district’s Structural Deficit Reduction Plan, indicating that steps must be taken soon. While the board is set to vote on closures this fall, no specific schools have been singled out at this time. The next board meeting is scheduled for September 29 at the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center, where preliminary scenarios regarding potential school closures will be unveiled, although no formal votes will take place during that meeting.
To involve the community in this process, the board has organized four meetings between October 14 and October 16 to solicit public feedback on the proposed closures. This adjustment in the meeting schedule aims to accommodate parents and teachers following recent family-teacher conferences.
Assistant Superintendent Stacy Beardsley outlined a new approach to evaluating schools for potential closures using a scorecard system. This system assesses schools based on a number of factors including geographical location, equity among students, building functionality, potential income from closures, and associated costs. The board discussed the possibility of including between two and four schools in closure scenarios, with options remaining to include either none or just a single school.
Previously, middle and magnet schools were not considered for closures during public discussions. Decision-makers had voted in June 2024 to close the K-8 magnet school, Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies, towards the end of the current school year. The board also agreed to create a closure scorecard specifically for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Literary and Fine Arts School because of its specialized RISE program that serves students with disabilities.
The district must contend with an estimated $200 million in deferred maintenance across its facilities, with only $2 million allocated annually for maintenance costs, underscoring the need for urgent financial remediation. A capital bond referendum has been suggested to finance necessary repairs, although board members voiced concerns about approaching taxpayers for additional funding without previously demonstrating responsible budgeting.
Currently, District 65’s buildings operate at only 65% of their capacity, a figure likely to further decline to 58% as future school openings and planned closures are taken into account. Recent results from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test showed that just 54.6% of students met language arts standards, while only 42.1% met math expectations. This comes amid shifts in testing methods, as the district transitions from Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments to newer systems such as i-Ready for math and Renaissance STAR for literacy evaluations.
Furthermore, a new accountability framework is being introduced, which includes quarterly progress updates, a public interactive data dashboard, and various scorecards intended to track strategic goals set by the district. Additionally, proposed changes to transportation policies, such as the reduction of crossing guards and charging fees for magnet school busing, are slated for votes on September 29, although detailed discussions on these changes did not happen in the recent meeting.
This ongoing discourse surrounding potential school closures and maintenance challenges is a reflection of the financial difficulties faced by District 65, which has experienced a 20% loss in student population since 2018.
FAQ Section
What is the main reason for the potential school closures in District 65?
The school closures are being discussed primarily due to a significant budget deficit and declining student enrollment.
When will the school board vote on potential closures?
Votes on school closures are expected to take place in the fall of 2023, with the specific date yet to be confirmed.
What factors will be considered in deciding which schools to close?
A scorecard system will evaluate schools based on geography, equity, building functionality, potential income from closures, and associated costs.
What community engagement opportunities are available?
The board will hold four community meetings from October 14 to October 16 to gather public input on potential school closures.
How much deferred maintenance does the district face?
The district currently faces approximately $200 million in deferred maintenance needs.
Key Features of Potential School Closures
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Meeting Duration | Over four hours |
| Next Meeting Date | September 29, 2023 |
| Community Meetings | October 14-16, 2023 |
| Deferred Maintenance Funding Needs | $200 million |
| Capacity Usage | 65% currently, projected to decline to 58% |
| Illinois Assessment of Readiness Results | 54.6% language arts, 42.1% math |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
District 65 Weighs School Closures Due to Financial Strain
Vallejo City Considers School Closures Amid Budget Crisis
Evanston/Skokie School District 65 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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