EVANSTON, IL — Evanston/Skokie School District 65 on Tuesday presented a broad plan to address its structural deficit, including about $20 million in reductions, more than 200 position cuts and the proposed closure of Dewey and Lincolnwood at the end of the 2026-27 school year.
The proposal was outlined at the School Board's Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday night. The School Board is expected to consider the plan and vote on Nov. 9.
Other parts of the plan include retaining Pre-School for All and early childhood special education programming while relinquishing Head Start and Early Head Start grants effective July 1, 2028. The district is also proposing to close its School Age Child Care program at the end of the 2026-27 school year. District officials said staff reductions would affect employees across the district, but there would be no full elimination of any school-based role, position category or program within the instructional day.
The plan also includes boundary changes affecting additional school communities if the board votes to begin public hearings on the proposed closures.
According to the proposal, the district would work with the community on a future vision for the schools, including exploring a potential bond referendum in November 2028 to support construction of two new or significantly renovated schools and investments in remaining facilities.
"I know that for many members of our community and our staff, what was shared tonight is incredibly difficult," Witherspoon said.
Several community members spoke during the meeting. Union representatives and educators pushed for staff stability and professional dignity during the restructuring, while some residents stressed the importance of preschool and childcare programs for working families. Several speakers also warned that closing neighborhood schools could lead to enrollment declines and disrupt school communities.
Kelly Farley of Thrive 65 said the district should be clear with residents about the long-term financial picture.
"I'm trying to be hopeful that this plan will allow the district and the board to prioritize our academic excellence and truly tackle the stagnant or widening opportunity gaps," Farley said. "By the district's own data, costs grow twice as fast as revenue, which means we'll likely be looking at cuts in way less than 10 years from now, and we're starting with thinner reserves than nearly every district in the state. I worry our community will feel confused and angry when we have to make more cuts if it's not abundantly clear what that runway looks like now."
District 65 closed two schools last school year—Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies and Kingsley Elementary School—as part of its response to the ongoing deficit. Although the District initially proposed closing three schools, after months of deliberation, it ultimately closed two. The newly proposed plan would bring the total number of school closures to four.
This school year, the district opened the new Foster School.
"There are no easy choices in front of us. But I believe there is a bright future for District 65 on the other side of these difficult decisions. Getting there will require care, courage, trust in one another, and a willingness to look beyond this moment toward what we can create for our students together," Witherspoon said. "Our children deserve a District 65 that is not simply surviving from one financial year to the next but one that has the stability and capacity to invest in them for generations to come. That is the future this plan is intended to help us build."
The School Board is expected to consider the proposal and vote on November 9.
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