Evanston District 65 Revises Budget Error To $27.35M As Parents Seek Answers

EVANSTON, IL — Evanston/Skokie School District 65 has revised its financial projections again, raising the estimated budgeting error disclosed last month from $17 million to $27.35 million, according to slides administrators showed parents last week.

The updated figure comes as the school board prepares to vote Nov. 9 on a plan first revealed Oct. 13 to cut millions from the budget by fiscal year 2028. That plan includes closing Dewey and Lincolnwood elementary schools and cutting some non-mandated programs. On Thursday, the district announced that one program previously in jeopardy, the school-age childcare program, would be spared.

The $27.35 million error involved a capital double-count over five years. The same slides sent to parents also identified two other issues. The district left out the $3.2 million annual payment for Foster School's lease certificates from this year's budget and its five-year projections, and it reduced its estimate of savings from closing Dewey and Lincolnwood from $2.9 million to about $2.3 million, according to parents.

"The errors that have been discovered by local parents are unacceptable and we demand a thorough explanation on Monday. These kinds of errors further break public trust in a moment when we cannot afford any more community unrest,” community group Thrive 65 said.

istrict officials said the correction improves the district's financial outlook, but the source also states they emphasized that the situation remains serious.

The district's financial projections were part of the board's rationale for the cost-cutting plan now headed for a vote. Some parents have urged the board to postpone its vote on the plan in light of the multiple errors.