PTA, D34 to Post New Survey on Budget Realignment This Week

After being deluged with comments on its draft plan to cut and realign the budget, officials say they still want more input.

An online “community values survey” will be posted online this week and promoted by the district and its various PTAs to clarify hundreds of comments that have already been made. , including cuts to administration.

Get the Glenview scoop delievered for free to your inbox daily: Sign up for the Patch newsletter here!

“We want to take a step back from the specifics,” district spokesperson Brett Clark said, and get a handle on what broad brush direction parents support.

According to a draft, the survey asks respondents to agree or disagree with statements like:

“We want the quality of our children’s educational experience to be at least on par with other District 225 (Glenbrook South and Glenbrook North) feeder districts.”

Another draft value statement: “We want to be confident that our administrative support level, benefits, and compensation are in line with comparable districts.”

At a meeting last week to discuss the survey with PTA officials, school board president Chris Northwick said comments to date have included pushback along the lines of,  “I don’t want drama reduced.”

With limited resources available to the district for planned educational initiatives, Northwick said she wonders what that same parent would think about their child being exposed to drama in a different way that frees up resources to provide differentiated education in math.

Deputy Superintendent Mike Nicholson made a similar comment at the meeting, about the unpopularity of a proposal to cut 20 librarians and technology facilitators, which he said was suggested to free up money to hire learning coaches in the service of differentiated education.

“We have to untether these resources,” Nicholson said. “We can’t just keep adding resources.”

The idea of resource reallocation doesn't seem to be getting through, just the thought of cuts, Northwick said.

According to the district’s timeline, the board will discuss the budget at its March 19 meeting and get revised recommendations April 9, with a final vote set for April 16.

Stay up-to-date on the latest Glenview news: Like us on Facebook!