Failed 112 Referendum Could Mean Staff Cuts, Increased Class Sizes

The impact of a potential failed attempt by North Shore School District 112 officials to consolidate schools could weigh heavily on the district for years to come.

School Superintendent Dr. Michael Bregy outlined the possible effects should a referendum on consolidation be voted down at a recent school board meeting.

The Daily North Shore reports increased class size and staff cuts could be the result.

“If salaries make up 75 percent or 80 percent of our total budget, the first place to look would be increasing class size,” Bregy said. “We have relatively low class sizes and we pride ourselves on that. We don’t want to change those guidelines, but when you ask, ‘What would we do if we can’t sustain ourselves in five to seven years,’ it would be increasing class size. That would probably be the first area to get the biggest bang for our buck.”

Class sizes for kindergarten through third graders would increase from 23 to 26 a class, for fourth and fifth graders from 25 to 28 and for middle school students from 28 to 30 or even more.

Other possibilities outlined by the DNS include not having enough space for full-day kindergarten, cutbacks on art and music programs and re-evaluating programs such as special education.

District staff are in the midst of moving forward with a plan for district reconfiguration that would include reducing the number of total schools from 12 to seven and middle schools from three to one. 

more via the Daily North Shore