Not Enough Teacher Cuts In Hinsdale D86?

HINSDALE, IL – A Hinsdale High School District 86 board member said Thursday he would have liked a bigger proposed reduction in the teaching staff, given falling enrollment.

Earlier this month, the board asked administrators to sharpen their pencils with the staffing proposal, member Jeff Waters said at a board meeting.

"At first glance, they haven't been sharpened at all," he said.

Officials are recommending a teaching staff of 353 next year, down from 360 currently, about a 2 percent decrease.

If the teaching staff reflected the enrollment drop, it would be at 333 now, Waters said.

"My target at the last meeting was 340," Waters said, adding that he was concerned with the proposal.

Member Bobby Fischer said he had the same impression as Waters about the pencil sharpening. But he said he had a meeting with administrators, resulting in a better understanding of the proposal.

"This is a big one-year reduction," Fischer said. "One of the things that was explained to me is that it can be disruptive to do too much in one year."

He continued, "We all recognize that we have world-class teachers. If we dig too deep in one year, that's going to have an impact on that world-class teaching staff."

The board said it would decide on the teacher levels at an April 6 special meeting.

Since 2018, enrollment has fallen by 19 percent at Hinsdale South and 13 percent at Hinsdale Central.

In 2019, District 86 employed 371 teachers, according to a district memo. If the board enacts a teacher staffing level of 353, that would amount to a decrease of 5 percent since 2019.