Dupage Policy Journal

Community Consolidated School District 89 recently issued the following announcement.

Community Consolidated School District 89 will host three Community Engagement meetings in June to share financial information with residents and gather feedback that will guide the district’s next steps.

All the meetings are open to anyone in the community who is interested in being part of this important conversation. The meetings will kick off the “Our 89” community engagement campaign that will help the district better understand what residents value in their schools. You can learn more about the “Our 89” work at www.ccsd89.org/our89

The meetings will be held:

• 7 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, June 5
  • Topics: Sharing information, community conversation
• 7 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, June 19
  • Topics: Options, discussion, feedback
• 9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, June 23
  • Topics: Options discussion, feedback

“We believe that our schools are our community,” said CCSD 89 Superintendent Dr. Emily K. Tammaru. “The work in our classrooms, and the health of our school system, has a direct impact on every resident of the district. So we invite everyone to attend these meetings and make their voice heard.”

All meetings will be held in Spartan Hall (the cafeteria) of Glen Crest Middle School, 725 Sheehan Avenue, Glen Ellyn. While residents are invited to attend all meetings, the June 19 and June 23 meetings will cover similar topics.

Residents are encouraged, but not required, to RSVP for the meetings by phone at (630) 545-3581, via email at info@ccsd89.org, via the website at bit.ly/our89. The RSVPs will help the district plan for the layout of the room.

Finance Committee work

In January 2018, CCSD 89 Superintendent Dr. Emily K. Tammaru convened a Superintendent’s Finance Committee to examine the district’s financial status and priorities. The committee was composed of community members, parents, and CCSD 89 staff.

During three months of meetings, the committee analyzed the district’s financial position and planning, reviewed past cost-saving measures, and gave feedback on the community priorities. The committee looked at the nearly $3 million in cuts the district has made since 2009, and examined how rising enrollment and increasing costs have created deficit budgets for the district.

Committee members examined several cost-saving options and reviewed their own values and priorities for the five schools in CCSD 89. You can see documents related to all of the Finance Committee’s work at www.ccsd89.org/financecommittee

The committee members determined that the district has made significant efforts over the last nine years to cut expenditures without directly affecting services to students. The district was able to weather some of those cuts because the district experienced a dip in enrollment from 2006 to 2012.

However, the district’s enrollment has grown by more than 16 percent since 2012, and is expected to grow an additional 13 percent the next four years. At the same time, costs – particularly for contractual obligations such as transportation and insurance – have continued to increase.

In March, committee members presented their work to the Board of Education, including the committee’s conclusion that the district cannot continue to deficit spend because that action would have a negative long-term impact on the district’s financial health.

The committee recommended two possible paths for the Board:

• Option A: Increase revenues in order to maintain comprehensive, high-quality educational programming. CCSD 89 has not had an educational-rate increase since 1986. Increasing revenues would allow the district to avoid cuts to programs that directly impact students.
• Option B: Reduce programs and increase fees. The district would need to make about $1.2 million in cuts during the 2019-20 school year. These cuts could include reductions of: gifted services, band and orchestra, social work services, library staff, and full-day kindergarten. The cuts could also result in larger class sizes. The cuts could be more significant in subsequent years.

At the March meeting, the members of the Board of Education agreed that the district cannot continue to deficit spend. The Board of Education members asked the committee to begin a process of community engagement, including the three community meetings.

In March, most members of the Finance Committee agreed to stay on for the expanded Superintendent’s Community Engagement Committee. You can learn about the Community Engagement Committee work at www.ccsd89.org/communityengagement

After gathering feedback from residents, the Board of Education is expected to make a decision on the next steps at the August 20 board meeting.

Community meeting structure

At the June 5 “Our 89” community meeting, residents will hear a presentation about the district’s financial status and history. Residents will then break into small groups to discuss their priorities for the school district, and there will be opportunities to ask questions.

At the June 19 and June 23 “Our 89” community meetings, there will be opportunities to discuss various options the district can pursue, and provide feedback to the committee members.

Both the June 19 and June 23 meetings will cover similar topics built on the content shared at the June 5 meeting. The district scheduled the June 19 and June 23 meetings at different times and days of the week to accommodate more schedules. Residents are welcome to attend any and all of the meetings.

Original source can be found here.

Source: Community Consolidated School District 89