D65 families call for $20M budget cut halt after financial error found

Key Points:

• Hundreds of parents and students from Evanston/Skokie School District 65 rallied before the Oct. 26 School Board meeting, urging a delay in the Nov. 9 vote to close Dewey and Lincolnwood Elementary schools and lay off over 200 staff amid budget concerns.
• Two parents discovered a $17 million error in the district’s budget that doubled projected building expenses over five years, but the district's CFO Eric Miller stated the funds are restricted and cannot prevent school closures.
• The district faces a $20 million budget cut requirement for 2028 to avoid depleting its fund balance by 2030, maintaining the necessity of proposed cuts despite the budget error.
• Community members expressed distrust in district leadership, citing rushed processes, lack of transparency, and past corruption linked to former Superintendent Devon Horton, with calls for independent financial reviews and greater community involvement.
• Board members acknowledged the need for transparency and proposed measures such as an independent evaluation of financial projections and forming a public finance committee, while the Board plans to proceed with the vote on Nov. 9, possibly holding a special meeting beforehand.