The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 faced tough choices Monday night when reviewing eight possible annual goals for 2004-05.

Superintendent Hardy Ray Murphy cautioned the board against having many goals covering a broad area.

“We’ve got eight goals that are all district-wide,” Murphy said. “Each one requires mobilization and having all of them as goals requires more than just mobilization.”

The eight goals up for discussion included meeting the requirements set by the No Child Left Behind Act, creating a budget that would provide long-term financial stability and improving reading levels for primary-grade students.

Since its last meeting, the board added improvement of middle school social atmosphere, parent-district communication, parental involvement in schoolwork, enrichment programs and minority student achievement to the list.

Board members each listed their top three priorities. The board unanimously supported the improvement of middle school culture, and the majority of board members also supported keeping reading improvement of primary-grade students and creating a budget that supported long-term financial stability on the list.

But board members Jonathan Baum and Julie Chernoff said that explicitly stating the No Child requirements is redundant because improving student achievement, parental involvement and middle school culture contribute to meeting No Child standards anyway.

Murphy said the administration still will work on the eight listed problem areas but that only several of those items will become explicitly stated goals for next year.

“We’ve moved into an era of accountability that is consequential,” Murphy said. “I suggest we keep that in mind as we choose our goals.”