In less than two months, Evanston/Skokie School District 65 teacher Jennifer Moran may be out of a job. In less than two months, the district’s pre-kindergarten program for which Moran teaches may no longer exist.
“But for now, it’s all up in the air,” she said.
Moran was one of 29 D65 teachers who received a layoff notice from the district late last month, but she may not know for several months whether the decision is final. In the meantime, as the district awaits state funding decisions, it faces an estimated budget deficit for next year of up to $5.8 million. Along with parents and other teachers, Moran is lobbying state legislators in hopes of preventing more job cuts and possible program reductions.
“Unless public education reform happens, we’re looking at a very devastating landscape next year,” Moran said. “People have to get active in terms of making sure their voices are heard.”
That’s exactly what the legislative task force of D65/Evanston Township High School PTA Council hopes to facilitate.
The task force-composed of board members, administrators, teachers’ unions and community members-plans to release an action alert within the next few days that will recruit parents to contact state officials and ask for limited cuts in the district’s budget.
“The hope is that we come up with something clear enough and inspiring enough to get a whole number of parents to get on the phone and leave messages with state legislators,” said Bob Heuer, chair of the task force. “The main point is we would like to see our legislators be leaders and represent us.”
It is actions such as these, Heuer said, that can save both the district’s teachers and programs.
Moran, who teaches Spanish bilingual students in the district’s early childhood program, said the program is in danger of drastic reductions or complete elimination.
The program, which prepares non-native English speakers and other “at risk” children for kindergarten and beyond, may be reduced from serving 210 families in five classrooms to 80 families in two classrooms, Moran said.
Students who do not receive a pre-kindergarten education face disadvantages compared to their peers who do, she said.
“You have this academic gap that everyone worries about, and it’ll start to look like a Grand Canyon because many of those parents don’t have the resources to pay for early childhood education in a private setting,” Moran said.
Technology departments across the district may also shrink. Middle school lab managers, who provide technical support and programming to teachers and students, received termination notices as well. D65 parent Lesly Levitas sent an e-mail last week criticizing the district’s decision.
“I feel technology is such an important area, especially for children, and I know how important it is to have people with technological expertise,” she said. “I want the people and families of District 65 to be aware that (this decision) will affect our children and teachers’ ability to teach our kids.”
The district is looking to preserve as many programs as possible, said Mary Brown, chief financial officer.
“We’re looking at having some programs and services in a different way,” she said.Though the district may not know the exact funding it will receive until May or June, Brown said the teacher layoffs could provide flexibility for saving programs and services.
Moran is not sure about her plans for next year but will continue to lobby state legislators for now, she said.
“I can’t fault the district because they don’t really have a lot of choices,” Moran said. “I said the guillotine would be coming, and it was not surprising but very demoralizing. We really are in horrible financial shape.”[email protected]
