The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board discussed hiring law firm Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson to pursue former Superintendent Devon Horton for more than $7,500 in unpaid amounts owed under his employment agreement at its Monday night meeting.
According to Board President Patricia S. Anderson, Horton defaulted under his employment agreement — which had a $25,000 early departure penalty that he triggered upon his exit in 2023 — and the board is seeking all remaining amounts owed under his contract. Horton previously agreed to make monthly payments on this amount.
Anderson said the amount the district is pursuing includes penalties and other interest amounts “due to his late and non-payments.”
“At this time, this engagement is unrelated to any amount that Dr. Horton may eventually owe the district pursuant to his federal criminal indictment,” Anderson said. “The board is relying on the federal government to pursue those amounts on behalf of the district.”
In September, Horton was indicted on 17 counts of embezzlement, wire fraud and tax fraud for an alleged kickback scheme while he was superintendent of District 65. He pleaded not guilty to every count, and his case has a status hearing scheduled for Feb. 4.
Specializing in collections, Linebarger also assists Chicago Public Schools with such efforts, according to Anderson. The firm will only be compensated if it secures the collection, she added.
Anderson said Horton would have to pay any attorney fees related to collection and that the board may separately consider civil claims it has against Horton.
Board member Maria Opdycke added that she was “conflicted” about spending the board’s energy and money “chasing” Horton because of the low likelihood that they would be able to collect anything.
“I want us to be focusing on forward movement and progress in our district,” Opdycke said. “On the other hand, I recognize that this is a very low-cost initiative to us, and there is a part of me that really likes the idea that his phone is ringing multiple times a day, reminding him about us.”
Ultimately, the board did not decide before moving on.
Empty seat looms over school closures deadlock
Following former board member Omar Salem’s Nov. 4 resignation, the board has been a six-member body.
The board has until Jan. 3 to fill its vacant seat before an Illinois State Board of Education liaison takes over the process, per Illinois School Code. The board scheduled closed-door sessions on Dec. 2, 4 and 9 to discuss its candidates. From an initial pool of 28, four candidates remain, according to reporting by the Evanston RoundTable.
Several community members have called for the board to follow the results of the April school board election, where 12 candidates vied for four seats on the board, meaning it would select the fifth runner-up for the vacant seat.
During public comment Monday, Lincolnwood parent Katie Armistead, co-leader of the community group, D65: Invest in Neighborhood Schools, criticized the board’s approach to filling the empty seventh seat.
She compared the board to a company’s executives and the taxpayers and voters to the shareholders, pointing out that even as district board members come and go, the shareholders will remain constant.
“But when you meet in closed session, and you refuse to select the candidate who your shareholders have told you they want on this board, know you can only outrun democracy for so long,” Armistead warned. “We have to move forward. Please move us forward.”
The board’s six members have held two votes to decide which schools to move forward with closing, but they have yet to reach a majority vote on one of its final four closure scenarios.
The potential closures are part of the district’s plan to reach fiscal sustainability.
A Wednesday email to the District 65 community from Anderson and Board Vice President Nichole Pinkard said the board is “immediately working” to restore the board’s seven-person membership. According to their message, if the board fills the seat in December, it will move forward with school closure decisions that could affect the 2026-27 school year.
However, if the appointment is not made until January, no additional schools will close, they wrote.
Accountability, privacy and construction updates
The board also provided updates on its upcoming forensic audit, which will review contracts above $25,000 executed during fiscal year 2021-2024, all “no-bid contracts” during that same period, and accounting and financial practices to detect “irregularities, misappropriation or fraudulent activity,” and accounting and financial policies in accordance with board policies.
A request for bids will be posted online Thursday, and presentations to the board will be on Jan. 12, and will be voted on for board approval on Jan. 26.
Other agenda items of the night included the district’s participation in The Education Cooperative’s Student Data Privacy Alliance to access up to 2,000 additional data privacy agreements to support compliance with Illinois’ Student Online Personal Protection Act, as well as an overview of the district’s Walkthrough tool for classroom feedback.
The Teaching and Learning Team has established a schedule and process to conduct school walkthroughs, with each observation visit focusing on components such as access to grade-level learning and support, positive affirmation for students, and centering students in equitable classrooms.
“We could learn so much — just in this particular area around how to intentionally scaffold learning for students —that could have dividends across other places in the district,” Superintendent Angel Turner said about the tool.
Kirby Callam, director of strategic project management, updated the board on both construction progress and financial status for the Foster School, which is set to have its inaugural year in the 2026-27 school year.
With just 37.5% of construction work remaining and the project in a financially solid state, Callam pointed out that construction on safe walking routes was complete, citing a 2023 city ordinance that required the installation of a new crosswalk at Dodge Avenue and Foster Street, among other items.
The project also includes lighted crosswalk signs at Emerson Street and Hartrey Avenue as well as Emerson Street and Dewey Avenue. The district will also conduct a speed limit study on Emerson Street with the KLOA traffic planning firm to support Foster School’s safe walk routes.
These additions will have almost no net impact on the project’s budget, according to Callam.
“We are definitely within schedule to be able to open the doors to the public in July,” he said.
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Related Stories:
— D65 board fails to pass additional school closures before 2026-27 school year
— D65 failed to advance a single school closure scenario. What now?
— Meet 7 stakeholders at the heart of D65’s school closure debate
