Everything Evanston: D65 examines childcare program, new deficit reduction proposals

Taariq Ahmed, Reporter

May 5, 2026

The Daily Northwestern · Everything Evanston: D65 examines childcare program, new deficit reduction proposals

PETER BOGIRA: I’m here because of a troubling pattern in recent weeks: proposed cuts to counselors, librarians and now childcare that don’t reflect the values of this community, or I suspect of this board.

TAARIQ AHMED: That was Evanston/Skokie School District 65 parent Peter Bogira speaking about potential cuts to student-facing programs in public comment at Monday night’s board meeting.

Following plans to cut student-facing positions like counselors and librarians, the board has received criticism from parents and community members in the past few weeks.

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TAARIQ AHMED: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Taariq Ahmed. This is a D65 Board meeting rapid recap for Everything Evanston, a podcast covering all things Evanston.

The board is currently seeking to cut back on spending as part of its larger Structural Deficit Reduction Plan, of which it is in the third phase. It aims to slash $16 million to $18 million from the budget by fiscal year 2030.

One of its considerations is potentially introducing changes to the School Age Childcare, known as SACC, which offers aftercare to District 65 students in kindergarten through fifth grade before and after the school day.

Kelly Post, the president of the District 65 Educators’ Council, said the group is worried about how potential modifications could affect the staff involved in SACC.

KELLY POST: They are not an add-on to the school day. They are an integral part of it. They support the whole child for the whole day.

TAARIQ AHMED: Deborah Osher, the District 65 director of instructional leadership and programs and partnerships, broke down childcare programs in the district and shared her analysis of SACC.

She discussed how District 65 is the only nearby school district that directly manages and funds its childcare program, unlike other districts that rely on private contractors or park districts.

DEBORAH OSHER: While we recognize the importance of childcare access for our families, the critical challenge that we continue to face is that this current SACC model has not been financially sustainable.

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TAARIQ AHMED: Board member Mya Wilkins said the board would need to conduct further investigation into the program, including discussing with parents the effects of any modifications.

MYA WILKINS: And one of the great things about SACC is that the people who work there really do become a part of the school community.

TAARIQ AHMED: Jacob Karlin, a member of Legion of Data Nerds, a group of District 65 parents reviewing the budget plan, said their analysis found ways to balance the budget, one of them being cuts to spending on the administration.

JACOB KARLIN: There’s a lot of work to do to put this district on a sustainable path, but we need to put the levers in the hands of people who are willing to use them properly.

TAARIQ AHMED: Board member Sergio Hernandez said the board is eventually going to have to confront increasing expenses through cuts.

SERGIO HERNANDEZ: But at the end of the day, what we have to do is we have to talk about which structures are we going to have to close. Because ultimately, that is where this is all leading us to.

TAARIQ AHMED: Board member Chris Van Nostrand said he believes that supporting District 65 students should be a core value.

CHRIS VAN NOSTRAND: When we talk about the budget, we should really be thinking about have we exhausted non-student-facing options first.

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TAARIQ AHMED: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Taariq Ahmed. Thanks for listening to another episode of Everything Evanston. This episode was reported and produced by Taariq Ahmed.

The audio editor is Wallis Rogin. The multimedia managing editors are Ruby Dowling, Isabella Jacob and Matt Wasilewski. The editor-in-chief is Anavi Prakash.

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