The news
District 65 administrators have proposed closing Dewey and Lincolnwood elementary schools as part of about $20 million in budget cuts. It is a proposal, not a final decision. [1]
What’s proposed
- Closing the two schools would move 713 students, including 329 English learners, low-income students and students with IEPs. [1]
- The district projects $2.9 million a year in savings, plus $58 million in maintenance savings over 20 years. [1]
- Dewey’s two-way Spanish/English immersion program would move to Lincoln as a group, and Lincolnwood’s STEP program would move to Orrington. [1]
- The plan would end the School Age Child Care program after the current school year. [1]
- It would also give up the district’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs and restructure early childhood education, starting in fall 2028. [1]
- Staff cuts would save more than $11 million; the district said no school-based role would be fully eliminated. [1]
What happens next
Administrators asked the board to vote on advancing the plan at its November 9 meeting. Three public hearings must then be held for each school proposed for closure, planned for December, before a final decision. [1]
Three District 65 board seats are on the April 6, 2027 ballot. [2]