This week's DEC Signal opens with a genuine win: Superintendent Turner announced the reinstatement of middle school librarians before Monday's meeting even began. The formal vote is May 18th — placement notifications by May 22nd per the CBA. The community showed up four weeks in a row, and it made a difference. DEC President Kelly Post used Monday's meeting to stand alongside EACCP colleagues in the School Age Child Care program, whose before and after-school work is essential to working families. The board voted to keep SACC intact for 2026-27, not initiate closure, and renegotiate the Right at School contract fee. On the budget: the board reached consensus on approximately $969,000 in reductions — clearing the $635,000 gap with room to absorb the librarian reinstatement costs. The plan includes technology savings ($312,500), retracting two hazardous bus routes ($160,000), reducing the crossing guard budget ($100,000), keeping the FACE liaison vacancy closed ($96,876), and reducing capex to $2.4M ($300,000). Preschool transportation stays for FY27. AVID stays. The five active FACE liaisons stay. And for special education educators, the joint committee SpEd workload plan rolls out next school year. May 18th is the next board meeting. Be there.

DEC Signal is produced by the District 65 Educators' Council in partnership with The Signal Lab.

Monday's District 65 board meeting was the second consecutive week of community testimony — this time, over 60 people spoke in defense of middle school librarians. DEC President Kelly Post made clear: our students did not create this budget crisis and should not absorb its consequences. But unlike the counselor decision two weeks ago, this one is administrative — not a board vote — which means the board cannot reverse it. The savings: $387,631. The library programs end. The board committed to continuing the conversation. On the budget: the board reached consensus on how to close the remaining $635,000 gap — retracting two hazardous bus routes ($160K), reducing crossing guard spending ($100K), implementing a sliding scale for general education busing (~$100K, still uncertain), and reducing capital expenditure spending by $300K. That capex reduction triggers the January 9th resolution benchmarks, meaning Lincolnwood closure is back on the table if financial targets aren't met by October. Preschool transportation and FACE liaison positions remain unresolved. Superintendent Turner warned that classroom-level services can no longer be protected from cuts. The next major decision point is October.

DEC Signal is produced by the District 65 Educators' Council in partnership with The Signal Lab.

Monday night, the District 65 community showed up — and changed an outcome. After all nine middle school counselors received RIF notices last Thursday, DEC, educators, parents, and students filled the boardroom and made their case. The board voted 5-2 to retain seven counselors and eliminate two, with the two no votes coming from board members who didn't want to cut any positions at all. Starting this fall, Haven, Nichols, and Chute will each have two counselors; King Arts will have one. Seven counselors will be there for students in September because the community spoke together. The honest context: keeping seven instead of nine saves $190,000 instead of $800,000, and the gap must come from somewhere. The board presented a $5.9 million FY27 budget reduction plan — no final decisions made on where remaining cuts will fall. The next board meeting is April 20th.

DEC Signal is produced by the District 65 Educators' Council in partnership with The Signal Lab.