[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6145422,"mediaKeyId","5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79","parentId",5532926,"title","Board accepts donation of 577 air purifiers; facilities to budget filter replacements","audioSeconds",116,"startMs",11349000,"endMs",11465000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79&start=11349&end=11465","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79/thumbnail_11349000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6145422/Illinois/Board-accepts-donation-of-577-air-purifiers-facilities-to-budget-filter-replacements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145422-747bcfeea1678b1243209dd8c1cf46d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153210&Signature=KKBy6Vjh8MFQyANwU~jJthT1pLuPlrHxg49lcg84zYGHGSACO0sOcCrtArxNU7FR1lFPi3XnCnrnCq6h~Ifof98E-3Bqi1VdVC6H~iNLl3JwiTYFnFg3ObobUWa4oIwQOacZlWsTT14pmzzQLhjsdLDgDcE-p1Gf7nbwXpk04G61y~VwZ~rTCxwBKUEiyDpIyx3eMXvBbSKmolEw2QJpyDLpPODe1qHompOyF48bdRLVWllL8~UhtKLVClx4~rpI7qpYNI7aghmsKHusLdkuPaNXsJNgUYl82sqCzB5g8EE6voZIymOjPVlkH9kpHofZPfNNOE2gfSr5SpVB7k9RDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Evanston CCSD 65","date","2025-08-05T19:36:43.19Z","article","The District 65 Board of Education accepted a district-wide gift of 577 air purifiers from the Joy Fund at its Aug. 4 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Facilities staff said the donors provided unit replacement-cost information and buildings-and-grounds will budget for future filter purchases to maintain the units. Administrators said the purifiers will improve indoor air quality in district buildings and that the ongoing replacement expense is manageable within the buildings-and-grounds operating budget.
Board action
- Motion: A motion to accept the gift of 577 air purifiers from the Joy Fund was moved and seconded and approved by roll-call vote (Weimer: yes; Anderson: yes; Salem: yes; others: yes).
Administration note
- Facilities confirmed they have reviewed replacement costs and will include filter replacement as an operations line-item to sustain the donation.
Ending
Board members praised the gift and confirmed staff will track maintenance and replacement costs in future budgets so the devices remain functional.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","[8/4/25] D65 - Committee of the Whole","oneSentenceSummary","The board accepted a donation of 577 air purifiers from the Joy Fund and buildings-and-grounds staff said they will build future filter-replacement costs into their budget to sustain the equipment.","taxTitle","Evanston CCSD 65, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",50856,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6145428,"Board approves $120,000 Foster School exterior treatment change order",237,11109000,11346000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79&start=11109&end=11346","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79/thumbnail_11109000.jpg","/articles/6145428/Illinois/Board-approves-120000-Foster-School-exterior-treatment-change-order","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145428-fb5cb0acd59fd2c8ba7b246aa1a5b51c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153210&Signature=NSrgGS7wAAyHSPi-P4RtNlmGHQU7~VnU9NGrK1wS2E3IJ~jPytTMYVQMQzsd2GyNDs6aupD-DWXO~qh7utLes0ER8GJ~OfRqoZTy6Smk7SJifoBsTciaifIc~bIrP8sa3Oe5A1Ma8~iGx6uC~0MOk4t4OnSpZ1B1rKTmUHCbZyyGPxGtCQxHfnuSvn65qZS-E6Hj8Y4SZfmIZ8nROgFBTf7EHTo-9azLjvpdmFNdfX13E2CWOp9D3Ke1EGgAAy7Cv-Gl0hacPviFxg-h8NVAa1fHdX48XwPFwfxB~dOVcd9qzVTcLjvWmvmGt2ordPkuF5iV88hRBBvBeQ7pkIkuIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The District 65 Board of Education approved a construction change order for Foster School during the Committee of the Whole on Aug. 4, adding about $120,000 to the painting contract to apply a protective coating to the building’s precast exterior.
Administrators said the precast material used on the new Foster School is visually different from traditional brick and, without the coating, may require greater maintenance and cleaning over time. The owner’s representative and district staff recommended the coating be included to reduce future upkeep and soiling.
Why it matters: The change order increases the painting contract to $621,020 and will be paid from the project contingency; district staff confirmed the amount is within the project budget and does not require additional district operating funds.
Board action
- Motion: A motion to approve the Foster School K and J painting change order to increase the contract value to $621,020 was moved and seconded at the Aug. 4 meeting.
- Roll-call vote: The board voted in favor (Weimer: yes; Anderson: yes; Salem: yes; Wilkins: yes; Pinkford: yes; Oakdike: yes). The motion carried.
Administration note
- Staff said the requested coating is more than graffiti protection—administrators described it as a maintenance-preservation coating that will make the exterior easier to clean and preserve over time. The work will be paid from the project's contingency and is within the overall Foster budget.
Ending
The board approved the change order and asked staff to circulate specific contingency and project-budget figures as a follow-up to the board.","The board approved a $120,000 change order to add a protective coating to the Foster School exterior, drawing on contingency funds; administrators said the work improves long-term maintenance of precast surfaces.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6145432,"District 65 reports FY25 unaudited surplus trends, details FY26 tentative budget and SDRP3 timetable",2858,7396000,10254000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79&start=7396&end=10254","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79/thumbnail_7396000.jpg","/articles/6145432/Illinois/District-65-reports-FY25-unaudited-surplus-trends-details-FY26-tentative-budget-and-SDRP3-timetable","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145432-46517b618eb4bf08b3e9c0310323909a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153210&Signature=EPbjGJB6-gOW90lJK4gEz5b5rF1qa9AMFrst3dxGyowVCyCtpPJ-s6zZUqmhasa5K~xTQrtHvlaspOWpt995~E-JTKlA0OzY2LPfqmniRwPS5dCPuiNSAull6sR11u7Tw4-OmMZ9g0JMoCobz1B~CesH2K~kyG5~eJsBoBo571OgBPlvsmr340pStLKQGydvRDhnCSsFTaqpFGfpI5n2aFj4k~zoh2ePf7cr1FMCkN8QNNqovEDdDvb4l8XfAk2rtyOCGpgXX95VbMNrAe8KnbhcHXoLFBO4zTf01s-P6UrORrf~XtztfW~HqetPQ4a2QwaL-6HyuntuBd5YSO1Bhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District 65 presented unaudited fiscal-year-2025 results and a tentative FY26 budget at the Committee of the Whole on Aug. 4, saying district leaders had reduced spending substantially in FY25 but that longer-term deficit challenges remain.
Key takeaways from the financial presentation
- FY25 performance: Administration reported the district came in roughly 6.3% under budget on expenditures in FY25. Major contributors included a $2.5 million reduction in special-education purchased services and about $2.2 million lower transportation costs compared with the FY25 budget.
- Salaries and benefits: Aggregate salaries and benefits were under the FY25 budget by about $882,000 after hiring freezes and position reductions. Special actions during the year included leave of certain positions unfilled and schedule compressions, which administration said reduced reliance on temporary agencies.
- Purchased services and supplies: The district reported targeted monitoring and reductions in purchased services and supplies; purchased services were approximately $8.3 million under the projected FY25 budget.
- Fund balance and trend: The district’s fund balance moved back above the policy minimum; administrators reported about 104 days of reserves in FY25 (excluding capital projects), a recovery from earlier deficits but still short of the 180-day profile some rating guidance favors. The structural deficit has been narrowed from the mid-teens of millions in earlier years to roughly $710,000 in one reported snapshot.
Tentative FY26 budget highlights
- Revenue assumptions: The tentative budget assumes increases in real-estate tax receipts (a $4.7 million increase tied to the December 2024 levy), flat evidence-based funding (tier 4 district—limited new state money), and modest federal and state grant projections pending federal allocations.
- Expenditure pressures: The district modeled salary increases tied to collective bargaining and built contingencies for utilities (electricity modeled conservatively at a 38% increase and natural gas at 17% for budgeting), out-of-district tuition adjustments (a ~3% increase), and contractual purchase-service increases (assumed 3% for budgeting). Buildings maintenance projects pushed from FY25 to FY26 were also reflected.
- Projected deficit: The tentative FY26 budget projects an operating deficit trajectory that would widen in coming years absent further reductions; administration and the board described an additional $8 million to $10 million in reductions potentially needed for FY27 under some scenarios.
Park School and other items
- Park School: The Park School joint program (Districts 65 and 202) was presented with revenues and expenditures balanced for the program; District 65’s share was presented at 60% of costs with District 202 covering 40%.
What the board and administration said
- Board members and staff praised administration and central staff for the FY25 spending reductions and urged continued work on long-term cost structure, including transportation and special-education delivery models.
- Administration warned that some near-term savings in FY25 were timing- or one-time in nature and cautioned the board that continued structural changes are necessary to reach a sustainable FY27 budget.
Next steps
- Audit and final FY25 results will be presented after the fiscal audit is complete.
- The SDRP3 (deficit reduction and reconfiguration) process will present initial consolidation scenarios to the board on Sept. 29, with updated scenarios on Oct. 20 and a possible board vote in late October or Nov. 17 to allow public hearings in December if needed.
Ending
Administrators said improved FY25 performance buys time to pursue larger structural changes, but they cautioned that demographic trends, inflation and contract-driven cost pressures require difficult choices going forward.","District 65 administrators said unaudited FY25 results were better than budgeted—expenditures came in under budget and the structural deficit narrowed—while presenting a tentative FY26 budget that projects a deficit in future years and sets an SDRP3 timetable for additional reductions.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6145437,"District 65 leaders outline instructional framework, building-thinking classrooms and tweak standards-based grading rollout",0,7391000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79&start=7391&end=7391","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79/thumbnail_7391000.jpg","/articles/6145437/Illinois/District-65-leaders-outline-instructional-framework-building-thinking-classrooms-and-tweak-standards-based-grading-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145437-9721d09e949fb01d8ffca2833b04acb8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153210&Signature=bTduOf31GIZKtvfSI8Zw8K4MFD-Qb2qNe7WS38IMWJ8I3aI60iCO2k~ZtR01MWIPf4gzPs7uIER8dBbxeJLCQ5cMLorcrEgJxv1X0B6nAmkJomcqt~NUxce-yPt7LxDprSrK4g3ExPQo97H-B62t-YCjRBpLrHGJ0i8YQjuJ1c4JSuZBjHtNu48BJJrTTVtPQv8OyeVcRWBt9b8xPwmEJJMV1O901QzjwFKfZT1Ra6VdSLu5gUl4ageOaFVEYY7YVMk4x~byrGXb1qjZfx5EENZqbTpZPsSwejclSrOtv~5h8-W2g9Chf~rHwB73XvvWOx3es6iqKKlRU-E0enZZRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District 65’s teaching-and-learning team used the Committee of the Whole meeting on Aug. 4 to review a new instructional framework, describe school-level school work plans and report changes to standards-based grading reporting based on staff and parent input.
Regina Colquitt and Sonia Radhakrishnan, directors on the district teaching-and-learning team, said the framework centers curriculum standards, relationships/community building and instructional practice. The presentation identified eight high-impact, content-agnostic instructional practices; the district will focus first on three practices aligned with standards-based grading and “building thinking classrooms” in pilot schools.
Why it matters: The framework is intended to align district curriculum, school professional development and school work plans so classroom practice and district assessment/reporting produce more consistent measures of student learning.
What administrators presented
- Instructional framework: The district will lift three focal practices this year (from a larger eight-practice framework) and provide “look-fors” (observable actions) to guide walk-throughs, coaching and professional learning. The framework is intended to reduce initiative whiplash and create consistent, observable instructional practice across schools.
- Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC): Several principals and school leaders described BTC strategies they are implementing — examples included random, changing groups, nonpermanent vertical surfaces (students working at boards), scaffolded tasks, and consolidation practices that require teachers to let students do the cognitive heavy lifting. Principals reported BTC pilots across middle schools and said teachers and students reported immediate engagement benefits.
- Standards-based grading (SBG) adjustments: Staff reported that year-one SBG produced clearer alignment between classroom standards and external assessments (IAR), and improved inter-rater reliability when rubrics were used. But parents and some staff struggled to interpret the district’s progress labels (Exceeds, Meets, Progressing, Insufficient Evidence). To improve clarity, the district will: retain the 4-point rubric internally but display more familiar A–D letter equivalents to parents at the secondary level; continue 4–0 reporting for K–5; separate academic indicators from learning habits; and change learning-habit descriptors to frequency labels (e.g., consistently/sometimes/rarely).
Quotes and examples
- Anne Raymond Schneider, principal at SHU, described work with AVID and WICR instructional strategies and said staff plan “one text” for whole-staff professional learning and other cognitive-strategy tools to boost student engagement.
- A principal from Nichols said Building Thinking Classrooms is being implemented with a multi-week professional-development arc and flexible grouping to increase student agency in math instruction.
- School leaders, including principals from Orrington, Willard, JEH (early childhood), and others, described school-specific work-plan goals: restorative practices, peacekeeper student teams, phonics benchmarks, professional learning around pedagogy for racial equity, and family-facing SEL supports.
What the board asked or requested
- Board members asked for clearer communications to families about SBG (examples to use in back-to-school nights, FAQs, community outreach) and recommended involving partners (community organizations) so families and outside programs can interpret the new report structure.
- Board members asked for teacher and student-facing materials so students can explain SBG to families, and suggested principals include teachers in future presentations to the board to show classroom-level ownership of the plans.
Outstanding items
- District will publish parent-facing materials and FAQs and provide additional training for staff and community partners to explain SBG changes.
Ending
District leaders said the framework and SBG refinements are intended to be iterative; they will continue principal PLC walkthroughs, site-level professional learning and district guidance to align practice across schools.","District 65 instructional leaders presented a new district-wide instructional framework, described local implementation of Building Thinking Classrooms, and proposed refinements to the standards-based grading (SBG) report format after year-one pilots and parent feedback.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6145441,"District 65 board reopens transportation policy amid school consolidation planning",2244,1143000,3387000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79&start=1143&end=3387","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532926-135a3e3deaa3a3e7eafc15074f052d79/thumbnail_1143000.jpg","/articles/6145441/Illinois/District-65-board-reopens-transportation-policy-amid-school-consolidation-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145441-46c455722f69754ac6cbbea5b3bebd27/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153210&Signature=YTzRh3YI6YhJEhhnxCkKxUEXL0Sgk07~~Tlwm~Nhsvdy1BwIslL4VKV0LEy7pO75HptE2D9rnxE9cR316ME2PGtjo463Dm6hmy9DbtBg1Y5FBJJkTMfIWUf~4GS7qX2AIWLUr~p1DL3TVvR4oqgqSAXCBgOndqa~kwIcnTDYFDHuBpeNoN8-Jym2Pddzv47W6sSzlTcqLnfI~WCkcYtra~5AfAyvYWD0tTqclpDfxXJOUO5y~i-WKhjNaNO~mtPpG77JEXnF~IoUNsdm~qOQyf3r5c-wcTp4VxczCTc2JRkcOycxda9xAIIrAvMtbCvxHT6qCBBPM8ve--iXc9HKBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The District 65 Committee of the Whole on Aug. 4 reopened discussion of district transportation policy as part of planning for school consolidations, focusing on walkable boundaries, hazard assessments and budget trade-offs.
Board members, administrators and staff debated how to reconcile the state’s 1.5-mile expectation for student transportation with local choices about crossing guards, start times and service to magnet or specialty schools.
The public’s first speaker, William Jackson, told the board he was concerned that new housing built for residents who do not own cars could make it harder for parents to participate in school life if transportation planning concentrates only on students. “Parents and guardians will not be bussed to school,” Jackson said.
Why it matters: Transportation is a major ongoing line item in the district budget and intersects with school consolidation decisions. Changes to who gets bused will alter costs, attendance logistics, and school-boundary maps used for enrollment and magnet programs.
Discussion highlights
- Legal baseline: Staff reminded the board that Illinois school code sets a common guideline of 1.5 miles for required transportation eligibility; the district currently does not provide transportation for some students beyond that distance. Board members asked whether the district’s desired policy should be stricter or more permissive than that statutory baseline. (Transcript references: school code, IDOT hazard criteria.)
- Scope and numbers: Staff estimated roughly 197 middle-school students live beyond 1.5 miles and are not currently provided district transportation for the upcoming school year; that figure was described as a rough enrollment estimate that will be refined as registration closes.
- Safety and hazards: Lou Gatta’s hazard review (IDOT criteria) was cited: the IDOT point threshold uses traffic volume, speed, road width, student age and crossing type; Lou and staff said intersections with crossing guards are less likely to meet IDOT hazard thresholds. The board discussed how crossing-guard placement can change whether a walking route is considered a hazard.
- Costs and contracts: Staff reported an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Evanston for crossing guards that runs through June 30, 2027; the district would assume full crossing-guard costs after that date. Estimated cost for FY26–27 for crossing guards was cited at about $700,000 and projected to grow roughly 5% annually if unchanged.
- Operations and efficiencies: Staff credited recent routing and scheduling changes for transportation savings made in FY25 and noted opportunities to verify bus utilization (students routed vs. students actually riding) early in the school year.
- Community engagement and modelling: Board members repeatedly urged more community input before policy changes and asked staff to create scenario models that project financial impact, student counts affected, and safe walkability maps for proposed boundaries. Staff said no district-wide family survey had been deployed yet; principals and administrators have been surveyed.
- Start-time analysis: Board members requested analysis of potential transportation savings from switching middle- and elementary-school start times to leverage double routes; staff agreed to investigate feasibility.
What the board directed or decided
- No immediate policy changes: Staff said explicitly the district would not alter routes or stop transportation services for the imminent school year starting in about two weeks; any policy changes would be for the following year and tied to consolidation decisions.
- Modeling and engagement: The board asked staff to produce modeling scenarios that show the transportation cost and student-impact implications of different boundary and ride-eligibility choices and to bring options to the board and to the SDRP (school design/reconfiguration) process. Board members emphasized these models should be visual (block-level walkability) to aid public feedback.
Outstanding items and next steps
- Staff will provide transportation modelling tied to proposed consolidation scenarios and refine counts of students beyond 1.5 miles.
- Staff will present results of utilization checks (routed students vs. riders) during the first months of the school year.
- The board asked administration to consider targeted community engagement (surveys or facilitated conversations) and to return with proposals on process and timing.
Ending
Board members stressed student safety as the core principle guiding any cost trade-offs. Several members suggested developing a set of guiding principles — with student safety first — to govern any future policy choices on walking distances, crossing guards and cost-sharing with families.","The District 65 Committee of the Whole discussed transportation policy questions tied to planned school consolidations, including the 1.5-mile state standard, hazardous-route assessments, crossing-guard costs, potential community engagement and modelling to estimate budget and safety impacts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board accepts donation of 577 air purifiers; facilities to budget filter replacements

Board approves $120,000 Foster School exterior treatment change order

District 65 reports FY25 unaudited surplus trends, details FY26 tentative budget and SDRP3 timetable

District 65 leaders outline instructional framework, building-thinking classrooms and tweak standards-based grading rollout

District 65 board reopens transportation policy amid school consolidation planning