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Board agrees to draft letters and public outreach after warning of CTA/PACE service cuts affecting students
Summary
Board members on May 12 discussed potential cuts to CTA and PACE routes serving Evanston and agreed to immediate written advocacy — letters and an op‑ed — and to coordinate with the city’s recent resolution. Board members also planned meetings with state legislators.
Board members on May 12 said they would pursue immediate advocacy after learning that CTA and PACE service reductions were being considered in the region and could affect students who use public transit to get to school.
During new business board members said the city had recently passed a resolution opposing proposed regional service cuts. Several trustees urged the school board to move quickly and not wait until the June board meeting: they asked staff to draft a letter from the board, prepare an op‑ed to raise public awareness, and coordinate with the city’s resolution. One trustee offered to accompany district leaders to upcoming meetings with state legislators.
Board members noted operational dependence on transit. “We have hundreds of kids who take the bus every day,” a board member said during discussion, stressing the practical consequences if routes were reduced. Superintendent Dr. Peter Bavas and other administrators said they would work with city leaders and prepare language for distribution; the board directed staff to prepare both an immediate letter and to carry the city’s resolution forward to the June meeting for formal adoption if desired.
The board did not vote formally on a resolution at the May 12 meeting but instructed staff to draft a set of advocacy materials and to pursue meetings with legislators and aldermen in the near term. The city’s resolution will be circulated to the board for formal action during the June meeting.
