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Round Lake Area board hears public outcry over RIF, approves multiple dismissals and nonrenewals
Summary
At a Dec. 8 meeting and public hearing, Round Lake Area Board of Education outlined a reduction‑in‑force process tied to enrollment declines and state funding drops, heard community criticism over an '$11,000,000 miscalculation,' and voted to approve lists of certificated and support staff dismissals and stipend nonrenewals.
The Round Lake Area Board of Education on Dec. 8 held a public hearing on proposed reductions in force and subsequently approved a series of personnel actions that district leaders said are driven by declining enrollment and reductions in evidence‑based state funding.
Superintendent Dr. Mendoza told the board the RIF follows Illinois law, the district's collective bargaining agreements and board policy, and relies on a four‑group evaluation framework and certification requirements to determine which positions will be reduced. He said the district has lost more than 1,200 students over the past decade — roughly the size of two schools — and cited a tentative projection of another 600–1,000 student losses in the next five years. "This is a math problem," Mendoza said, explaining lower enrollment…
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