Round Lake Area board hears public outcry over RIF, approves multiple dismissals and 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 plus diminished state revenue requires staffing adjustments.

During public comment, community members criticized the administration's handling of the district's finances and the timing of staffing notices. Juan ("Beto") Ruiz said the district's "$11,000,000 miscalculation was unacceptable" and urged greater transparency and accountability. Teacher Andrea Eider, speaking as both a staff member and community resident, said the reductions will remove key supports and "we are about to prove over 65 RIFs and 45 involuntary transfers," a figure she said represents more than 10% of district staff; she warned the changes risk increasing class sizes, reducing specialized supports and harming retention.

Board members pressed administrators on whether the RIF timing aligned with prior commitments made in town halls and to the bargaining unit. District staff and legal counsel said the normal, legally prescribed window for many RIF steps falls in March–April (to capture first‑year evaluations) but that, because of the scale of adjustments this year, administration and the union agreed to an earlier timeline so affected employees would have more time to consider options.

After discussion, the board carried a set of personnel motions. Motions and roll calls approved: the honorable dismissal of a long list of certificated staff for the 2026–27 school year, honorable dismissal of third‑year probationary teachers, honorable dismissal of educational support personnel, and nonrenewal of listed stipend positions. The board also approved related procedural minutes and consent items earlier in the meeting. The motions were recorded and carried by roll call; recorded votes show the attending board members voting in favor.

The administration said recall will follow the inverse order of dismissal by grouping, subject to certification and seniority rules, and said monthly employment reports and updates to the board will track recalls and changes. Mendoza said the district will continue to meet legal obligations for special education and multilingual learners and that transportation eligibility under state law will not change as a result of staffing adjustments.

The board indicated it will receive mid‑process updates and a final staffing snapshot in the spring; no additional personnel decisions were announced at the meeting.

The board adjourned at 9:39 p.m.; the next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15 at 7:00 p.m.