Dixon USD 170 administration recommends 2–3 year hiring freeze to address enrollment decline

District administrators presented a deficit-reduction plan at the Jan. 14 Dixon USD 170 board meeting that recommended a hiring freeze of two to three years to address multi-year enrollment declines and gaps in federal grant funding.

Administrators said the district has experienced a 15% decrease in enrollment over the last five years and reported the raw figure as a drop of about 423 students using six-day enrollment counts. "We have experienced a 15% decrease enrollment in the last 5 years," the presenter told the board, noting the district’s cash reserves remain healthy enough to provide short-term flexibility.

To avoid layoffs, the administration recommended a hiring freeze focused on filling vacancies internally first and using attrition (retirements and normal turnover) to reduce staff counts over time. "We're recommending, a hiring freeze, for the next 2, if not 3 years," the administration said. The presenters emphasized case-by-case exceptions for critical specialty roles (for example, special education positions and singletons where replacements are needed) and pledged to meet with principals and unions as appropriate before posting positions.

Administrators also outlined additional cost-saving measures under consideration, including delaying nonessential purchases, shifting some Title IV-funded positions into the tort fund (to preserve SROs), pursuing additional revenue streams (expansion at Dempsey School), and expecting insurance consortium refunds and cooperative funds to provide temporary relief.

Board members asked for regular reporting on both enrollment trends and staff counts to track the impact of the plan. Administration said it will bring additional data and projected staffing graphs to future meetings to monitor progress and inform any necessary changes.