For the first time in at least a decade Oak Park Elementary School District 97 will likely lay off a few teachers this year as a part of an effort to control costs in the face of a projected deficit in 2029.
The school board is likely to approve what are called reductions in force, a process in which some teachers are notified that their contracts are not being renewed for the upcoming school year. That action is expected at the March 24 school board meeting.
Although 15 to 27 positions will be eliminated, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Equity Natacia Campbell Tominov told the school board at its March 10 meeting that ultimately only three to 15 staff members will be laid off.
“We’re trying to staff as efficiently as possible,” Tominov told the school board.
Reductions in force, known as RIF’s, are common in school districts but have not been done in District 97 in more than a decade. Ultimately many teachers who receive a RIF notice are ultimately rehired as other teachers leave and staffing decisions and enrollment numbers are finalized.
“It’s something that most districts do almost every year because, again, they are reviewing their staffing needs based on their students,” Tominov said.
Some classes in the two middle schools have been running with single digit enrollments, some with three, or five or six students.
“This would allow us to balance out our class sizes across all of our areas including our specials and electives,” Tominov said.
Tominov said the district would increase staffing in special education but a few sections in elementary schools would be eliminated next year.
“Over the last five years we have been allocating staff based on the needs of our elementary schools,” Tominov told the school board. “However in our middle schools we have been rolling over staff from year to year even with schedule changes.”
Tominov said the layoffs would distance the district from projected deficit spending in fiscal year 2029.
Tominov said staffing cuts could also include administrators.
“It also includes admin because we are not just looking at our staff in our buildings, but we’re also looking at the organization as a whole,” Tominov said.
RIF notices are required by law to be sent out at least 45 days before the end of the school year. Teachers are called back after being RIF’ed in order of seniority. Tominov said many teachers who receive RIF notices will be eventually called back and offered new positions.
Enrollment has declined by nearly 10 percent over the last decade in District 97. In 2017 6,146 students were enrolled in District 97 compared to approximately 5,560 this year.