113 more teachers to be let go in Dist. 300

Illinois schools are locked in a painful dance with the state - each month the state threatens more cuts, and each month school districts are forced to cut closer and closer to the bone as they scramble to meet a looming deadline to lay off staff.

That dance was in full swing at Carpentersville-based Community Unit District 300's school board meeting Thursday night. Included in a presentation Thursday night of millions more in cuts the district must make was 113 nontenured teachers - coming on top of 153 first- and second-year teachers laid off earlier this month.

Yet on Thursday the board did not debate or discuss the added layoffs. Instead debate focused on whether to demote six administrators in an effort to share the pain with rank-and-file employees. It is tentatively set to meet the first week of April to formally dismiss the teachers.

Reeling from Gov. Pat Quinn's recent budget proposals, District 300 has revised its initial target of cutting $6.5 million out of its budget next year. District officials now say the district must slash $14 million to $15 million out of their 2010-11 budget just to break even.

Along with leaving three administrative vacancies unfilled, one previous dismissal, furlough days and insurance savings, the administrative staff cuts were expected to save about $1.5 million, according to Superintendent Ken Arndt.

But some board members balked at demoting four high school division heads, which represent about $417,000 in savings.

Board members Chris Stanton and Karen Roeckner questioned why certain division heads - those who oversee areas outside core subjects like math and reading - were being singled out and suggested that extracurricular activities, including sports, should be on the table.

"I'm not sure that we're seeing the right cuts," Stanton said.

Stanton, Roeckner and Dave Alessio voted against the demotions even after board President Joe Stevens, in a rare move, asked them to reconsider their votes.

The board president argued that not doing so would make it impossible for the district to dismiss those employees later and that rejecting the demotions would weaken the district's hand during ongoing negotiations with its unions.

"If we let this vote stand, it could raise significant issues as we work to negotiate $4 million in cuts," Stevens said. "We already have a morale problem throughout the district. This will only add to it."

Because board Secretary Anne Miller was out of town, the board deadlocked at a 3-3 vote and the motion failed.

The demotions would have resulted in four dismissals because the division heads would return to jobs as classroom teachers, pushing out four less-senior employees.

The board did dismiss two administrators Thursday - bringing the grand total of administrative positions that have been eliminated to six.

Teachers: 2 administrators let go Thursday