District 300 board lays off more than 100

As expected, the Community Unit District 300 school board on Monday laid off more than 100 teachers to cope with almost $6 million in delayed state payments.

But the dramatic move may be only the tip of the iceberg for the state's sixth-largest district, which is based in Carpentersville and includes the Dundees, Sleepy Hollow, Hampshire and parts of Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.

In front of a Carpentersville Middle School auditorium of about 250 parents, teachers and taxpayers, the administration on Monday presented new budget scenarios that would make Monday's cuts look like a gift.

The district is currently contemplating $6.5 million in cuts for the 2010-11 school year, with $4.7 million of those reductions already approved.

Under the worst-case scenario outlined Monday, the district could be in line for $8.4 million in further reductions for next year's budget. That projection assumes the state will slash education funding by 10 percent to 15 percent.

District officials likely won't know the extent of education cuts for months, although Gov. Pat Quinn's Wednesday budget address should provide some indication.

But the school board is facing an impending state-mandated deadline by which it must notify teachers they will not be retained next year - meaning the district has about a month left to lay off more teachers.

"The board has two choices: You either cut next year - or you run in the red next year and make cuts the following year," Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates said.

Most board members expressed their preference for the former; that is, preparing a balanced budget next year - and cutting deeply to do that.

"I would certainly want to see a balanced budget," board President Joe Stevens said. "I would much rather run a surplus than a deficit."

The district is still scheduled to take action on almost $1.6 million in transportation reductions and more than $800,000 in savings from furlough days, but those reductions would help the district meet only its original target of $6.5 million.

Superintendent Ken Arndt said he will present additional reductions at the board's April 12 meeting.

Monday's layoffs, which affect 112 first- and second-year teachers and six preschool teachers, won't take effect until the end of the school year.