Staff cut, fees raised in Mundelein District 75

Staff reductions in Mundelein Elementary District 75 will be coupled with fee increases to reach budget cutting goals for the 2010-11 school year, officials said.

Fourteen teachers will be released, five more will have their time cut and dozens of support staff will not return, see reduced hours or schedule changes, the school board decided Monday.

Altogether, the moves affect 48 people including teachers, teacher assistants, a parent coordinator and other educational support staff. They are part of the school board's goal to cut $860,000 from the 2010-11 budget, reducing a projected deficit from about $1.1 million to $250,000.

A public discussion of proposed staffing changes with more than 150 people in attendance was held two weeks ago. The cuts became official Monday, along with minor changes based on three retirements that surfaced after the March 8 public session.

Other changes coming next year include an increase in the interscholastic sports fee to $125 per participant from $85. The maximum sports fee per family also increased to $375 from $300, board president Wells Frice said.

"The prior fees resulted in the district, through taxpayer funds, supporting the programs by approximately $30,000. This would bring it down to $20,000," he said.

Frice said the board also agreed to institute a $40 fee for academic clubs. Regular registration fees will not change.

Cuts were necessary because of flat property taxes and declining enrollment, which means less state aid. The state also is behind in payments.

State law requires districts to provide job-cut notification to teachers 60 days before the end of the school year. Support staff is required to be notified 45 days before the school year ends. There is a possibility some employees could be recalled depending on the level of state revenue.

While the cuts will secure the district for 2010-11, community forums will be held in the next few months to discuss what happens beyond that, Frice said.