District 203 school board rejects plan to lay off 38 teachers

Days after teachers were notified of pending staff reductions, Naperville Unit District 203 school board members voted to reject the plan to lay off 38 educators.

The decision came after hours of public comment from students, parents and staff at Monday’s board meeting. They requested that the board reconsider the proposal to cut staff.

“The board spent last night listening, truly listening, to our community,” District 203 Superintendent Dan Bridges said in a statement Tuesday. “Our community emphasized what we know: our teachers matter deeply to our students and families. They are at the heart of what makes Naperville 203 strong, and we want to preserve that stability in our classrooms.”

The staffing cuts were recommended as part of a plan to reduce a projected $12.4 million shortfall.

Noting that the budget gap remains, Bridges said on Tuesday that the district staff will revisit the budget to find other ways to address the spending gap.

Before Monday’s meeting, the district had already identified nearly $4 million in cuts that did not affect staffing levels to help close the gap.

The district also noted that natural attrition — or not filling positions left open when staff members retire or resign — will help address the budget shortfall.