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District 54 could eliminate 76 positions

Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 school board members Thursday discussed a recommended plan to eliminate 27 teaching positions and 49 support staff positions next school year due to projections of declining enrollment.

The job reductions are expected to be mitigated to some extent by simultaneous retirements and resignations this summer, resulting in the vacating of 39.5 full-time teaching positions. A total of 42 district employees have announced their retirements at the end of the school year.

The board will vote on approval of the recommendations Thursday, March 20.

School districts are required by law to inform employees who won't be rehired for the next school year by a specific number of days before the end of the current school year — typically in March.

However, when a more solid estimate of enrollment becomes available, usually during the summer, a school district may rehire those to whom it's given notice.

Support staff receiving such notices were informed at a meeting Feb. 26 held by Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Pete Hannigan, district spokeswoman Terri McHugh said.

Principals at the district's 27 schools have the responsibility for notifying teachers on the list. Those notifications began in mid-February, McHugh added.

Though current enrollment is measured at 13,771 students — a significant rise from the 13,585 at the start of the school year — projected enrollment for next school year is 13,543.

While next year's third and fifth grade enrollments are estimated to be quite a bit higher than this year's, they don't make up for the general decline in enrollment currently projected.

Among the certified teaching positions being recommended for elimination are two general education teachers, three literary specialists, four special services teachers, 12 English Language Learner resource staff, four early childhood instructors and two parent-paid preschool teachers.

The support staff positions being cut include 21 general education instructional assistants, eight early childhood instructional assistants, 18 special education instructional assistants and two parent-paid preschool instructional assistants.

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