Our local Evanston/Skokie School District 65 serves pre-K through 8th grade students from the City of Evanston and a small neighboring section of Skokie. As students began the new school year, the District 65 School Board, with four newly elected members, faced five major challenges: declining enrollment, the potential closing of up to four schools, stagnant student achievement, budget deficits not under control, and a need to refurbish its school buildings.

Enrollment at District 65 schools has declined by 24% over the last six years– more than double the decline seen in many nearby districts. Moreover, some districts saw enrollment increases. The exodus from District 65 schools cuts across racial/ethnic lines. For example, the enrollment of both Black and White students has declined by more than 20%.

Why the decline? A study by McKibben Demographic Research presented to the School Board in February predicted continued enrollment decrease (5.4% between 2025 and 2034) due to falling birth rates, housing characteristics, homeschooling and private school attendance, and other community demographics. These factors, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, surely impacted enrollment in the past few years, but the strikingly lower decline in enrollment in many other area school districts casts doubt that these are the sole reasons.  

Other possible factors include the perceived lessening of academic rigor, the climate of the District, a perceived lack of transparency, and general mistrust by many parents. Consistent with this, results from the 5Essentials Survey, administered under the auspices of the Illinois State Board of Education, showed District 65 was below the baseline average of 50 in the categories of effective leaders, collaborative teachers, and supportive environment. In the “involved families” category the District rated a score of 60. 

Closing Schools
Rather than focusing on possible reasons for declining enrollment and taking steps to increase enrollment, the District has decided to close up to four schools. Not everything has been discussed in the open, but District officials have stated their criteria for selecting which schools to close: geography, equity, building costs, building functionality, and likely income from selling one or more buildings. Whether these will be manageable remains to be seen.

The Board will make some announcements at its Sept. 29 meeting about potential school closings and financial projections/deficit reductions. Additional meeting dates and “deliverables” follow: 
After identifying schools to close, the Board plans to hold three public hearings on the closing of any school. 

Student Achievement
In the last 10 years, the District has made little progress in improving student achievement or in closing the achievement gap. On the 2024 Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test, only 72% of white students, 62% of Asian students, 39% of Hispanic students, and 27% of Black students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts. In math, the percentages were lower. (Results on the 2025 IAR have not yet been reported.) 

A memo from Evanston Township High School presented at a joint meeting of the ETHS and District 65 boards held earlier this year shows that high percentages of students entering ETHS are not prepared for high school in math or literacy.

Budget Deficits
In FY’23 and again in FY’24, the District reported operating deficits of about $10 million. In FY’25 the District fared better but still operated at a deficit of about $700,000, according to District figures. The tentative budget for FY’26, posted on Aug. 25, 2025, shows an operating deficit of about $1.7 million. This excludes the capital fund, which is used for some building repairs and construction of the new Foster School. 

The District still does not have its budget for operations under control. Apparently the hope is that closing schools will save a significant amount of money. Whether the Board will also significantly cut other expenses to eliminate the structural deficit remains to be seen. 

Capital Expenses and a Referendum 
The District estimates that its buildings need about $200 million in repairs. While that amount may be reduced by closing schools, there will still be a significant need for money to keep buildings in shape to educate students. Administrators have already floated the idea of holding a referendum to raise funds to refurbish the buildings. To have a referendum approved by the voters, the Board will need to re-establish trust within the community. 
 

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Although the first day of school was a few weeks ago, the excitement of beginning a new school year continues. Many adults–parents and guardians, District 65 employees, School Board members– are worried about the future. Still, the happy faces of children entering their school buildings or gathering on school grounds suggest that many are enjoying the present. This reinforces the importance of providing thriving schools that enhance their learning and wellbeing.