District 210 Preparing to Make Budget Cuts for Next School Year

Lincoln-Way High School District 210 is preparing to cut as much as $2.5 million from its budget next year, Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie said.

Wyllie said the district has not received any categorical payments from Illinois this fiscal year and is owed roughly $2.5 million by the state. The proposed reductions were approved by the district's Board of Education at its Jan. 27 meeting.

Reductions include:

• Eliminating six administrative positions (three because retirements)
• Eliminating 10 to 12 teaching positions (eight because of retirements)
• Requiring coordinators of student activities, instructional technologists and asset coordinators to teach two classes each
• Reducing the writing center hours and number of reading aides and math assistants
• Restructuring dean assignments
• Restructuring summer school assignments
• Eliminating the media center and ROTC chairs

Wyllie said final decisions have not yet been made on which personnel will be eliminated, pending final enrollment numbers for next year.

The district has already cut four administrative positions, 50 teaching positions, 13 support staff positions, two maintenance positions and 11 coaching positions over the past two years, according to a release. In addition, the to balance last year's budget. 

Wyllie said he anticipates eventually creating an expenditure budget through which the district would no longer rely on categorical payments from the state of Illinois.

"It's difficult, because (the state is) supposed to reimburse us for things they require us to do," he said.

But Wyllie said he foresees better news coming down the line. By the 2012-13 school year, the superintendent said he hopes the economy will have improved and in doing so, cause an increase in home building that will bring revenue through property taxes.

"We all know the economy is picking up," he said. "Will it be roaring again by then? I don't know."