Naperville D203 board president says info inaccurate on teacher cuts

As the Naperville District 203 School Board begins the process of considering ways to downsize in the face of a $12.4 million budget shortfall, board President Charles Cush wants residents to know no decisions have been made.

Cush sent an email to community members this week to counter what he called misinformation being spread about “reduction in force” notices, or RIFs, given to employees. He also said there was no truth to the rumor that administrators would be protected from losing their jobs.

The board is scheduled to be briefed Monday on staffing projections and proposed workforce reduction lists for staff certified on March 16. Classified staffing proposals and workforce reduction lists will be evaluated on April 20 before a tentative 2026-2027 budget is released in May. The new budget year begins on July 1.

Cush emphasized that no notice of the RIF was issued to any district staff.

Parents and community members should check the district’s online list of frequently asked questions for updates on the budget situation rather than relying on social media posts or rumors, he said. The page can be found at naperville203.org/budget-reductions/frequently-asked-questions.

“We felt it was important to get the truth out there so we could counteract the misinformation that was brought to our attention,” Cush said.

The school board has asked the district administration to make budget cuts as it faces a bleak five-year financial forecast and looming deficits.

Staff reductions are one way the district hopes to balance its budget, district officials said, noting that salaries and benefits account for 80 percent of the district’s expenses.

Cush’s email to the community came four days after board member Melissa Kelley Black posted on her social media that honorable discharge sequence notices had been issued to teaching staff.

Kelley Black noted in the comments section and confirmed in an interview with the Naperville Sun that she initially posted that downsizing notices had been issued, but changed it to an honorable discharge sequence notice within five minutes of the post going live.

“If these reductions continue, families could see larger class sizes, fewer course options, reduced academic intervention and support services, and less individualized attention for students in the classroom,” Kelley Black’s post reads.

An honorable termination sequence list allows employees to update their training, certifications, and endorsements before a reduction in force is made. It was sent to certified District 203 employees in mid-February.

The process is regulated by the Illinois School Code, which mandates a notice period of April 15 for licensed staff and 30 days before the last day of work for classified staff, said LeeAnn Betz, the district’s director of communications, strategy and engagement.

Cush said his decision to email the community about the misinformation was not driven by any person or group, but to address concerns administrators heard.

“Where (misinformation) specifically comes from, we don’t stress or focus on that. That’s really the information we want to correct,” Cush said. “…No matter where it comes from, the community has credible sources that they can go to and (find) the real information.”

Kelley Black said she didn’t want to cause confusion, but wanted to clarify the district’s budget concerns. She said she does not spread inaccurate information.

“I’m not trying to make people angry,” she said. “My job is to represent the people.”

She also said she did not want to reduce staff, which she said would negatively impact the quality of student learning. She posted her concerns on Facebook on Feb. 21 because families are busy and need more than a few days’ notice to read the agenda before a board meeting, she said.

“For some people, being a good board member means supporting the administration and trusting what they are doing,” Kelley Black said. “I lie there, which is no fun for me.

“I’m doing my job to inform people,” she said. “I’m doing what I think is morally right. I have serious concerns about cutting staff. We’re cutting the most important part: the people who work with our children every day.”

Kelley Black has clashed with the board over social media posts in the past and was censured in October for posting information about teachers’ contract discussions that board members said undermined the district’s bargaining position. The censure resolution also said his social media posts leaked and misrepresented confidential information behind closed doors and disparaged the superintendent and board members.

“If I’m the one being censored or the children’s needs aren’t being met, censor me,” Kelley Black said. “I agree with that.”

Cush apologized to staff and the community for any fear and stress caused by the inaccurate information circulating.

“If the messages that are being circulated or the information that is being spread gains traction and people believe it and it creates harm, meaning people are confused or worried…that’s not working in the best interest of the district or the community,” Cush said.

If things stay the same, the deficit for the 2027-28 fiscal year is expected to be $14.8 million and nearly $18.5 million for the 2028-29 fiscal year, according to the district’s five-year financial forecast.

By the 2029-30 fiscal year, the district would have exhausted all of its reserve funding, according to projections.

According to the district, daily operating expenses are growing faster than revenues.

In addition to streamlining staff, the district plans to cut expenses in areas such as software, out-of-state travel, conferences and outside consultants. He also plans to ensure that program fees reflect the cost of materials and advocate for an increase in Springfield’s revenue to cover mandated expenses.

Its workforce reduction plan aims to align with the current workforce. The district first seeks to save money by not filling positions created by retirements or resignations.

On Feb. 17, the school board approved a unique retirement incentive agreement with the Naperville Unit Education Association, the district’s teachers union, in which eligible staff could receive full retirement insurance benefits if they retired this year without meeting advance notification requirements.

A one-time retirement incentive is on the agenda Monday between the district and the Naperville Education Support Professionals Association to provide a monetary stipend to eligible staff who retire before the start of the 2026-27 school year.

No measures are included on Monday’s agenda to reduce the workforce.

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.