While Ken Hinton continues working on his plans to close schools and cut expenses, others have been trying to come up with counter proposals. There are two so far that I’ve been told. The first one comes from Board of Education member Jim Stowell:

Proposal

Purchase homes on Perry that front Lincoln

• Build out a birth through sixth facility – beautiful new back entrance (or North end entrance to Woodruff campus)

Push up into Woodruff 7th and 8th from Lincoln

• Mirror academy model @ Manual
• Use best practices and cut contract and cost
• Focus on technology (CISCO bias)

Close Peoria High; immediately begin:

1. utilizing Peoria High as the much needed alternative school
2. empanel group of Admin., etc. to begin planning for a better Peoria High

Planning and completion would take 3 probably 4 years – while it is being done – facilities are temporarily used as alternative school. Other programs might co-exist, but primary purpose is for much needed alternative school

Planning Part and Vision

Collaboratively with City and Park District acquire land from Peoria High North St. to Nebraska, and Nebraska to Herke Field

With city help – vacate maintenance and the two lane cut through to create Center Bluff Campus

Acquire homes on North St. to stop light. Close through traffic on North. The 74 overpass becomes gateway to new Campus.

Seen from I-74, it replaces cafeteria area and becomes a beacon on the hill.

Design curriculum to align with UIC College of Medicine and hospitals needs – have it be the choice school for a Medical Career path.

City concurrently working in planning phase to engage in the Impact Zone concept – on both sides of interstate.

North to Richmond becomes park like one-way exiting out on Knoxville.

Park-like campus helps shape revitalization of Sheridan North.

For 3 – 4 years we gain control over our costs by consolidating to 3 full service high schools.

We begin preparing what Peoria High School becomes.

oundaries for entering could be changed to south of Nebraska (McClure)?

• go to Manual – Manual 1100, Richwoods 1400 and Woodruff 1400
  (Manual has been land-locked)

Redraw once new Central opened

• also with academies
• but potentially aligned with proposed Math and Science, which, should take on a lower priority currently than the needed alternative school environment

Back fill permanent alternative program into a vacated building that could be renovated

The other counter proposal comes from District 150 teacher Scott Donahue and is based on the 2005 Structural Budget Imbalance Task Force report. The SBI Task Force was made up of community members, D150 support staff, school principals, and board member David Gorenz. Many of the savings opportunities outlined in this plan were never implemented:

SBI Task Force Recommendations:
District chose to ignore these potential savings

Item	Savings	Recommendation
RIF Administrator	$234,000	RIF Minimum 2-3 Administrators
Three Tier Bell Schedule	$525,000
Eliminate Edison Contract	$3,825,000	(2009-2014) Figuring district would pay $135,000 for benchmark testing each of the five years
Eliminate Department Heads @ HS	$160,000
Eliminate Controller-Treasurer	$150,000	Re-assign responsibilities to other central office administrators
Reduce Admin in Buildings	$1,014,000	$78,000 per person for 13 positions
Eliminate Alternative High School	$525,000
Eliminate Adult Education	$171,000
Eliminate Transition to Success	$184,000
TOTAL Savings:	$6,788,000

This did not count more administrative cuts that could be made for additional savings if reducing programs and buildings.

Questions for the board:

1. If most items from the SBI Task Force Document were implemented then where is money/savings?
   • Administration claimed to get a “Freeze” only to receive retroactive pay later on
   • The District got better than projected savings in union’s insurance package
   • The District got better than projected savings in previous teacher contract
   • The District got better than projected savings by limiting professional development for teachers thus no advancement on payscale

2. What cuts has the District made to reduce the deficit?

My guess is that more questions and counter proposals will be coming forward in the next few weeks.