Naperville School District Cuts $12.4 Million Deficit to $4 Million With 59 Job Openings

Naperville School District 203 Projects $4 Million Deficit After Major Budget Cuts

The projected deficit in Naperville School District 203's tentative 2026-27 budget has been reduced from $12.4 million to about $4 million with significant workforce reductions and spending cuts.

Chief Financial Officer Michael Frances told school board members Monday night that the district would not be filling the equivalent of seven administrative positions, 43 certified educator positions and nine educational support personnel left open through retirements and resignations.

Frances said the district would consider increasing costs for cafeteria services in the future to offset a $1.6 million deficit in the cafeteria fund. Officials are also planning to reduce the number of replacement buses purchased in the upcoming budget cycle, resulting in a temporary savings of about $1.2 million.

The projected 2026-27 spending plan calls for about $366.2 million in revenue and $370.1 million in operating fund expenditures. The operating fund encompasses the day-to-day costs of running the district.

Personnel costs make up the bulk of the budget, with about $238.6 million earmarked for salaries and $59.5 million for benefits.

Cuts Include 15 Percent Reduction in School Budgets and Department Spending

Other reductions include a 15 percent reduction in individual school site budgets and a 25 percent reduction in district department spending.

Frances said cuts would also affect professional learning, conferences, travel, catering, staff appreciation gifts and employee events. The district would eliminate duplicative software platforms as well.

To capture additional revenue, the district has raised fees on some courses, driver's education, early childhood tuition and facility rentals to more accurately reflect the true cost of providing these services.

School District Budgeting Timeline

The district's fiscal year starts July 1. Although school districts in Illinois have until Sept. 30 to adopt their budgets, it has been a District 203 practice to approve the plan before the start of the fiscal year.

District 203 will put its budget on display Friday at the Administration Center, the Nichols and Naper Blvd. libraries and the district website. The district will hold a public hearing June 15 before voting to adopt the document.

Pandemic Funding Ended, District Returning to Pre-Pandemic Staffing

Frances said the district is working towards having a workforce at pre-pandemic staffing levels and aligned with student enrollment. The district hired more specialists and educators in recent years to prevent post-pandemic learning loss.

Frances said one concern he has is unknown expenses. The district spends about $650,000 to $700,000 on fuel, but the cost of diesel has increased due to the war in Iran. The district doesn't have a choice not to fuel its buses.

Frances said the good news is that because the district has a sufficient fund balance, it can weather a short-term storm.

School Board Wants to Prioritize Classroom Needs

School board members said they want to prioritize classroom needs and student learning as cuts are considered. However, the projected deficit is not for just one year.

District officials and board members are anticipating growing costs over several years, which they will need to deal with annually before the budget is brought into the black.

Board member Marc Willensky said based on feedback from the community, it's going to take several years to get the district in balance. He said he doesn't want the district to lose sight of the fact that it has an operating deficit that still has to be addressed over the course of the coming year and in future years.

Willensky said he wants to make sure everyone is focused on how to get the deficit to zero as quickly as possible without impacting the student experience.

Frances said board member Melissa Kelley Black suggested the school board consider pushing back its approval of the budget to August to have more accurate estimates on expenses and revenues.

The district's labor agreement with the Naperville Transportation Association expires June 30.

Board Previously Rejected Layoffs

The school board in March rejected a plan to lay off 38 teachers as part of a reduction in force. Board members, community members, parents, students and teachers made it clear that the move did not have their support.

Board member Melissa Kelley Black suggested the school board consider pushing back its approval of the budget to August to have more accurate estimates on expenses and revenues.

The district's labor agreement with the Naperville Transportation Association expires June 30.