Here in Evanston: District 65 needs a good finance and education plan. Here’s one

June 7, 2026 - 21:45

A recent photograph captured the quiet remnants of recess at Kingsley School on the day after the last day of classes. The image of empty playgrounds and leftover games serves as a fitting metaphor for the moment facing Evanston and Skokie's District 65. The school year has ended, but the work of planning for the next one is just beginning. The district needs a solid finance and education plan to move forward.

One board member has put forward a specific proposal that deserves attention. The plan focuses on aligning the district's budget with measurable student outcomes. Instead of simply cutting costs or adding programs without clear goals, the approach calls for a detailed audit of current spending. It asks where the money is actually going and whether it is helping students learn. The proposal also suggests a multi-year financial forecast that accounts for declining enrollment and rising operational costs. This would prevent the kind of last-minute budget scrambles that have plagued the district in recent years.

On the education side, the plan emphasizes early literacy intervention and targeted support for students who are falling behind. It recommends using data from regular assessments to adjust teaching methods in real time, rather than waiting for end-of-year test scores. The goal is to create a system where financial discipline and academic progress are linked, not treated as separate problems. For a district that serves thousands of families, this kind of integrated thinking could provide a stable path forward. The community will be watching to see if the board can turn this proposal into action.