Question 8

Elana Jacobs -

I think that the current expenditures are equally distributed, but equitable I do not know without being on board and being privy to confidential conversations. I do know with school priorities that the budget needs to match the level of priority. I would work for more budget transparency, simplicity and student involvement for funding priorities.

Here are investigative questions I would ask to continue to move the OEPP towards equity

● What is the money spent on recruiting and retaining BIPOC staff?

● Are security and lunch staff paid an equitable wage with quality health insurance?

● Is there sufficient funds supporting the ELL parent center and hiring local people who speak the 21 different languages and are culturally fluent?

● Is there investment into ADA accessibility for students and community members on the school website and board meetings?

● Is there more money invested in Niles Central/ Bridges Post Secondary paths than AP and Honors paths?

● Is there a budget to hire seasoned veteran staff compared to teachers who have 5 yrs or less of teaching?

● During this time of COVID-during a dual pandemic, is there extra budgeting towards school counselors and mental health workers to help students and staff through this very hard time?

Ross Sawyers -

I believe that you cannot spend too much on education, however it is important to examine if these funds are being spent efficiently and equitably on all students. I think it is important to look at every dollar to ensure that all funds are directly benefitting students in the most responsible way.

Naema Abraham -

There is inequities in the OEPP expenditure, especially for students of color. Glaring inequities were reveal to us during e-learning. We learned not all kids have the same access to E learning technology - how do these students get their homework done during a regular school year? We learned many kids were food insecure. We learned many kids live in homes where parents have limited communication skills due to language barrier and cannot help their kids with homework assignments or do not have the means to hire a tutor. These inequities were present during the regular school year, If a student consistently fails to turn in their homework, then that is a sign something is wrong. Their silence is not a permission for the district to ignore their need.

Irena Petryk -

Generally, the current expenditures that comprise OEPP are equitably distributed, but there is definite room for improvement. An example of one such improvement centers around summer school. Though the current school board has chosen to waive summer school fees for the summer of 2021, this is not a permanent change. Though school fees are typically waived for low-income families, these same families must pay a portion of summer school tuition in order for their children to participate. Needless to say, this financial barrier might prevent certain students from taking summer classes that can further their academic success or career interests.

Waiving the entirety of summer school fees for these families — or even for all families — wouldn’t necessitate a large amount of spending. In fact, it would fit comfortably within the current budget surplus. It would, however, have an immeasurable impact on students who genuinely want to extend their learning after the regular school year ends.

Joseph Nowik -

The board since the hiring of Superintendent Dr. Steven Isowe has embedded equity in our mission statement and throughout the district. We try to look at all expenditures through that equity lens,

As expenditure proposals come before me, I ask:

Does it help the students?

Does it reflect the wants and desires of the community?

Does it fit in our district's vision, mission and goals?

Is it equitable?

Can we afford it?

How do we measure its success?

This has served me well to make sure that the decisions I made as a board member of D219 are the best at the time I made them.

Of course, things change over time. New technologies, new processes, new regulations come and with them we adopt and change our expenditures accordingly. But, what does not change is our equity lens.

Richard Evonitz -

Our community has provided the financial resources we need to have extraordinary educational programs and opportunities for our students. Still, I recognize that community members might feel unsatisfied at how resources are allocated within District 219. As a District, we must do a better job of establishing objective measures to assure equitable distribution of District resources, which should include student participation, relative importance to the overall educational mission, program achievement/success measures.

Kathleen Weiss Boyle -

The OEPP is largely equitably distributed, but more can be done to serve low-income families. While many school fees are waived based on need, there are many families living in the margins who may not be aware of that such waivers exist. The ability to pay for bus service, driver’s education, and summer school may prove beyond the means of the very families who are most in need of these opportunities.