District 300 will lay off 46 teachers

The District 300 school board voted unanimously Monday night to lay off 46 nontenured teachers, including all 32 of the district’s first-year general education teachers, effective July 1.

School Board President Joe Stevens said the move was a way to address an expected budget shortfall for the 2009-10 school year. If the school board has to eliminate teachers in order to balance the budget, the district is required to notify teachers early so they have enough time to find another job, Stevens explained.

Fourteen of the 46 teachers were dismissed because of poor performance and will not be re-hired, according to a letter to parents and staff posted on the district's Web site, www.d300.org, Monday night.

The 32 first-year teachers, which did not include special education or bilingual teachers, will receive letters of recommendation from the district. It is possible that some will be re-hired between June and August, depending on subject area needs, funding, and student enrollment, said Superintendent Ken Arndt.

Overall, the district expects to eliminate about 15 teaching positions in 2009-10. No other budget-related layoffs are expected.

Arndt said the affected teachers were notified by their principals Friday.

The most recent layoffs in the district took place in 2004, Arndt said, when more than 220 staff members were laid off to help eliminate a $27 million budget deficit.