Evanston District 65 Recommended Closing Dewey Elementary
Interim Superintendent Eric Witherspoon has proposed the closure of Dewey Elementary as part of a $20 million budget reduction.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Primary Education
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Interim Superintendent Eric Witherspoon has recommended the closure of Dewey Elementary School to help address a $20 million budget deficit in District 65. The proposal, which awaits final approval from the school board, would shutter the facility by the fall of 2027.
Why it matters
The closure is a central component of a broader financial stabilization plan aimed at balancing the district's budget. This move seeks to address long-term fiscal constraints by consolidating educational facilities and resources across the city.
Dewey Elementary School currently serves approximately 300 students. The proposed consolidation plan includes moving the existing bilingual TWI program to Lincoln Elementary School.
The players
Eric Witherspoon
He is the Interim Superintendent of District 65 who submitted the recommendation to close the school.
District 65
This is the public school district in Evanston that is currently facing a $20 million budget reduction.
The details
Under the current proposal, the 300 students currently enrolled at Dewey would be reassigned to other district buildings, including Foster and Washington Elementary Schools. Families with students in the bilingual TWI program would see those services move to Lincoln Elementary, necessitating additional busing.
Timeline
Parents dropped children off at school on October 14, 2026, following the initial recommendation.
A PTA meeting to discuss the proposal took place on October 14, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
The planned closure of Dewey Elementary School is scheduled for the fall of 2027.
Culture Shift
This proposal reflects a broader societal shift as school districts prioritize fiscal sustainability over maintaining neighborhood-level facility footprints. It mirrors national patterns of infrastructure consolidation seen in districts managing declining enrollment and rising operating costs.
Local families should prepare for potential changes to school assignments and transportation requirements for the 2027 academic year. Students currently enrolled in the bilingual TWI program will be specifically affected by the shift to Lincoln Elementary.
The takeaway
Families impacted by the proposed closure should monitor upcoming school board meetings to understand the final transition timeline. Engaging with the PTA remains the most effective way for residents to voice concerns regarding school assignments and programming shifts.
Further reading
For more on the current state of local schools, visit the Primary Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Evanston Now.
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Should the school district close local elementary schools to address budget deficits?
