D15 Late Start/EarlyRelease Debate Continues: Changes on Hold Until January 2014

The continued debate over whether D15 will implement a late start or early release to allow time for devoted teacher development time continues; an announcement released Wednesday jointly by the school district and the Classroom Teachers' Council states an arbitrator will make the final decision. 

The announcement, sent out to District 15 parents and staff states, "We are writing today to provide you with an important update about the 2013-2014 school year. Specifically, we want to inform you that the Palatine District 15 Board of Education, Administration and the Classroom Teachers' Council (CTC) have jointly agreed to defer the implementation of the professional development time until the second semester in January 2014. this means your current school schedule will remain in effect as we begin the new school year." 

The announcement went on to state that the board and the CTC have not been able to come to an agreement on the time of day development time would occur. 

For the last several months, hundreds of parents attended and spoke out at board meetings or participated in a Change.org survey that showed the preferred time would be on Friday afternoons, which would create an early release situation for District 15 school children and was more palatable, especially for working parents. 

An initial survey sent out by District 15 in January was followed by a second survey after parents united to request that early release Fridays be included as an option. The school district responded, and results from that survey showed a large majority of parents preferred that option as a first choice. 

The late start option, which is reportedly preferred by the CTC, caused concerns for parents relating to difficulties finding child care in the mornings, and the possibility of children having to lock the doors if working parents had to be at work by morning school start times. 

Though the school district has stated that supervision would be provided in the mornings if a late start were implemented, no bus service would be provided to get children there, and it would come at a cost, be it nominal. 

After hearing consistent feedback since December 2012 from parents, and no public statements from the CTC on their position or late start on Mondays or Wednesdays are so crucial, the District 15 school board voted 4-1 with one abstention on May 3 in favor of early release Fridays. 

"This issue will be settled through the arbitration process. CTC and the 
District have jointly requested the arbitration timeline be expedited," the announcement states, and a final ruling would be expected by October of 2013.