Naperville School District 203 administrators are slated to present a new recommendation on potential schedule changes at the next board of education meeting on Monday, April 21, based on a recently announced timeline.
Superintendent Dan Bridges and the board had a brief discussion on Monday, April 7, about the months-long review of a districtwide schedule revamp that has drawn widespread concern from parents, teachers, faculty, and students about its impact.
In response to the outcry, the board and administrators indicated they do not plan to roll out any schedule changes in the upcoming 2025-26 school year. At the earliest, the changes would be implemented in the 2026-27 school year.
Administrators compiling information
Bridges at the April 7 meeting indicated he and other administrators within his cabinet have been — and continue to be — engaged in a process that involves compiling information and feedback on the proposed schedule changes.
No new information about the proposed changes was presented at the April 7 meeting. However, Bridges did give a brief snapshot into a possible next step that would be pivotal in the process.
“The administration would intend to come back to the board with a recommendation that would be considered for action,” Bridges said. During the brief discussion, Bridges said the board’s vote would be designed to “direct the administration in its next steps for the innovative school experience.”
“Innovative school experience” is the phrase Naperville 203 administrators have been using to describe the schedule changes.
While school-level start and end times have been a focal point of the discussion, Bridges and other administrators said the proposed changes also are designed to provide for a more nimble structure within the parameters of the school day for class instruction.
Bridges said he and other administrators are in the process of assembling a new set of recommendations, a potential timeline, and experiences and opportunities for community engagement and feedback.
“We would have that for you at the April 21st meeting,” Bridges said, foreshadowing what will be coming up at the next board of education session.
Concerns continue being raised
While there was minimal discussion about the schedule change proposal, the board did hear from one parent during public comment. He implored administrators to dig deeper and solicit more community feedback before any next steps are considered.
“Since the proposal was rolled out, we’ve heard parents, teachers, staff, and students raise concerns about its designs and impacts,” said Naperville resident Dan Alamillo, who is a parent of one current and one future District 203 student. “The administration has reacted by trying to put Band-Aids on some of the issues that have been raised.”
Alamillo advocated for having as many voices in the room as possible to consider all of the factors in play.
“Instead of playing catchup and trying to piecemeal solutions as you go, the administration should get more minds in the room to work out these kinds of problems,” Alamillo said.
During a brief round of deliberations on next steps, board member Melissa Kelley Black also pushed back on voting at the upcoming April 21 meeting.
“It doesn’t sound like the community or the staff are ready for this,” Kelley Black said. “I guess the question is, ‘What is the hurry?’ Our trust with the community and the staff, with morale — we’ve taken a hit with this.”
The current District 203 schedule change proposal
The schedule change proposal rolled out in January included the following start and end times:
- Elementary—7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
- Middle school—8:50 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.
- High school—8:20 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
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Connections—8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
While curriculum and delivery methods are a key component of the schedule change proposal, Bridges in recent months has indicated other factors also have come into play, including transportation and the costs associated with busing.
Last month, Bridges said the staggered start times in the proposal, with elementary being first out of the gate, is reflective of the current resources in play. If school start and end times were closer together, he indicated additional resources would be required.
Sixty additional full-size buses, in addition to numerous specialized buses, would have to be procured to have routes across different schools that are close to one another, which would cost an estimated $12.5 million.
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