North Shore School District 112 held a marathon four-hour special board meeting Tuesday to discuss a recently completed study on the district’s dual language programs, ending with Superintendent Michael Lubelfeld imploring the board to make a decision on the potential consolidation of Red Oak and Oak Terrace elementary schools’ programs.
Lubelfeld has warned that the district is facing an “enrollment crisis,” as the population of majority Spanish-speaking students declines in the area.
“We’re not going to start a process and spin our wheels until we understand what the board wants us to do,” Lubelfeld told the assembled board members.
The district faced backlash last year from parents with students in the dual language programs who were upset about the news of Red Oak potentially closing, and its program being consolidated into Oak Terrace. Some questioned the need for such a move, and said the decision was being rushed.
Discussions were delayed while the district gathered input, with Lubelfeld saying any recommendations by the board would be halted until next year. The district worked with Hanover Research K-12 and Sonia Soltero, a DePaul University professor with an extensive resume in the field of dual language education, to put together a report on the district’s dual language programs, which was presented Tuesday.
Community divided
The report found a divide between those surveyed who were in favor of and in opposition to consolidation, with minimal middle ground. According to the report, participants felt there was a divide between the two schools, with little coordination or collaboration, and the report found Oak Terrace was generally viewed as “less desirable.”
As enrollment of Latino students declines, attrition rates for higher grades become a greater issue, the report said. The decline in Latino students, English learners and low-income students is four to five times higher than overall enrollment, it said.
Participants noted social stratification “along income and racial/ethnic lines” leading to “unequal access to resources and opportunities,” and “dominant voices” overwhelming discussion and drowning out the perspectives of Spanish-speaking parents.
Transportation challenges were also highlighted, with some students being bused to Red Oak despite living in the Oak Terrace area, requiring hour-long rides. Low-income families without personal vehicles struggled to get their kids to and from school if they were late, during emergencies or for after-school activities, creating barriers for participation.
Soltero provided four sets of recommendations, including reprioritizing English learners, redesigning the dual language programs, a “culture reset” to revamp the community’s negative perception of Oak Terrace, and a phased consolidation plan, although some board members said they would prefer to “rip off the Band-Aid” if they are to move ahead with consolidation.
Lubelfeld continued to recommend consolidation, a stance he admitted was unpopular, but emphasized was necessary for the continuation of the dual language program. A final decision won’t be made until a future school board meeting.
District officials expect the topic to come to a full school board meeting in a few months after board members have had time to consider the options. Red Oak’s 2025-26 school year will not be impacted if the board were to recommend consolidation, officials said.
Parents respond
The parents who spoke during Tuesday’s meeting were largely in support of Soltero’s first three recommendations, but repeated their opposition to closing Red Oak, calling for the exploration of other avenues.
Red Oak Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization President Cathy Curran, who praised parts of the presentation, said she still had concerns over the district’s process.
The meeting had several tense moments, and Curran said “both sides” were “a little guilty” of unproductive comments. She emphasized the need for constructive discussions moving forward.
During the meeting, there was a back-and-forth between a parent and the board, and Lubelfeld’s closing comments were critical of some community members whom he described as moving goalposts. He emphasized afterwards that he was “committed to the proper process.”
“I’m focusing on the children. The adult issues don’t concern me,” Lubelfeld said during the meeting, emphasizing he has been discussing the need for consolidation for several years. “You don’t have to like that. We’re not here to be liked.”
While Curran said the presentation had been helpful, she felt the report had been constrained in scope from the beginning. At this stage, she said, there isn’t “a true understanding or evaluation of the program or its effectiveness.”
Mirroring comments she made in October, Curran said parents are not necessarily opposed to consolidation, and she recognizes the concerns regarding the falling enrollment of Spanish-dominant students that the district has attributed to several issues, including a decrease in affordable housing.
But, she said she wants the “process in which we make this decision” to be done in a “good-faith manner.”
Curran called for greater two-way communication between the district and parents. She also hopes the board will present its decision-making process when making its official recommendation to show it has “truly evaluated” the situation.
Closing a school is a big step, and there are still “a lot of questions” she wants answered. Any decision also has to prioritize English language learners, while balancing the rest of the dual language program, Curran said.
“A decision like this is not reversible, and so I do really think the district needs to get it right and consider all these different questions,” she said.
Lubelfeld said he is committed to transparency and open communication.
“We are committed to messy leadership, even when it’s difficult and upsets people,” he said. “We are here for the children, we’re going to continue to lead and help inspire each child every day.”
