Evanston/Skokie School District 65 and its child care employees’ union have reached an agreement designed to preserve the district’s before-and-after-school care program, reversing an earlier proposal to eliminate it.
The agreement includes a three-year extension of the current collective bargaining agreement with the Evanston Association of Child Care Professionals, according to a joint announcement issued Nov. 5. Union President Natalie Copper, Board President Nichole Pinkard and Interim Superintendent Eric Witherspoon signed the announcement.
The district had proposed ending School Age Child Care, known as SACC, after the 2026–27 school year as part of its broader financial sustainability plan.
Updated financial projections presented to the board Nov. 9 incorporate $268,000 in lower expenses associated with the SACC agreement. They also assume a 12% fee increase for fiscal year 2028, generating approximately $180,000 in additional annual revenue. The presentation describes that increase as a financial assumption, rather than an adopted fee schedule.
The joint announcement does not detail changes to employee compensation, benefits or staffing.
For the current school year, five-day care covering both morning and afternoon sessions costs $504 monthly. Morning-only care costs $168, while afternoon-only care costs $336. Three-day options and qualifying child care subsidies are also available, according to the district’s SACC family handbook.
The program serves kindergarten through fifth-grade students. Morning care begins at 7 a.m., and afternoon care ends at 6 p.m. The handbook lists sites at Dawes, Dewey, Foster, King Arts, Lincoln, Lincolnwood, Oakton, Orrington, Walker and Willard.
Families can ask about enrollment and availability by emailing [email protected].
