District 65 Keeps School Age Child Care Program

Working families in Evanston keep before- and after-school care after a proposed cut was reversed.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Child Care

District 65 Keeps School Age Child Care Program

Live Poll

Should school districts keep affordable after-school care programs even when budgets are tight?

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 will not cut its School Age Child Care program, a before- and after-school service for children in kindergarten through fifth grade that many working parents rely on. The reversal follows a proposal, made at the Oct. 13 board meeting, that would have eliminated the program along with closing Lincolnwood and Dewey elementary schools.

Why it matters

For Evanston families, the program is a practical lifeline that covers hours outside the school day when parents are at work, so its survival keeps child care options steady for working households. The district had framed the cut as a way to save money, and the decision shows how budget pressure and family care needs were weighed against each other.

The district's own figures put the savings from cutting the program at $400,000 a year, based on its original budget proposal. The program serves children from kindergarten through fifth grade, and the source does not provide enrollment or fee figures.

The players

Evanston/Skokie School District 65

A public school district serving Evanston and Skokie that runs the School Age Child Care program for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Evanston Association of Childcare Professionals

A local group of child care workers that negotiated with district administrators to preserve the program.

Illinois Education Association

A statewide teachers' union that issued a press release announcing the decision to keep the program.

The details

School Age Child Care is run by the district for a fee and is hosted at King Arts and at every elementary school except Washington. The Evanston Association of Childcare Professionals worked directly with district administrators to change the plan, and the Illinois Education Association publicized the outcome in a press release.

Oct. 13, 2026: Board meeting where sweeping budget cuts, including the proposal to eliminate School Age Child Care, were first presented.
Nov. 5, 2026: District announcement that the School Age Child Care program would be saved.

Budget Context

The reversal departs from the district's original Oct. 13, 2026 budget plan, which had projected $400,000 in annual savings from eliminating the program. Keeping the program means that savings target must now be met some other way.

If your child attends School Age Child Care, the program will continue rather than close, so existing before- and after-school arrangements stay in place. Families who depend on these hours can plan around the program's continued availability, though the district has not described any changes to fees or hours in the source.

The takeaway

The district's decision to keep School Age Child Care means working families keep a dependable option for hours outside the school day. Parents who rely on the program may want to confirm current enrollment details directly with their school or the district.