Families at Central, Harper, McKenzie, Romona, Highcrest, and Wilmette Junior High will head into the 2026-27 school year under a new five-year strategic plan that promises differentiated instruction and advanced learning opportunities. The published plan does not specify what changes at individual schools.
The Wilmette District 39 Board of Education approved the 2026-31 Strategic Plan and a tentative FY27 budget at its Monday, June 15 meeting at the Mikaelian Education Center. The full plan, titled "Engage, Empower, Inspire," is now posted on the district's website.
What the plan says
The plan lays out five priorities: student learning and growth, student experience and community, family experience and partnership, professional experience and community, and stewardship of resources. On academics, the plan commits to "a differentiated education that provides a rigorous academic foundation and opportunities for advanced learning to ensure all students are appropriately challenged and growing."
On student well-being, it pledges a learning community that advances student social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health.
The plan was shaped by community focus groups held Thursday, February 19 at the Mikaelian Education Center and a three-question stakeholder survey that closed Monday, April 20.
What the plan doesn't say
The strategic plan does not mention paraprofessionals, special education staffing ratios, or IEP and 504 plan services by name. That's notable because the district has been recruiting paraprofessionals in four consecutive newsletters since late April, with the most recent call appearing Friday, June 5. Priority 4, which addresses staff feeling "valued, supported, respected, and integrated," is the closest the document comes to acknowledging the staffing gap. The Support Staff Union's salary increase for FY27 remains listed as "TBD" in the tentative budget.
School-level implementation details are not included in the published plan. Families can watch for updates at the Monday, August 10 Committee of the Whole meeting or file a FOIA request with the district's designated officer at wilmette39.org.
The budget picture
Chief School Business Official Corey Bultemeier presented the FY27 draft budget to the board on Monday, May 11. Key figures:
- Total operating revenues: $81.84 million (up from $79.63 million in FY26)
- Total operating expenditures: $81.1 million (up roughly $6.5 million from FY26's $74.86 million)
- Operating surplus: $741,121
- Net deficit after capital and debt: $3.59 million (driven by $3.5 million for construction, including window replacement at Wilmette Junior High, and $0.8 million in debt certificates)
- Projected fund balance: $32.8 million, or 40.46% of expenditures
Property taxes fund 86% of operating revenue. The 2025 levy included a 2.9% CPI increase. Teacher salaries rise 4.15% under the Wilmette Education Association contract. Medical insurance rate hikes of nearly 16% add approximately $735,000 in new costs.
The state's special education transportation reimbursement has fallen to about 48.3%, down from 82.6% seven years ago, costing the district roughly $387,000 more per year than it would receive at the higher rate. The budget for out-of-district special education placements drops slightly, from $1.9 million in FY26 to $1.8 million in FY27.
What's next
The tentative budget goes on public display immediately. The Board's Committee of the Whole will review it Monday, August 10, followed by a public hearing and final vote Monday, August 24.
Paraprofessional openings remain posted at applitrack.com/D39.
