D-70 Cuts Alternative School

District 70 voted Tuesday to get rid of its alternative school, Futures Academy, requiring all students enrolled to attend class online.

The school board voted unanimously to cut the Futures program at the end of the school year for a savings of $250,000 a year.

“We think the online program fits the needs of a lot of kids,” said Superintendent Ed Smith. “Does it fit the needs of all of them, no. Would we be doing this if we didn’t have a budgetary crisis, no. We’re trying to do the best we can with the money we have.”

The district said it had about 167 sixth through twelfth grade students enrolled in Futures. Most have been expelled. Some of the students are already taking all of their classes online, but others are being taught in classroom environments.

Smith said access to a computer shouldn’t be a problem because all students are provided with one.

The district moved its board meeting to a bigger room Tuesday to accommodate parents and students who wanted to voice opinions about ending the program, but no one spoke on the change.

Smith said he hadn’t heard any feedback from Futures Academy students or parents, but said he expected to after Tuesday’s vote.