The Oak Park-River Forest School District 200 held a Committee of the Whole and Special Meeting on April 10, 2025, to discuss various agenda items, primarily focusing on stipend recommendations for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the minutes from the March 6, 2020, meeting, which passed without any corrections. Following this, the board turned its attention to item 6b, which involved the stipend committee's recommendations. Dr. Johnson introduced the topic, emphasizing its annual nature and the collaborative effort between administration and faculty to assess and adjust stipends based on emerging needs and requests from coaches and sponsors.

Dr. Sanders presented the specific stipend recommendations, which included the following adjustments: a 0.5 level 3 stipend for boys' volleyball, a level 4 stipend for girls' badminton, and a level 4 stipend for both boys' and girls' tennis. Additionally, the committee proposed new stipends for girls' flag football due to increased participation and adjustments for boys' and girls' cross country to address inequities in the current stipend matrix.

The total financial impact of these recommendations was noted as an increase of $35,327.03, which would bring the district closer to adequacy standards for student activities. The current activities stipend budget stands at approximately $2.77 million, making the proposed increase just under 1%.

Board member Graham raised concerns regarding the participation rates in clubs and activities, particularly noting a significant drop in participation among Black students, which decreased from 73% pre-pandemic to 53% in the most recent year. The board discussed the importance of addressing this decline, recognizing the correlation between participation in extracurricular activities and academic achievement.

The meeting concluded with discussions on potential strategies to enhance participation, including the idea of hosting clubs in common areas to attract more students. The stipend recommendations will be brought to a vote during the regular board meeting later in April. Overall, the meeting highlighted the district's commitment to supporting student activities while addressing participation challenges and ensuring equitable opportunities for all students.