The Palatine-based High School District 211 teachers union has filed for binding arbitration in response to a proposed alternative high school for dropouts slated to open this fall.
The union filed the grievance Thursday, saying it intends to go to arbitration on whether the district can develop the program and hire teachers without their input, said Ronald L. Sloan, union president.
”My concern is that the planning took place without us,” Sloan said.
”The union supports the Alternative School concept.” The union also is concerned that the extra school will cost teachers` jobs, he said.
The proposed high school credit program would allow dropouts to go back to night school and graduate, said Supt. Gerald Chapman.
The program, scheduled to start Sept. 15, was approved by the school board last spring. The cost of the school will be about $70,000, officials said.
Although the district has programs for students with high school credits to complete their degree and for truants to return to school, the district did not have a specific program addressing the 50 to 70 students who did poorly in their courses before they dropped out at the legal age of 16, Chapman said.
