With summer approaching, leaders for DeKalb School District 428 decided not to take the next step yet with implementing Vision For28, a larger plan aimed at reducing middle school class sizes.

In March, school officials said further discussion and consideration on the ongoing topic would come in April. District leaders have been considering class size reduction strategies for months.

At a board meeting this week, incoming Superintendent Billy Hueramo pointed to a slight change in the plan.

“After talking to various subcommittee members, our committee stakeholders, we’re still going to move forward with Vision For28, we’re just going to do it in a more deliberate and measured pace,” Hueramo said.

The district has had several subcommittees meeting in recent months to address middle school class sizes.

No subcommittee meetings are on the books for this summer, however.

The last day of classes in DeKalb schools is May 22.

At a public meeting last month, some board members expressed caution about voting to move forward with Vision For28.

The original plan for reducing middle school class sizes was contingent on meeting an April deadline to help ensure that a timeline for achieving middle school class size reductions could be realized by fall 2028.

That plan consisted of multiple parts and renovations to several buildings, including Founders Elementary and Lincoln Elementary schools and Huntley and Clinton Rosette middle schools.

Improvements were also identified for each of these school buildings as part of Vision For28, with a majority of that work expected to take place in the summer months.

There were three scenarios with different price tags in which the district envisioned carrying out Vision For28, according to district documents. They ranged in value from as low as $6.6 million to as high as $27 million.

Officials have said the district was planning to use fund balance and revenue generated from the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone to pay for such building improvements.

Board Vice President Jose Jaques chimed in with his support of district staff and their decision.

“But just looking from a 50,000-foot view, maybe the accelerator’s down a little too fast,” Jaques said.

Jaques expressed appreciation for everyone’s efforts.

“It was an amazing amount of work done in a very short period of time,” Jaques said. “The fact that we were appreciative of just pumping the brakes a little bit says nothing about the work that was done. It was a great job by all, I think.”

What that means for Vision For28’s timeline is unclear – at least for now.

Officials have said the project could still be done, but it may cost the district more money.

Hueramo suggested there is still work to be done in the meantime.

“Right now, my task will be to work with our team to make sure we can backwards plan a new timeline and then from there, subcommittees will be reaching out to their members and begin planning again,” Hueramo said.

Hueramo stressed that the district has not withdrawn its plans.

“We want to make sure we’re fiscally responsible, and we’re doing this the right way, and not get stuck in the middle of something and not be ready for it,” Hueramo said. “The work is not stopping. We’re going to continue to work with the subcommittees.”