CPS School Budget Review

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) recently released school-level budgets, giving principals and Local School Councils only two weeks to review and approve them—a shorter timeline than usual. These budgets are based on the district’s most optimistic deficit projection of $229 million, which assumes the city will provide $300 million in new funding through either state support or tax-increment financing (TIF). However, CPS also presented two worse-case scenarios, with deficits reaching $529 million and $734 million, potentially requiring the layoff of up to 3,000 school staff. Notably, the projections do not include expected additional costs such as principal contracts or pension payments.

This has led to growing concern among school leaders. The Chicago Principals and Administrators Association criticized the budgets as misleading, warning that schools may have to cut staff over the summer when actual finances become clearer. Despite CPS's recent shift away from student-based budgeting toward a need-focused model using the Opportunity Index, even high-need schools are facing significant cuts. For instance, a north side high school that climbed in the index rankings is still losing substantial flexible funds and several staff positions.

Meanwhile, CEO Pedro Martinez is set to depart on June 18, leaving his successor to manage these financial challenges. Community engagement efforts are underway to help guide the search for the next CPS leader. CPS and the Alma Advisory Group have launched a series of public meetings to gather feedback on what qualities the new leader should have. Many attendees have voiced a preference for someone with strong ties to CPS and formal superintendent credentials.

These sessions mark an important moment for public involvement in CPS governance, especially as Chicago still lacks a fully elected school board. While some question the effectiveness of these meetings, turnout by local officials and community members suggests growing interest in shaping the district’s future. A separate event by Kids First Chicago offered a more direct line of communication with board members, allowing the public to raise concerns and engage personally with district leadership.

Chicago Teacher Strike

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have yet to reach an agreement over teachers’ contracts. As a result, CTU voted on Friday, September 27, to authorize a strike. The strike itself will take place next week on October 17, 2019, adding a new level of urgency for both parties as the days grow closer and closer.

However, in the past, authorized strikes haven’t always led to a strike since the immense inconvenience a strike inevitably poses leads parties to reach an agreement before the actual date. Many are hopeful that this will be the case. On the contrary, if an agreement is not met, CTU (and their 25,000 union educators) are prepared to follow through. In addition, Park District employees have also recently agreed to participate in the strike, adding even more fuel to the fire.

Within the contractual agreement between CPS and CTU, teachers are requesting higher salaries, lower student-to-teacher ratios, and more nurses, librarians, and special education professionals. CPS is trying to accommodate these requests, but so far, their offers were unsatisfactory. While the idea of a teacher strike isn’t desirable for either party, it would hopefully expedite negotiations.

Thousands of CPS families and community members are equally invested in a resolution between the school district and the union. Closed schools mean students wouldn’t have a place to go during the day, and now that Park Districts are joining in, the displacement of tens of thousands of students seems a likely and very scary possibility for Chicagoans. Young students would require childcare, and older students would miss out on extracurricular activities and athletics. Students receiving free or reduced lunches will be without a school-provided meal, adding financial strain to Chicago families.

Additionally, Test Prep Chicago courses offered at CPS schools and Park Districts will need be rescheduled should there be a strike. Our courses will continue once the strike ends and we will add make-up classes to the end of any course affected by the strikes.  While CPS and CTU are bargaining to find the best results, which will empower teachers to better serve their students and school communities, we hope they are able to do so very soon. 

Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266