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Budget & finance
District officials said they have done a lot to preserve arts education and increase academic rigor at the former contract school. But supporters on the school board said they want to see more.
One family is looking forward to a new year of learning. But one mom, Jaciel Cathey, says the unpredictability of the district’s budget is impacting how long she’ll keep her son in CPS.
The school board wants voters to give their opinion on a new statewide millionaires tax and a city penalty on the owners of vacant properties. Both could generate revenue for public schools.
The board’s vote assumed an additional $100 million in unrestricted funds from the state but CPS says that money won’t be enough to reinstate every position cut earlier this summer.
The board will consider asking Chicago voters whether they support a state millionaires tax and new penalties for owners of undeveloped city lots.
The new funding calculations from state officials fall short of what Chicago’s school board assumed the district would receive in its recently passed budget.
CPS CEO Macquline King said she’s uncertain that school will start on time. Here’s what families and staff should expect.
The budget adopted by the board assumes that state lawmakers will provide another $150 million over what it’s already projected to provide to CPS. Some say it is a pressure tactic, and others see major financial risks.
CPS also plans to roll out a new framework to help all schools implement a 2024 district policy related to student well-being and safety.
Some school board members say the budget’s proposed cuts are necessary, while others wonder if they can tweak revenue projections in order to avoid them.
Chicago Public Schools is finalizing its budget plan for next school year, and for many schools, that will mean significant changes to the number of staff positions.
The district revised a key revenue assumption in order to remove five planned furlough days from the $9.88 billion spending proposal for next school year. The school board is scheduled to vote on the budget on Thursday.
About a dozen teachers criticized the district’s proposed $9.88 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year during a Monday hearing.
The budget includes layoffs and other measures to tackle a $732.5 million budget gap.
The layoffs are part of the district’s attempt to close a more than $700 million deficit.
The board members said they’re also pushing the city for more dollars from special taxing districts.
Amid wider budget cuts, Chicago Public Schools cut funding for assistant principals on campuses with fewer than 250 students. It made some exceptions, and many other small schools are using discretionary dollars to keep their seconds-in-command.
The Chicago Board of Education adopted the agenda about a month after state lawmakers adjourned for the summer. The agenda includes asks for more state funding and a millionaire’s tax.
As the district faces a major budget deficit, schools across the city are spending more dollars they raise independently of what CPS provides. Some West and South Side schools are increasingly holding their own.
Illinois lawmakers put an additional $350 million toward K-12 schools, bringing the total to $9.2 billion. But it still won’t be enough for many schools.