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Chicago Public Schools Releases Budgets, Tightens Staffing to Close $732 Million Gap

Expired federal relief left a structural shortfall now driving campus cuts alongside targeted special education hiring.

Overview

  • Principals received campus budgets Tuesday as CPS warned of leaner school allocations and said it is seeking more state aid to help close a $732 million deficit.
  • CPS raised the class-size allocation by one student, kept a floor of 10 teachers per school, and capped reductions at four teachers in elementary schools and six in high schools.
  • Schools with fewer than 250 students will no longer get a district-funded assistant principal, which the principals union estimates could cut about 120 positions.
  • The district plans to add special education staff and open 60 new cluster classrooms for students with significant disabilities across the city.
  • A memo from acting budget chief Emila Zoko estimates about $96 million in school-level savings, with principals allowed to appeal by June 9 before a final board budget vote by Aug. 29.