Despite “roughly a decade of largely holding the line or even boosting school budgets” through COVID-19 pandemic assistance, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) must now plan for leaner times, a recent analysis concludes.
“In recent weeks, CEO Macquline King has floated a worst case budget deficit of up to $1 billion,” wrote Mila Koumpilova for Chalkbeat Chicago.
“A source with knowledge of the situation told Chalkbeat the district is planning with a gap of about $700 million in mind. Unlike the worst case scenario, that number assumes an influx of some revenue from a special city taxing program meant to spur development — and no CPS contribution to a city pension fund that covers CPS support staff and city employees.”
Regardless of which scenario the district chooses, the source told Chalkbeat school-level cuts are “inevitable.”
