Introduction to Chicago Public Schools Layoffs
Chicago Public Schools laid off more than 1,450 school-based staffers, including teachers, on Friday as it works to narrow a $734 million budget deficit. This move is part of the district’s efforts to adjust its staffing and budget for the upcoming school year.
Details of the Layoffs
The layoffs include 432 teachers, 311 paraprofessionals, such as teacher assistants, 677 special education classroom assistants, or SECAs, 33 security officers, and five parent workers. Across district-run schools that are not alternative or specialty schools, 57 percent saw a reduction in positions, according to a Chalkbeat analysis of school budgets that were released publicly Friday.
Impact on Special Education
However, 123 special education teachers and up to 300 SECAs will be eligible for retention pools, meaning they would be paid centrally over the next school year and can be deployed to schools with vacant jobs, according to Ben Felton, CPS chief talent officer. Staffers with unsatisfactory ratings are not eligible for the retention pools, Felton said.
Budget Deficit and Staffing Cuts
The district typically adjusts staffing and announces layoffs in the summer before school starts. In the past, about 80 percent of those laid off got jobs at other schools, said CPS, adding in a news release that it is “working diligently to maintain or improve that rate again this year.” School-based layoffs are happening later than usual this year amid delays in the district’s budgeting process. The new fiscal year began July 1, but CPS doesn’t expect to present a budget to its board for approval until next month.
Reaction from Teachers and Principals
Interim CPS CEO Macquline King also emailed teachers and principals on Friday promising that they would get retroactive raises for last school year in their checks by mid-August, according to copies of emails obtained by Chalkbeat. Last school year, CPS laid off 1,410 staffers. CPS did not immediately say how many of these staffers were rehired.
Potential for Further Cuts
Layoffs announced Friday may not be the end of staffing cuts and changes at schools. CPS publicly pegged its budget deficit at about $229 million this spring under former CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, hoping for about $300 million additional money from the city and state and not taking into account certain potential expenses. When King took office earlier this month, she said the gap is about $500 million larger, removing the assumption that additional money will come in and factoring in additional costs, including a much-debated $175 million pension reimbursement to the city.
Public Meetings and Feedback
The larger deficit means additional cuts could still be on the horizon. Officials could also choose to borrow money — an option that has for months divided the school board and education advocates in Chicago. CPS officials are holding a series of public meetings next week across the city to collect public feedback on how the district should close its budget deficit. Budget Director Mike Sitkowski said CPS is in a “tough situation” and the district has been open about its funding challenges. He said officials are “open-minded” about how to solve its deficit going forward “in a way that’s student-centered and that protects our schools.”
Analysis of School Budgets
According to Chalkbeat’s analysis of the data released Friday, there will be 477 fewer positions across all district-run schools next year. CPS officials said they could not immediately verify that number. Sitkowski said position cuts at the individual school level are because of less need for those jobs at those specific schools. At the same time, Sitkowski said, the district plans to give schools more positions after the academic year starts, based on need and “where students show up.” “Anything that’s looking like a net reduction is going to be made up for in what we add back,” Sitkowski said.
Staffing Changes and Concerns
District officials told Chalkbeat earlier this month that they’re changing how they staff schools with special education teachers and SECAs in order to address staffing imbalances at schools across the city. And they emphasized that those staffing changes have nothing to do with budget belt-tightening. Still, families and teachers expressed concern that the shifts could reduce the amount of support provided to students with disabilities.
Reaction from Unions
The layoffs sparked frustration from the Chicago Teachers Union, which represents teachers and support staff. Earlier this week, CTU called for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to launch a special legislative session in order to find additional funding for education. More than 740 people laid off are CTU members, and just over 700 belong to SEIU, CPS said. In a letter to members on its website, CTU’s leadership team called the layoffs a “harmful and distressing annual ritual at CPS” but highlighted the retention pools they bargained for.
Conclusion
The layoffs and budget adjustments in Chicago Public Schools reflect the ongoing challenges in funding and managing public education. The district’s efforts to balance its budget while maintaining support for students, especially those with special needs, will be closely watched in the coming months. As the situation evolves, it’s crucial for stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and policymakers, to work together to find sustainable solutions that prioritize student needs and educational outcomes.
FAQs
- How many staff members were laid off by Chicago Public Schools?
- More than 1,450 school-based staff members were laid off.
- What categories of staff were affected by the layoffs?
- The layoffs included teachers, paraprofessionals, special education classroom assistants (SECAs), security officers, and parent workers.
- What is the budget deficit that Chicago Public Schools is facing?
- The district is facing a $734 million budget deficit.
- Are there any plans to rehire or reassign laid-off staff members?
- Yes, some staff members, including special education teachers and SECAs, will be eligible for retention pools, allowing them to be reassigned to schools with vacancies.
- How might the layoffs and budget adjustments affect students, particularly those with special needs?
- There are concerns that the changes could reduce support for students with disabilities, although the district aims to address staffing imbalances and maintain student-centered approaches.
