Introduction to CPS Budget Cuts
As they work to close a massive budget deficit, Chicago Public Schools officials plan to save $40 million by ending all outsourced custodial work and relying on about 500 fewer workers to clean schools this coming school year.
Impact on Custodians
Some 1,250 custodians, all employed by private companies, received layoff notices Friday. CPS says it plans to rehire 750 as district staff. The district also won’t have to pay overhead costs associated with the private companies. “We still face a $734 million deficit, and these are tough decisions,” said CPS Chief Operating Officer Charles Mayfield.
Efforts to Minimize Effects on Students
School district officials say they are trying their best to keep cuts from affecting students. The custodian layoffs are part of $165 million in cuts announced this summer that also include laying off 250 lunchroom workers and about 100 crossing guard positions. Mayfield said he thinks the district can keep schools clean by shifting custodians’ schedules and using technology to track when classrooms and other spaces are completed.
Union Response
But the union representing the private custodians is dubious. Genie Kastrup, president of SEIU Local 1, said the union was blindsided when it was told Thursday that all of its custodians will be laid off — the second year in a row that hundreds were fired. “I just don’t see any scenario that schools can be maintained clean after they have just cut and cut and cut,” Kastrup said. “My one big concern is for our CPS kids and parents, that they’re going to be working in dirty schools and learning in dirty schools.”
Concerns for Laid-Off Custodians
Kastrup also worried about the laid-off custodians, who she said become part of the fabric of their schools even if they work for private companies. Custodians represented by SEIU Local 1 have an average of 12 years of service, she said. The union sent a letter to CPS on Monday asking that longtime custodians get the first shot at getting their jobs back, with the same pay and benefits. Custodians who get positions with the district will have to transfer from SEIU Local 1 to SEIU Local 73, so they will be under a new contract.
Strategic Plan and Outsourcing
While the primary reason for these changes is to save money, ending the contracts with outside custodial companies helps CPS accomplish a goal in its strategic plan of relying less on private firms. The outsourcing of custodial services has been especially controversial. In 2013, the school district under then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel hired Aramark to manage district custodial services. The move was supposed to save money while putting new cleaning machines and systems in place. But for years, principals complained about dirty schools and the fact that they did not have any control over the custodial staff. CPS ended its contract with Aramark last year, bringing the management of custodial services in-house. But the school district continued to use smaller private companies to handle the afternoon and evening shift to clean while students are not in school.
Conclusion
The decision by Chicago Public Schools to cut 500 custodians and end private cleaning contracts is a significant move aimed at addressing the district’s budget deficit. While the plan is to rehire some of these workers as district staff, concerns remain about the impact on school cleanliness and the welfare of the laid-off custodians. The situation underscores the challenges faced by public schools in balancing budget constraints with the need to maintain quality services.
FAQs
- Q: How many custodians will be laid off by CPS?
A: Approximately 1,250 custodians will receive layoff notices. - Q: How many of these custodians will be rehired by CPS?
A: CPS plans to rehire 750 of these custodians as district staff. - Q: What is the reason behind CPS ending private cleaning contracts?
A: The primary reason is to save $40 million to help address the district’s $734 million budget deficit. - Q: How does the union representing the private custodians view this decision?
A: The union, SEIU Local 1, is concerned that the schools will not be maintained clean with the reduced staff and is advocating for longtime custodians to get priority in rehiring. - Q: What changes can be expected in the management of custodial services?
A: CPS will bring the management of custodial services in-house, relying less on private firms as part of its strategic plan.
