RYH Fact-Finding Report on the State of CPS | 7.25.12
Illinois has no long-term plan to equitably and sustainably fund it's schools
Illinois is still 49th in the nation in what the state pays towards education
Illinois is ranked one of the most regressive states in the nation in how it funds education with a huge onus on property taxes that causes great inequity in our state. See this Report - Is School Funding Fair? A National Report Card
Chicago will start out with a budget deficit of over $1 billion in 2014
Many programs/teachers/raises will likely be cut at that time as we continue to not address the long-term issue of properly funding education
The CPS 5hr45 minute day is too short
The push by Mayor Emanuel and CPS for a7.5 hour day was completely unrealistic given our financial situation
It is being reported that the 3rd party arbitrator is recommending a 14.5% raise for the CTU ( See http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/13813232-418/arbitrator-give-chicago-teachers-357-raise-over-four-years.html)
The independent arbitrator's decisions were extremely narrow based on the scope of SB7, a law pushed by Stand for Children and passed last year that limits what can and can't be negotiated. Perhaps Stand for Children should foot the bill for the arbitrator, since it is this group that spent millions of dollars lobbying for the bill.
RYH does not believe we can afford a 7hr day that comes with a 14.5% raise at this point in time.
A 6.5 hour day that works by moving the teacher lunch to the middle of the day would be affordable
If you can’t afford something, don’t do it.
6.5 hours is a “full day.” It is the national average length of the school day.
Longer or shorter, CPS has still not sufficiently addressed the issues of quality in the school day - class size, fine and performing arts, violence prevention, foreign language, physical education, etc.
Until we get real about the state of education funding and do something to change it, we won’t make real improvements to the school day
CPS wasted our time this year battling about something we can’t afford. Find a way to work with stakeholders to come up with reforms that work for all kids together. We have a very broken system.
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