School Budgets are Out.... | 6.8.13
Schools are finally getting their budgets and we hear they are not looking good for neighborhood schools. Magnet, SE, gifted, IB and other specialty programming has been protected so the majority of cuts seem to be hitting neighborhood schools. You can attend an LSC meeting to find out more information. CPS has moved to a new per pupil funding system so many Principals are still trying to sort out their numbers and may not have clear information yet. Check to see when your school is having their LSC meeting on the budget and attend to learn more about how your school is impacted. Please email us and share the status of your school. We are trying to document the cuts. Info@ilraiseyourhand.org
Catalyst reported that CPS will be taking 2/3 of cell-phone tower money from those schools that have gotten towers to help cover costs at their schools.
Unfortunately, despite what CPS has told us this year, closing 50 schools did not solve the big deficit problem, in fact, CPS borrowed lots of money to pay for closings and taxpayers will be paying $25 million a year in debt service to cover closing costs. The Board didn’t have any financials or cost accounting to show what closings will save (as a parent found through FOIA request) so it is unclear what the operational savings, if any, will be.
The mayor is putting sole blame on the state for the funding issue but what about the millions of dollars in TIF funding diverted from our schools every year? In the midst of closing schools and making cuts, our mayor announced $55 million in TIF funds would go to fund a stadium for Depaul University. 53% of that money is diverted from our schools. There was $1.7 billion in tif accounts last year.
Come to the RYH All-Schools Meeting next Wednesday to get involved and strategize about what we can do together to help find solutions. We may also have a south-side meeting on the same night, details tba.
Wednesday 6/12
7pm
Hamlin Park Fieldhouse
3035 N. Hoyne
Closings
As we knew from talking to parents at some of the closing schools, CPS has faked enrollment numbers without parental consent.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-cps-enrollment-20130607,0,2842296.story
CPS not offering same benefits for all kids in areas with closed schools