By Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) — Chicago Public Schools has announced that more than 900 employees will be laid off.
That includes 356 teachers and 600 staff members. In a statement, CPS cites the continuing battle over the education funding bill down in Springfield.
“CPS principals have worked tirelessly to plan for the year ahead under unusually tight deadlines thanks to Governor Rauner’s decision to stand in the way of historic education funding reform,” CPS spokesman Michael Passman said in a statement. “As part of the annual school budget process, principals are moving forward today with staffing changes, which are at their lowest level since at least 2007 due to concerted efforts to direct as many resources as possible to the classroom.”
But those laid off will have a chance to apply for more that 500 teaching vacancies that need to be filled before the school year begins. A career fair for teachers will be held on August 11, 15 and 16.
CPS was supposed to release its FY18 budget Monday, but that has been delayed along with the school board’s August meeting. That meeting will be rescheduled depending on what action is taken in Springfield.
“We are doing this to allow Springfield more time to resolve the statewide education funding crisis before we ask our board to vote on a budget,” Passman said.
Rauner used his amendatory veto power on SB1, a school funding bill passed by lawmakers back in May. He took out a portion of funding that he says is a “bailout” for Chicago. Lawmakers have yet to take action on the amended version of the bill.
Copyright 2017 WLS-AM News
