UPDATE: Chicago school board members and community advocates rallied outside Austin High School today, demanding urgent action on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed $16.6 billion city budget. This budget includes crucial funding of $552.4 million for Chicago Public Schools (CPS), which is at risk following a committee’s rejection of the proposal last week.
The rejection has created uncertainty for CPS, with board members warning that significant cuts to school programs and staff could occur if the budget is not passed. Jitu Brown, an elected member of the school board, stated, “The status quo is starving a school like Douglass, reducing its enrollment from 600 to just 35 children.” He emphasized the dire need for the budget to support educational programs vital to the community.
Wallace Wilbourn Jr., a teacher at Oscar DePriest Elementary, highlighted the implications of a failed budget vote. “A no vote on the mayor’s budget will support higher taxes and fees on us, the working people, and cuts to our schools and services our families rely on,” he warned.
Several board members echoed these concerns, stating that cuts would be unavoidable at specific schools if Johnson’s budget does not gain approval. Their statements were based on calculations from the Chicago Teachers Union. However, city budget officials clarified that the $552 million for CPS comes from a surplus of special taxing dollars, known as TIF, which is allocated as a lump sum rather than per school.
A spokesperson for Mayor Johnson confirmed that the TIF surplus is a “least controversial” part of the budget. Should the mayor’s proposal, which includes a $1 billion surplus, pass, the city could receive an additional $223 million from these special taxing districts. This revenue could help stabilize the CPS budget and prevent midyear cuts.
The Chicago Board of Education had already approved a $10.2 billion budget for the 2025-26 school year in August, depending on at least $379 million from the city’s budget. With the city budget operating on a calendar year from January 1 to December 31, 2026, the urgency for a resolution is pressing.
As the situation develops, advocates will continue to press city officials for swift action to ensure that Chicago’s schools receive the funding necessary to serve their communities effectively. The City Council is expected to revisit the budget discussions soon, with alternative proposals potentially emerging from some aldermen.
Stay tuned for updates as this critical issue unfolds. The future of Chicago’s educational landscape hangs in the balance.
