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This is Mila Koumpilova, one of the education reporters here at Chalkbeat Chicago. Our top story today: Chicago Public Schools leaders sent proposed budgets for the coming school year to principals.

CPS usually shares an overall amount it steers directly to schools with reporters on budget release day — or at least it has consistently done so in recent years when it could highlight annual increases in that amount. Today, officials balked at spelling out that number or discuss specific staffing for various positions, noting these might yet change. But they stressed they had to make difficult decisions in light of the district’s significant deficit.

The district, where the number of students with disabilities has continued to rise even as overall enrollment dropped, is increasing special education spending. But it’s tightening staffing for other positions, from teachers to assistant principals. In a memo to the school board, the district estimated these changes will shrink CPS’s roughly $730 million deficit by about $96 million.

Local News

Chicago Public Schools tightens staffing in school budgets amid massive deficit

District leaders would not say how much less funding they are steering directly to schools or how many positions might be cut. But they made it clear many school budgets will be tighter, though special education funding will increase.