Chalkbeat's journalism is made possible by our sponsors.
Interested in becoming one? Reach out here.
|
Good morning! Reema Amin here.
School budgets are expected to be released next week, and they’re probably going to be leaner than last year.
The district is planning with a $700 million deficit in mind, one source told us, who added that cuts to classrooms are “inevitable.” After closing a similarly sized budget gap last year, budget observers and educators told my colleague Mila that officials likely can’t close the deficit without touching schools.
“The money has to come from somewhere,” one principal said. “Robbing Paul to pay Peter is what it feels like at this point.”
Local News
Chicago Public Schools campus budget could bring cuts amid massive deficit
District officials say they are trying to keep any cuts away from classrooms as they gear up to release school budgets next week. But given CPS’ significant deficit, avoiding reductions to school budgets likely would not be possible.
Around Chalkbeat
School data goes stale after Trump administration cuts Education Department research arm
Since DOGE cuts, the Digest of Education Statistics hasn’t updated many tables, leaving gaps on school spending, teachers, and safety.
Philadelphia has a $3 billion school closure and modernization plan. Paying for it could be a problem.
The district is moving forward with closing 17 schools and upgrading nearly 170 others. But it needs help from philanthropies and state and local governments to pay for it.
Private schools, public dollars: A staggering racial gap in NYC special education tuition payments
NYC spent $723 million on private school tuition payments for students with disabilities, but students of color in higher-need neighborhoods are far less likely to benefit.
|
What We’re Reading
|
|
Thumbnail image by Christian K. Lee/Chalkbeat
|