Chicago Public Schools Faces $732M Deficit, Warns of Staff Cuts

Chicago Public Schools is confronting a massive budget shortfall of more than $730 million, and district officials say targeted staffing adjustments are now on the table as pandemic-era federal funding has run out.

The deficit, which exceeds $732 million, marks the latest chapter in a long history of chronic budget challenges for the district. While CPS has not yet specified the full scope of potential cuts, staff reductions are being weighed as a possible solution.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the district added approximately 10,000 jobs, with those positions covered by federal relief money. That funding has since expired, leaving the district to grapple with how to sustain the expanded workforce.

“Staff cuts are definitely an option,” a spokesperson said. “A lot of people are just waiting and worried at this point.”

The Board of Education is now turning to state lawmakers in Springfield for assistance.

“We’re asking our Springfield partners to do what they did last year,” a board spokesperson said. “They increased their funding to CPS last year. We need an additional increase. We know that times are tight, but we have to focus on our children. They discuss the Bears in terms of an economic engine, but CPS, our school system, is an economic engine.”

Despite the staggering deficit, district officials say they remain committed to fair funding and aim to minimize any impact on classrooms. CPS does not expect any changes to affect sports staff, according to the district.

The district has not yet released a detailed plan for closing the gap, but families and staff are bracing for difficult decisions in the months ahead.