IN CHICAGO, Public Schools Fear the Next Round of State Budget Cuts Could Trim School Programs!
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSS FEARS EARLY CHILDHOOD, BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, OTHERS, MAY FACE CUTS!
Ron Huberman, Superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools system fears the district could lose roughly $84 Million in State of IL assistance under the latest budget cuts announced by the IL Governor and State Legislators in Springfield IL last week. He is afraid he might have to cut educational and out-of-classroom programs as early as the 2009-10 School Year.
As reported by Azam Ahmed in last Friday's Chicago Tribune, Huberman estimates about $46 Million in money for the public schools Early Childhood Education Program will be cut.
Even before the budget cuts were announced, the Chicago Public Schools were already looking at an over $475 Million budget defecit. This was despite the layoff of about 600 non-union CPS employees, and the modification of employee pay and benefits to cut about $100 Million from school spending.
Thus far, through earlier non-union layoffs, pay cuts, and requiring six unpaid furlough days each year, and with the receipt of Federal Stimulus Funds helping schools, the superintendent has been able to trim the budget considerably. But the new State of IL funding cuts will only re-open their budget gap.
DEAN MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
