Chicago Public Schools Cuts 1,458 Staff Amid $734 Million Budget Gap

Chicago Public Schools said Friday it has issued layoff notices to 1,458 employees—including 432 teachers and 677 special-education classroom assistants—as part of its annual staffing adjustments. The cuts affect roughly 1.8% of the teaching force and come as the nation’s third-largest school district faces a $734 million budget shortfall. District officials said the number of layoffs is about 3.2% higher than last year and attributed the reductions to enrollment shifts, program changes and delayed budgeting. CPS noted that historically more than 80% of employees who receive pink slips secure other positions within the system before the new school year; hiring fairs are planned to help facilitate transfers. Interim Chief Executive Officer Macquline King is holding public meetings over the next two weeks to explain the fiscal gap and gather feedback before the Aug. 29 deadline to adopt a balanced budget. King has not ruled out short-term borrowing, while the Chicago Teachers Union criticized the layoffs as part of a “cruel cycle” stemming from inadequate state funding.