<span class="field field–name-title field–type-string field–label-hidden">Illinois Lawmakers on How to Fix Chicago Public Schools’ Budget Challenges</span>
<span class="field field–name-uid field–type-entity-reference field–label-hidden"><span>Bridgette Adu-Wadier</span></span>
<span class="field field–name-created field–type-created field–label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-08-11T19:06:00-05:00" title="Monday, August 11, 2025 – 19:06" class="datetime">Mon, 08/11/2025 – 19:06</time>
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<div class="clearfix text-formatted field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden field__item"><p>Some local lawmakers are saying they support more funding for Chicago Public Schools, but it shouldn’t all come from the state.</p>
<p>This comes as students and teachers prepare to head back to school next week. But CPS officials are deep in some homework of their own — closing a whopping $734 million deficit by the end of the month. There is little wiggle room to cut costs or bring in revenue.</p>
<p>CPS is set to release its budget proposal on Wednesday, and the school board is expected to vote on it at its monthly meeting on Aug. 28.</p>
<p>“Of course the state will have a very critical role in providing funding not just for Chicago Public Schools but for districts throughout the state,” said state Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago). “Exactly how that happens really depends on what we see on Wednesday when CPS does release its budget.”</p>
<p>CPS interim CEO Macquline King and members of the school board have said that the district is out of options after recently making some cuts to hot lunches, school crossing guards and other services to narrow the gap.</p>
<p>Last month, education advocates and the Chicago Teachers Union were in outcry after more than 1,400 staff — including more than 400 teachers — were laid off because of the dire financial situation. Advocates have also raised concerns about the impacts these cuts will have on student outcomes, especially for Black and low-income families.</p>
<p>In the spring legislative session, state Rep. Curtis Tarver (D-Chicago) introduced a bill to bring back state control of CPS through the School Finance Authority, which expired in 2010. Now he says that while there isn’t much appetite for a full state takeover, there still needs to be some state intervention to implement reforms.</p>
<p>Tarver suggested other ideas, such as a potential partnership with the state, the city and the school district to share funding responsibilities. He has also recommended the district adopt an equity-based funding formula.</p>
<p>“The EBF [Evidence-Based Funding] funds that go to CPS are different,” Tarver said. “CPS gets theirs and they decide how to spend it. Everybody else is told how to spend it through their formula. That would be one thing that I would like to see. There’s been bills filed for that probably every single year that I’ve been in the General Assembly.”</p>
<p>Tarver said focusing on a different funding formula will help tie funds to outcomes to improve things like test scores and reading proficiency.</p>
<p>“I would like to see kids at least reading at grade level,” Tarver said. “That would be a minimum to me.”</p>
<p>Despite the time crunch, Williams said she’s optimistic the school system will be able to close the budget deficit and meet students’ needs.</p>
<p>“It’s not all bad news here,” Williams said. “We have made progress here. The evidence-based formula does work. It provides more funds to the schools that need it most. It’s also important to note that we are seeing improved student outcomes in CPS.”</p>
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August 11, 2025 at 07:09PM
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