CPS schools create unnecessary crisis

Dear CPS Parents:

Superintendent Forrest Claypool made a curiously timed and unfortunate announcement of cuts to Chicago Public Schools.

As you may know, CPS annually receives a special block grant from the state of Illinois for hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate for the fact that CPS is unique in paying the normal cost of its teacher pensions. Despite this special block grant, declining enrollment and increasing property taxes, CPS's continued mismanagement left them with a $215 million hole in the current fiscal year.

In Springfield, Gov. Rauner agreed to help Chicago make its full pension payment as part of comprehensive statewide pension reform that saves money for taxpayers across Illinois. It's a win-win for Chicago and the state.

Additionally, the Governor's School Funding Commission released a framework to overhaul the state's school funding formula, ensuring low-income schools get more state dollars.

That is why the announcement by CPS that the district would cut services came as a shock to all of us. CPS doesn't have to make its full pension payment until June 30. The Illinois Senate is currently considering a balanced-budget package that would include comprehensive pension reform, including funds for CPS pensions, and a new school funding formula.

Why would CPS arbitrarily create a crisis and hurt its students and teachers rather than work to pass the Senate's balanced budget reform package?

Rather than cutting services and creating a crisis to help justify a campaign to raise taxes in Springfield, it would be helpful to everyone if CPS would work with all parties to enact a balanced-budget package that includes comprehensive pension reform and a new and equitable school funding formula.

Beth Purvis

Illinois Secretary of Education