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The Chicago School board took several actions Wednesday during its monthly meeting, including agreeing to settle a CTU lawsuit over longer day compensation, announcing the resignation of Food Service Director Louise Esaian, limiting the contract of two charter operators, expanding report card pickup to better accommodate parents who work.

Ahead of a school board disciplinary hearing Wednesday, the Chicago Public Schools official accused in a recent inspector general's report of accepting perhaps thousands of dollars in improper gifts from the district's two largest food vendors resigned. (Sun-Times)

Chicago Public Schools officials are bracing for another year of staggering budget deficits. For the third year in a row, CPS says it could be facing a $700 million budget gap that will force painful cuts. (WBEZ)

As sure as it's spring, CPS is saying the district is broke and projects a $700 million budget deficit. (Tribune)

In other CPS matters Wednesday, the district approved a new calendar that adds 10 days to the school year. Two days are being picked up by dropping holidays for Columbus and Pulaski days. (Tribune)

A day after announcing a looming deficit of $600 to $700 million – not counting any employee raises or the costs of a longer school day—Chicago school officials offered few ideas for balancing the books for the next school year. (Catalyst)

The Chicago Teachers Union renewed calls for a publicly elected school board during a rally in front of CPS headquarters Wednesday morning. (Tribune)

Teachers union criticizes plan to keep middle class in Chicago. (NBC Chicago)

IN THE STATE
A week after Lincolnwood voters soundly rejected spending $25 million on a new school, the superintendent and another top administrator have left their positions with District 74. (Tribune)

Winnetaka School District 36 plans to gradually reduce staff size, bringing it in line with student enrollment, which continues to drop. (Sun-Times)

IN THE NATION
A high school teacher charges that her school's newly implemented teacher-evaluation system is based on a "series of artificial gestures" and jeopardizes professional morale. (Education Week)

The Pontiac Public School District in Michigan will lay off 95 employees, including 43 teachers, beginning next month as part of its plan to eliminate a $24.5 million deficit. (The Detroit News)

New York State education officials have rejected Buffalo's proposal to reach an agreement on evaluations for teachers in the city's public schools. (The Wall Street Journal/AP)

S. Dallas Dance, 30, named to be the next superintendent of Baltimore County, will be the youngest to hold the job in at least 50 years. In the past decade, Dance has changed jobs about every two years as he moved from English teacher to assistant principal, principal and administrator in Virginia public schools to chief of middle schools in the Houston Independent School District. But he said he plans to keep the Baltimore County job for a decade. (The Baltimore Sun)

Atlanta Public Schools is taking steps to fire five teachers implicated in a widespread test-cheating scandal, joining 11 others targeted for termination earlier this month. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

The witness list ran nine pages for Wednesday’s D.C. Council hearing on Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s proposed FY 2013 education budget, testament to the volume of unmet needs—and programs at risk of cuts—in the city’s schools. (The Washington Post)