finance and budgets | catalyst-chicago.org

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School closings

As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.

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finance and budgets

ISBE looks for answers to difficult budget outlook October 18, 2010 By: Sarah Karp Illinois State Board of Education members kicked off a series of public hearings Monday in Chicago as they prepared to navigate another dire budget year. Read More \| (0) Comments	CPS passes budget, union demands rehiring of laid-off teachers August 25, 2010 By: Rebecca Harris At Wednesday’s board meeting, CPS officials announced plans to restructure some of the district’s debt obligations to balance the system’s budget, rather than draining all of the district’s stabilization reserve funds, as had earlier been proposed. Read More \| (1) Comments
Budget landmines August 12, 2010 By: Sarah Karp Despite the cloudy sky, light streams into the imposing, two-story plate-glass windows of the school gym. Seated in several rows of chairs are immigrants, some in jeans and others in their best outfits, clutching papers and balled-up tissues. Behind them on bleachers are students, middle school and high school-aged, neatly dressed in blue uniforms with white shirts. Their teachers hover nearby. Read More \| (1) Comments	Illinois charters lack transparency August 12, 2010 By: Sarah Karp In Massachusetts, the public can easily find financial information for charters, including how much money they bring in, where that money comes from—including private sources—and how much the schools spend on teacher salaries and other expenses. In Illinois, it is nearly impossible to get a good read on similar financial information from charters. Doing so, however, could help direct policy, serve as a guide for future charter schools and give authorizers specific information about which charter schools are in financial trouble. Read More \| (0) Comments
CPS balances budget by draining savings August 09, 2010 By: Sarah Karp To finally balance its budget, Chicago Public School officials will lay off more than 2000 teachers and support staff, zero out the district's reserves, at least temporarily, and reduce the amount provided for charter school students by 6 percent. Read More \| (18) Comments	Union, board of ed begin budget talks July 23, 2010 By: Rebecca Harris New Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis began talks with the Board of Education on Friday and spoke of “forging a positive relationship with the Board of Education.” Read More \| (38) Comments
State funding cuts deficit, class sizes won't increase June 28, 2010 By: Sarah Karp The Doomsday scenario—featuring CPS classes bulging with 35 students—has been averted, but deep cuts are still on the table and teachers are being pressed hard to forego pay raises. Read More \| (48) Comments	Board gives Huberman power to increase class sizes June 15, 2010 By: Sarah Karp Faced with a deficit projected to be at least $427 million, Board of Education members gave unanimous approval at an emergency meeting on Tuesday to resolutions that will allow CEO Ron Huberman to raise class sizes to 35 students and still pay teacher raises promised in the union contract. Read More \| (27) Comments
Chicago schools budget: relief on class sizes and preschools, other cuts still on the table April 22, 2010 By: Sarah Karp When Gov. Pat Quinn signed pension reform last week, reducing CPS’ burden by $400 million and shrinking the deficit, the question was what would be spared of the many programs and people CEO Ron Huberman threatened to cut. Read More \| (33) Comments

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