Mayor Rahm Emanuel and schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard on Thursday announced $75 million in cuts to the central office and administrative spending at Chicago Public Schools.
The cuts are meant to help fill a $720 million budget hole. Brizard said with less money coming from the state, the system must "direct every dollar to our classrooms."
Cuts include "limited layoffs at the central office." Brizard says. "We're not stopping here."
Closing vacant positions due to layoffs, partnering with ComEd to turn off non-emergency lights during some summer periods, reducing the number of school buses and reducing the equipment budget for non-teaching staff are among targeted areas for cuts.
Emanuel said Chicago school administrators must ask themselves, "do we need to do what we're doing?"
The state owes the system $300 million, Emanuel said. The state "owes the children and parents."
