Chicago Public Schools officials said the system will not cut an extra $35 million from schools that enrolled fewer students than expected following the term’s first two weeks of classes.
CPS will also continue to spend more on buildings that beat district enrollment estimates. That means about $20 million extra is headed to a group of schools, the district said Monday.
The “one-time” reprieve from some enrollment-based cuts still means schools that lost more students than CPS expected will lose some federal and state aid dollars. The district said those combined cuts would approach $2 million.
Schools have already seen tens of millions of dollars removed from their budgets this year due to a predicted population decline of about 8,000 students.
“We hope that this one-time hold harmless effort provides your schools with much needed certainty for this school year and gives you time to plan for next year,” CPS CEO Forrest Claypool and chief education officer Janice Jackson wrote in a letter to principals Monday.
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Officials’ proclamation to principals comes after the district used a combination of expensive debt and the promise of more money from state government to stave off some immediate financial pressure. The district must still finalize its annual budget plan.
Principals received slightly more money for each student this year, though a substantial portion of the increase was meant to pay for higher salaries etched into recent labor contracts.
Despite the increase in per-pupil funding, a projected enrollment decline of about 8,000 for the 2017-18 school year put district-operated schools in line to receive roughly $43 million less than they did last year.
The district’s official head count will be finalized on the 20th day of classes.