BELMONT CRAGIN — Neighborhood schools in Belmont Cragin will collectively lose $1,690,200 in funding for the 2015-16 school year, according to data released this week. Charter schools in the area, meanwhile, will receive an additional $3,268,384.
Late Monday afternoon, Chicago Public Schools released preliminary budgets amid a $106 billion state budget crisis, slashing the budgets of 416 schools in Chicago.
Of nine schools facing cuts in Belmont Cragin, Foreman High School, 3235 N. Leclaire, Ave.; Lloyd Elementary School, 2103 N. Lamon Ave.; and Prieto Elementary School, 2231 N. Central Ave., were hit hardest. The schools will collectively lose $1,550,781, due to a decrease in enrollment per the district's student-based budgeting system, according to the data.
Ted Cox breaks down CPS' cuts and how the CTU is responding:
Only three neighborhood schools in the area — Camras Elementary School, 3000 N. Mango Ave.; Burbank Elementary School, 2035 N. Mobile Ave.; and Prosser High School, 2048 N. Long Ave. — will see net gains in funding, due to projected increases in enrollment.
At the same time, Belmont Cragin's four charter schools will see more than $3 million in new funding, including a $2,464,650 increase in the budget of Noble Street's ITW David Speer high school, 2456 N. Mango Ave. The school's enrollment is expected to nearly double next year, from 286 students to 516.
But even Uno's Clemente campus, 2050 N. Natchez Ave., which CPS says will only have one additional student next year, is projected to get $163,594 in new funding. Plus, CICS West Belden, 2245 N. McVicker Ave., whose enrollment is expected to slightly drop, will get a $41,423 boost to its budget.
A breakdown of some of the cuts:
Foreman High School: With a 9.3 percent overall slash in funding, Foreman is projected to face the deepest cut of any school in Belmont-Cragin. While $1,038,573 will be cut from core instruction funding, an additional $76,261 will be added for out-of-classroom programs like clubs and sports. The school is expected to see its enrollment drop by 76 students.
Lloyd Elementary School: Projected to decrease its enrollment by 42 students, Lloyd will see a 5.13 percent cut in its total funding, including a $465,480 cut in funding for core instruction.
Belmont-Cragin Elementary School: Depsite its projection of an increased enrollment by 18 students, Belmont-Cragin faces a $34,076 cut in overall funding. While it's seeing a boost in its core instruction budget, the school will lose $112,143 for activities outside the classroom.
Steinmetz High School: Steinmetz will see a 3.09 percent cut in funding, mostly resulting from a $342,669 slash to its core instruction budget. The most heavily-attended school in the neighborhood, Steinmetz is expected to drop its enrollment by 49 students.
Prieto Elementary School: Despite a $61,147 boost in its funding for out-of-classroom programs, Prieto is still expected to see a 3.6 percent overall budget cut from last year. The school's enrollment is projected to shrink by 14 students.
Chicago Public Schools announced Monday that neighborhood schools will see almost $60 million in cuts district wide, while charter schools and other charter programs for at-risk students would see a combined $30 million in gains.
CPS Chief Financial Officer Ginger Ostro said 238 schools would see increased funding, at a total of $68.5 million, while 416 see budgets cut, at a total of $99.5 million.
"Money follows the students," Ostro said, adding that projected CPS enrollment for the coming school year is 372,275, down about 1 percent from last year.
According to the district, so-called neighborhood schools are expected to enroll about 4,000 fewer students in the fall, while charters increase enrollment by about 3,000 students.
Basic student-based budgeting would remain level at $4,390 a student for grades 4-8, with $4,697 for students in kindergarten through third grade and $5,444 a pupil in high schools.
“No one would argue that these are the budgets that we would like to be presenting, but they reflect the reality of where we are today; a budget deficit of more than $1 billion; the demands of a broken pension system; and a state education funding that is near last in the country,” said Interim CPS CEO Jesse Ruiz. “We have tried to limit the impact on our classrooms, but we sympathize with teachers, parents and principals whose schools will be seeing fewer resources than last year.”
Since 2010, Illinois has taken a 13 percent cut from the state's budget, according to CPS.
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