HYDE PARK — Schools from Bronzeville to South Chicago saw nearly $7 million slashed from their budgets on Monday.
Late Monday afternoon, Chicago Public Schools released preliminary budgets for lakefront schools that saw some schools lose up to 16 percent of their budget.
The 19 charter and contract schools saw $1.4 million in cuts, with an average of a 1.1 percent cut from each school’s budget. The 43 district schools by comparison saw cuts of nearly $5.6 million, an average of a 2.3 percent cut from each school’s budget.
Ted Cox breaks down CPS' cuts and how the CTU is responding:
Bronzeville Scholastic Institute, 4934 S. Wabash Ave., saw the most severe cuts of the south lakefront schools, losing $288,684, nearly 16 percent of its budget compared to last year. The school is one of three to share the DuSable High School building, 4934 S. Wabash Ave.
Overall, 13 Bronzeville schools saw cuts, ranging from nearly $16,000 at the DuSable Leadership Academy, which shares the old DuSable High School building with Bronzeville Scholastic, to $550,727 at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School, 2641 S. Calumet Ave.
Revere Elementary School, 1010 E. 72nd Street, saw the largest loss, with $644,212 cut from its budget, of any school on the south lakefront.
Washington Park, Woodlawn, South Shore, South Chicago, Kenwood and Hyde Park each saw only two schools avoid cuts.
For neighborhoods with few schools like Washington Park, it meant only one school, the Academy for Urban School Leadership-run Carter Elementary School, suffered cuts.
But other neighborhoods like South Chicago face cuts that mean 11 schools will have to make due with $2 million less than last year.
The Great Lakes Academy Charter School will see $534,091 cut from its budget as its enrollment is expected to climb to 203 students next year from 125 students.
Six schools in South Shore will share $926,531 in budget cuts. Powell Academy, one of CPS’ top-rated schools at 7511 S. South Shore Drive, will take the bulk of the cuts in the neighborhood, losing 11 percent from its budget and working with $313,859 less next year.
In Hyde Park and Kenwood, where $956,446 will be cut from schools’ budgets, Ariel Community Academy at 1119 E. 46th St. will face the harshest cuts. The school will lose $448,357 next year as its enrollment is expected to modestly increase compared to the 513 students at the school last year.
But some schools are seeing increased funding, particularly those with swelling enrollment.
Excel Academy of Woodlawn will see its budget go up by nearly $950,000 as it adds 395 students next year.
In a media conference call on student-based budgeting Monday, 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.
But that simple math seems to be belied at some south lakefront schools.
Mollison Elementary School, 4415 S. King Drive, is expected to add nearly $575,000 to its budget next year, though enrollment is only expected to climb by 24 students.
Dunbar Vocational Career Academy and King College Prep are both expected to get larger budgets next year despite declines in enrollment. Dunbar, 3000 S. King Drive, will get an additional $241,128 next year while its enrollment drops by 113 students.
Schools over the coming weeks will start crafting budgets for the coming school year based on the figures released Monday, but the numbers are not final as negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union, funding pension payments and final enrollment numbers are settled.
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