LOGAN SQUARE — Of the nearly $100 million in Chicago Public School budget cuts citywide, approximately $4 million will come out of Logan Square.
Chicago Public Schools announced July 13 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.
Of 11 Logan Square schools, only one — Brentano Elementary — will see a financial gain. A combined loss at the remaining schools comes to $4,015,710, according to CPS data.
In the long term, the cuts and gains could mean a loss of so-called neighborhood schools to charters, according to Stacie Gorfinkel, a Marine Leadership Academy teacher, Logan Square resident and soon-to-be CPS parent.
But, in the short term, the cuts could mean a school isn't going to get that new pair of tablets or science kit they had planned on.
“And if the principal has to cut people over materials then that means one or two less set of eyes looking out,” Gorfinkel added.
Despite a projected enrollment gain of 117 students at Marine Leadership Academy, the schools will lose around $10,000 — the smallest overall monetary loss of any Logan Square school. But at Kelvyn Park High School about a mile northwest, budget cuts for the 2015-2016 year will top $1.69 million — the highest loss of any school in the neighborhood.
“One of the major cuts will probably be teachers,” said Jennifer Velasquez, a 21-year-old Kelvyn Park High School graduate, Logan Square Neighborhood Association youth organizer and Logan Square native now studying secondary education at Northeastern Illinois University.
There are already teachers who have left Kelvyn Park because of the instability, according to Velasquez — the school was saved from closure in 2013 but it's projected to see a drop of around 125 students in the coming year.
Despite the compounding cuts (Kelvyn Park's budget was slashed by 27 percent in 2013 when 17 school position openings were posted online, setting off a year of uncertainty at the school), Velasquez said she’s committed to continue working in the school where she eventually hopes to teach.
“I know enough to make me want to run the other way but I know the students and there’s a lot of potential there,” she said. "But what’s the message that’s CPS is trying to tell us?”
Logan Square schools receiving funding:
- Brentano Elementary: Brentano is expected to gain nine students and $26,726 in funds while growing both its core and supplemental budget by 1.27 percent over the previous year.
Logan Square schools losing funding:
- Chase Elementary: The school will lose $266,238 in funding and is projected to lose 15 students for a 9.37 percent loss in its core and supplemental budget over the previous year
- Darwin Elementary: Darwin is expected to lose three students and will lose $189,036 in funds for an overall lose of 5.64 percent over the previous year.
- Funston Elementary: Funston is expected to lose 15 students and will lose $334,473 for an overall loss of 10.69 percent over the previous year.
- Goethe Elementary: The school is expected to lose seven students and will lose $47,912 for an overall loss of 1.16 percent over the previous year.
- Kelvyn Park High School: Kelvyn Park will see the biggest loss neighborhood-wide in terms of students and funds at 125 and $1,696,246 for a total loss of 22.93 percent over the previous year.
- Marine Leadership Academy (formerly Ames): Marine will gain 117 students but lose $10,618 — both the highest gain in students and the lowest loss of funds among Logan Square schools.
- McAuliffe Elementary: McAuliffe will is expected to lose 19 students and will lose $195,337 for an overall loss of .15 percent over the previous year.
- Monroe Elementary: The school is expected to lose 49 students and is set to lose $490,054 for an overall loss of 4.73 percent over the previous year.
- Mozart Elementary: Mozart is expected to lose 23 students and is set to lose $385,194 for an overall loss of 8.11 percent over the previous year.
- Yates Elementary: The school is expected to 26 students and is set to lose $400,602 for an overall loss of 12.21 percent over the previous year.
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