NORWOOD PARK — Twelve Far Northwest Side public schools will host a town hall in an effort to answer parents' questions about the "financial tsunami" engulfing the Chicago Public Schools.
Officials Tuesday warned principals to expect budget cuts of about 26 percent as city leaders continue to push state lawmakers to change the way schools are funded and close CPS' $1 billion budget deficit.
Organized by Edgebrook Elementary School Principal Chad Weiden, the town hall meeting will take place at 7 p.m. May 24 at Taft High School, 6530 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Weiden said a budget cut of that size could seriously damage Edgebrook, which is among the district's top-rated schools.
CPS officials said there would be no way to avoid "higher class sizes, loss of enrichment activities and layoffs of teachers and support staff" because of the size of the crisis, which they called a "financial tsunami."
For weeks, CPS officials have been urging parents to contact state legislators and demand that they change the way Illinois' schools are funded. A law that would provide millions of dollars more for CPS passed the state Senate but faces an uncertain future in a politically gridlocked House of Representatives.
District officials said scheduled to speak at the town hall, as well as local elected officials and principals.
The schools participating in the forum are Taft High School and 11 elementary schools: Dirksen, Ebinger, Edison Park, Garvy, Edgebrook, Norwood Park, Onahan, Oriole Park, Sauganash, Stock and Wildwood.
Gov. Bruce Raunerand the General Assembly haven't been able to agree on a budget, which was supposed to be approved more than 10 months ago.
Under state law, CPS must adopt a balanced budget by the end of August.
For more information about the district's campaign for more state funding, go to CPS' website.
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