GLADSTONE PARK — Class sizes at Hitch Elementary School would swell to 40 students if CPS officials make good on threats to slash schools' budgets by an average of 26 percent, Principal A.J. Stich warned parents.
Stich, school officials and city officials continued their push Monday to persuade state lawmakers to change the way schools are funded and close Chicago Public Schools' $1 billion budget deficit.
"I am very concerned about these cuts," Stich said. "With over 99 percent of my budget spent on personnel, Hitch students can't afford cuts."
If Hitch's budget is cut by 26 percent, nine teachers would lose their jobs and class sizes would go from 30 students to 40 students, Stich said. In addition, the school would lose one administrator and three members of its support staff.
A neighborhood elementary school at 5625 N. McVicker Ave., Hitch has 590 students.
But the cuts could be much deeper unless state lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner change the way Illinois' schools are funded.
The preliminary budgets given to principals reduce the amount of money CPS gives each school for each student by 39 percent. Because CPS plans to "redeploy grant dollars for poverty and other needs," schools would suffer cuts ranging from 20 percent to 30 percent, officials said.
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."
A law that would provide millions of dollars more for CPS was approved by the state Senate but faces an uncertain future in a politically gridlocked House of Representatives.
Two town hall meetings will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday in an effort to answer parents' questions about the crisis.
Organized by Edgebrook Elementary School Principal Chad Weiden, one town hall meeting will take place at 7 p.m. May 24 at Taft High School, 6530 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
The schools represented at that meeting will be Taft High School and 11 elementary schools: Dirksen, Ebinger, Edison Park, Garvy, Edgebrook, Norwood Park, Onahan, Oriole Park, Sauganash, Stock and Wildwood.
At Oriole Park, principal Tim Riff said at least five and as many as 15 teachers could lose their jobs if the cuts are implemented.
Stich will discuss the impact of the potential cuts at another town hall meeting set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at 5051 N. Kenneth Ave.
The schools represented at that meeting will be Hitch Volta, Palmer, Farnsworth, Marshall and Solomon elementary schools, organizers said.
Under state law, CPS must adopt a balanced budget by the end of August.
For more information about the CPS campaign for more state funding, go to its website.
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