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Chicago Public Schools Cuts 1,458 in Second Layoff Wave to Narrow $734 Million Deficit

Banking on pending city funds paired with state support, CPS is staging summer hiring fairs to reassign displaced staff ahead of its August 29 budget vote.

Overview

  • The July 11 layoffs eliminated 1,458 school-based positions, including 432 teachers, 311 paraprofessionals and 677 special education classroom assistants.
  • These cuts follow a June round that removed 161 central-office roles as the district realigns staffing with enrollment shifts and academic programming needs.
  • CPS reports that historically over 80% of those laid off secure new positions within the district and plans multiple summer hiring fairs to maintain that track record.
  • The district’s budget for the upcoming school year remains unapproved, and CPS is relying on $300 million in city and state funding that has yet to materialize before the August 29 deadline.
  • CPS’s $734 million shortfall stems from expiring federal relief, underfunding under Illinois’s funding formula and pension obligations, and officials warn further measures could be necessary.