Chicago Public League Sports Blog

What's Happening in Cahokia Is Happening in the CPS

Cahokia's state caliber track program (and other sports and activites) are in serious jeapordy of being dropped next year.(loku photo). Employees are getting fired, students are losing their sports and activites yet teachers and staff who are keeping their jobs are given preferential treatment and given pay raises.

The Cahokia school district is budgeted to lose 5 million dollars. That's huge for a budget of about $40 million. So the Cahokia school board decided to lay off 52 teachers, 31 other positions, and 40 coaching positions. In addition, the school board may decide to cut all sports and extra curricular activites next year.

Yet despite the budget troubles, Cahokia managed to find a way to give salary increases to teachers and staff for the NEXT THREE YEARS. In other words, teachers are getting laid off, sports are being cut (golf and tennis was cut last year), coaches are being fired, and the schools is in a major budget deficit yet the teachers and staff are getting pay increases. Employees are getting fired, students are losing their sports and activites yet teachers and staff who are keeping their jobs are given preferential treatment and given pay raises. It's not like Cahokia teachers are underpaid. Cahokia teachers are being paid more than the state average. K-3 teacher Kim Bathon was paid $85,172 last year to teach K-3 elementary school teachers. Deborah Mernick was paid $84,529 last year to teach special education. I'm sure Ms. Bathon and Ms. Mernick are really good teachers. But in this harsch economic situation that Cahokia is in, can they really afford to pay $84,529 for a K-3 teacher?

DOES SOMEONE BESIDES ME SEE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?!

This situation seems earily similar to what is happening in the CPS just in a much smaller scale. The CPS has a much bigger budget deficit, the CPS recently decided to close schools, and the CPS decided to give it's teachers a MUCH bigger pay raise. But guess what will also be bigger? In the next few years (or much sooner), when the CPS will see much bigger financial stress than they see now, the cuts to coaching jobs sports programs, and acitivites will be much bigger.

Welcome to the World of Higher Teacher Salaries

Higher Teachers Salaries and Questionable CPS Spending Have Led to Massive CPS Cutting

In the spring of 2010, the CPS cut sophomore sports. Yesterday, the CPS announced they will close 61 schools buildings. Look for even more cost cutting moves as the CPS is still has about a $1 billion dollar deficit.

The Chicago Teachers Unions striked last fall, the CPS caved in and gave them an enormous raise, and the teachers union declared victory.

A victory to the teachers who now get higher pay and a loss to the rest of us especially the parents and children whose schools will close and to those CPS employees who will lose their jobs. In a cost cutting move that will forever change the landscape for the CPS and the city, the CPS announced they will close 54 schools and 61 buildings. This is expected to affect 30,000 school children and lead according to the Sun-Times a loss of an estimated 1,000 teacher jobs. Furthermore, 6 existing high schools will co-locate to share campus space. They are Hope HS, Corliss HS, Urban Prep, Crane HS, Chicago Talent HS, and Bowen HS.

Last fall, when the CPS caved in and gave the teachers a raise, I warned about the possible repurcussions. These school closings, while a big move is just one of upcoming cost cutting initiatives. See, the CPS has a budget deficit of about $1 Billion. Each closed school will save an estimated $500,000-$800,000 annually. If the CPS closes 61 schools, that is only an annual savings of about 48 million dollars. Even if the CPS takes into account 48 million saved next year, that lessens the defcit by much less than 10%. The CPS will be left with a deficit of still close to $1 Billion.

To be fair, the high teacher salaries are not the only reason why the CPS is at a 1 billion dollar deficit. In a February 2010 article, I warned the about the pitfalls of their spending

"I saw this coming. In previous posts, I talked about questionable CPS spending like social change programs, politics, free breakfast, and social justice. These programs are not free, they come at cost. This type of spending is unsustainable and eventually something would have to give."

That something that would have to give is coming to roost. It is closing time in the CPS.

So to answer the commenter on how this will affect sports. It will absolutely affect sports. Think about it from the CPS perspective a year form now. They just did this historical school closure, yet they are still massively in debt. They will then look at expenses. The biggest expenses is employees salaries and benefits. However, many CPS employees are unionized - meaning their salaries are fixed for the length of their agreement. Even if they wanted to the CPS can't cut that expense (at least in the short term). So the CPS will look into other areas. Sports WILL be an area that the CPS will consider cutting back.

If you don't think it won't happen, think again because it has already happened in the past. The CPS cut sophomore sports in the spring of 2010.

Like it or not, we have entered a new world. This is a world where the CPS has chosen to give some - namely the teachers and selected programs- massive increases and to pay for it they will close schools and eventually cut more in extracurricular ativities such as sports.

CPS To Close 61 Elementary School Buildings

Trumbull Elementary School located on Foster and Ashland Avenue is just one of 61 CPS elementary school buildings slated to close- most by the end of the year. A major reason why they are closing schools is pure economics. As you can see Trumbull is a huge school. But when it is utilized only about 53% of the capacity (capacity 720; enrollment 389) and  it is located in the high real estate prices Edgewater neighborhood - it is hard to justify spending the money to keep it open. It's like renting a 6 bedroom house and not even using 3 of the bedrooms. It will be hard to justify paying the rent for that house especially in tough economic times.

In a move that will forever change the landscape of the CPS, the CPS has decided that it will close 51 elementary schools by the end of this school year. This is an astonishing 13% of all CPS elementary schools and the biggest mass closings of schools in US history.  Most of the schools are in the west and south side. The northern most school is Trumbull school located on Foster and Ashland.

This is a sad and shocking day for those involved. Let alone the history and nostalgia. I personally grew up on the same block where Trumbull School is located. I spent a great part of my childhood playing in the playground at Trumbull.

However, the CPS, like any organization is not immune to the economic realities of the times. The CPS is massively in debt and is having a hard time paying its bills. Most of CPS expenses come in the form of salaries and benefits for its employees. The CPS did not decide to give its teachers a pay cut last fall. In fact, they gave the teachers a pay raise after the teachers decided to strike. Now, we all have to pay for that - and to be fair- other poor decisions that the CPS has made.

List of schools closing

Alexander von Humboldt Elementary School

Alfred David Kohn Elementary School

Ana Roque de Duprey Elementary School

Anthony Overton Elementary School

Arna Wendell Bontemps Elementary School

Betsy Ross Elementary School

Crispus Attucks Elementary School (Phased out over two years. Closed into Beethoven in 2015.)

Elihu Yale Elementary School

Elizabeth Peabody Elementary School

Enrico Fermi Elementary School

Francis Parkman Elementary School

Francis Scott Key Elementary School

Garfield Park Preparatory Academy ES

Garrett A Morgan Elementary School

George Manierre Elementary School

Graeme Stewart Elementary School

Granville T Woods Math & Science Academy ES

Guglielmo Marconi Elementary Community Academy

Ignance Paderewski Elementary Learning Academy

Jean D Lafayette Elementary School

Jesse Owens Elementary Community Academy

John Calhoun North Elementary School

Kate S Buckingham Special Education Center

Leif Ericson Elementary Scholastic Academy

Louis Armstrong Math & Science Elementary School

Lyman Trumbull Elementary School

Mahalia Jackson Elementary School

Marcus Moziah Garvey Elementary School

Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School

Matthew A Henson Elementary School

Miriam G Canter Middle School

Nathan R Goldblatt Elementary School

Nathaniel Pope Elementary School

Near North Elementary School

Robert Emmet Elementary School

Songhai Elementary Learning Institute

West Pullman Elementary School

William H King Elementary School

More CPS Schools to Open Amid School Closings

Because the CPS is currently underutilized (as they tell us)- the CPS is seriously considering closing some schools. It seems like a good move. However, at the same time they are considering adding new schools or expanding existing schools.

According to Catalyst Chicago:

The CPS may open an new 4th through 12th grade charter school in Roseland called Chicago Collegiate Charter School.

Plus, Disney Magnet School II is requesting to add grades 9-12 in its school.

 

Brizard OUT as CPS CEO

In a stunning decision Jean Claude Brizard has resigned as CEO of the CPS.

Brizard has only been at the post for 17 months.  Now, he and Mayor has come to a joint agreement that he resign.

Brizard said in a statement:

“I love the city. I love the kids. I think you have amazing teachers here and amazing principals, and I would have loved to stay and work with them for many many years,” Brizard said. “At the same time the mayor has to have the person he is comfortable with.’’

“But at the same time I have felt he is not comfortable with me,’’ he said. “And he (mayor) deserves that right.’’

Barbara Byrd-Bennett, who was serving as the the interim Chief Education Officer for the CPS will take over Brizard's post.

CPS Downgrade...Part 2

Moody's has downgraded the CPS district again. This is the 2nd credit downgrade for the CPS in the last 4 months.  You can thank the Chicago Teachers Union for ratcheting up CPS expenses and you can thank Mayor Emanuel to giving in too much to teacher demands. Thanks to the fiscal mismanagement of both of them the CPS is expecting a record $1 billion dollar deficit in 2014.

The recent teachers strike gave teachers more pay and benefits. But at what costs? What good is a raise when next year, your employer (the CPS) will be $1 Billion in the hole and after that even worse.

This downgrade means that any future borrowing the CPS will need to make will cost more in interest payments. How will they afford to pay for new or better facilities? improve sports programs? In a few years when they say no to building more sports facilities, remember this article.

More Charter Schools on the Way

According to a Chicago Tribune article:

Chicago Public Schools officials expect about 53,000 of the district's roughly 400,000 students will attend charter schools this year, and the number of charters will increase to more than 100. The city is aiming to add 60 charter schools in the next five years with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is trying to expand charters across the country.

I'm not really sure exactly how this will change the landscape of the CPS. Last November the CPS announced they will close Dyett and Crane. This will probably lead to a few more neighood school closings.

Charter schools are also usually smaller than CPS neighborhood schools. So you'll see the trend of having smaller enrollment schools in the CPS. You'll see more Muchins and Bulls College Prep type of schools.

From a sports perspective, Charter Schools have not had the same impact as regular CPS schools. One exception is North Lawndale College Prep who has made great inroads in basketball, track, and football.

Breaking News - School Strike Over

The Chicago Teachers strike is over. Classes will start Wednesday.

If anyone has word on when sports practices and games will resume, please comment.

The Case for School Choice

The New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof writes, “In fairness, it’s true that the main reason inner city schools do poorly isn’t teachers’ unions, but poverty.”

I stated in an earlier post that probably most of my Lane Tech class reunion graduated choose to move out of the city when they had a choice. I would say most middle class kids or above from not only Lane but Payton, Jones, Whitney Young, Brooks, Morgan Park, and other select schools when they graduate and have  decision as to where to raise their kids stay out of the city or send their kids to private schools.

The reason why a Bogan on the southwest side does not do as well as St. Laurence or St. Rita- not too far away is not because of teachers but because of poverty.

Think about it. You go to Bogan, 85% of your classmates are low income or have bigger problems than getting an A in chemistry, what are your chances of having a thouroughly enriching chemistry class where students are really passionate. What about the teacher. How easy is it for the teacher to have their students excel?

But, if you go down the road to St. Rita, with more kids out of poverty, your chances are greater.

The fact is some schools are better than others. We all know that.That is why you gotta give kids a choice as to what school they go to. Wheter it's private, charter, home school. or public kids and parents should have more school choice.

 

CPS Financial Future Terrible

If you want a glimpse of how terrible CPS finances are check out this article from the Tribune:

CPS Finances Tell Grim Tale