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
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