Chicago Public Schools lays off 62 employees

CHICAGO (AP / STMW / FOX 32) — Chicago Public Schools has announced the layoff of 62 employees, 17 of them teachers, citing its efforts to stabilize its finances by eliminating $85 million from school budgets.

In announcing Monday's move, the school district said those laid off include 43 full-time and 19 part-time employees.

Chicago schools CEO Forrest Claypool says the fact the cuts are needed is unfortunate for the district's students, principals and teachers.

In announcing the layoffs, school officials pointed to the failure of Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Legislature to come up with a school funding plan. They come as the school district faces a $1.1 billion budget deficit, no income from the state of Illinois and no contract with the Chicago Teachers Union.

CPS had offered in January a contract proposal it said would stave off layoffs but the union struck it down, saying hundreds of teachers would have had to retire to pay for the raises.

Dozens of Chicago Teachers Union members marched Thursday from City Hall to a new downtown development benefiting from tax increment financing money. 

They say the layoff are unnecessary — and the TIF money belongs in classrooms. During the demonstrations, CTU members said CPS leaders "have no compassion."

In addition to Monday's layoffs, the Chicago Teachers Union will lose a 7 percent contribution Wednesday that CPS has been making for them.