CPS CEO: Chicago Public Schools will not open this fall without state funding
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Chicago Public Schools will not open in the fall if Illinois fails to approve an education budget, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool told the Chicago Tribune Wednesday.
"Chicago schools would not open, and I suspect most of the schools in the state would not open," Claypool said in a telephone interview with the Tribune.
Many school districts across the state face their own financial issues and would likely not being able to function with state assistance.
"Even those that might open could probably only do so for 30 days or 60 days,” Claypool told the Tribune.
CPS released the following statement Wednesday evening: "Like most school districts in the state, Chicago Public Schools would not be able to open their doors this fall without a state education budget – which is why we remain optimistic that our leaders in Springfield will build on the progress they’ve already made this session toward equity in education funding for students all over Illinois. Now we need the Governor to end his strategy of pitting one region against another and fix the funding for all the districts suffering under Illinois’ worst-in-the nation approach."