Chicago Public Schools Rehire Over 300 Employees Amid Budget Constraints
As students returned to campuses this week, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) rehired over 300 full-time employees who faced layoffs this summer. Deputy Chief Talent Officer Jerry Taylor shared that nearly 150 of these individuals are returning to their former positions at their principals’ requests. This update was part of a virtual budget meeting on Tuesday evening.
Earlier in the month, CPS acknowledged that its amended $10.1 billion budget would not suffice to restore all 700 positions cut to address a $732 million shortfall. The exact number of teaching roles to be filled remains uncertain, but CPS plans to allocate staff to positions deemed critical by school principals. Despite a $100 million allocation in the budget from state funds, not all positions will be reinstated, district officials stated.
CPS highlighted a reduction in its teacher vacancy rate to 1.6% for the 2026-27 school year, down from 2.2% reported earlier in the month. Previously, the district had a 2.5% vacancy rate. The rates improved for special education staff and bilingual teachers as well, dropping to 1.8% for the 2026-27 school year versus 2.4% and 2.1% respectively in earlier reports.
CPS CEO Macquiline King emphasized the importance of filling these vacancies, mentioning that, “there are faces and children in those classrooms.” She acknowledged progress but highlighted the need for improvement, especially in Chicago’s south and west areas.
The district continues to face financial instability, with CPS only 70% funded under the state’s formula. The school board’s amended budget in July includes $150 million in unconfirmed state funds and requires restoring cut positions. Midyear cuts were warned if the funds don’t materialize, a point reiterated by King following discussions with lawmakers in Springfield.
King noted that the meetings focused on building relationships and advocating for the district, although no guaranteed funding was secured. The process remains ongoing. “We stressed the importance of additional funding to avoid disruptive mid-year cuts,” King said. She assured continued advocacy for full district funding, stating, “We are going to continue to implement the fiscal budget, and will keep updating on its performance.”