School out for summer, CPS to address serious budget issues

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Friday was the last day of class for Chicago Public School students, but while students are making plans for summer fun CPS officials are dealing with many serious issues.

For the nation's third largest public school system this could be a defining summer, a fact realized not only in the halls of government but also on the school playground.

It's been another good year for Coles Language Academy principal Jeff Dase. The South Shore school is now rated level one after being on probation when Dase took over eight years ago.

Dase's smile quickly becomes a worried look when reminded that the Chicago Public Schools still don't have a budget and that he needs to plan for next year.

"Normally you do your planning in the summer and you can't do too much planning without the actual dollar amount," he said.

CPS reportedly has no cash reserves with a $600 million-plus teacher pension payment due on June 30. Then there's a projected $1.1 billion deficit for the next fiscal year beginning July 1 and a restive teachers union in negotiations for a new contract.

"Springfield has to step up and help in this case as it relates not just to the pension payments (but) the educational opportunities of our children," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

State lawmakers with their own deficit, pension debt and bill backlog have not balanced their budget. The CPS dilemma worsened in the wake of CEO Barbara Byrd Bennett's resignation in the midst of a federal criminal investigation.

"It feels like a complete mess," said Senior Editor Sarah Karp, Better Government Association.

Karp has covered CPS for 10 years and sees a political storm brewing like none the district has ever weathered.

"Now, Chicago Public Schools does not have somebody in the State House that is a Democrat or is seemingly sympathetic at all to what's going on here," Karp said.

In fact, Governor Bruce Rauner has suggested bankruptcy as a possible way out for CPS.

Meanwhile, Dase vows no matter what the politicians do this summer, he'll be back for the next semester.

"I'm here. I'm here for the kids and if not me, then who?" he said. "I'd rather it be me because I know my heart is in it."

Dase and other principals worry that they'll lose teachers who might take jobs in the suburbs to avoid the uncertainty at CPS.

Quietly, people inside the system said they have not seen CPS this unstable in decades.