CHICAGO — Facing a deeper financial hole than previously reported, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced Friday it will lay off over 160 employees and eliminate 200 vacant positions in a sweeping effort to stabilize its ballooning deficit.
CPS Interim CEO Dr. Macquline King revealed that the district’s actual shortfall is $730 million, significantly larger than the $529 million figure cited just weeks ago. The update came during a tense week marked by union rallies and rising anxiety across the CPS workforce.
Who’s Impacted by the Layoffs?
According to officials, the job cuts affect:
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67 employees from CPS’s central and network offices
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7 positions associated with the Chicago Teachers Union
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87 members of SEIU Local 73, most of them school crossing guards
Crucially, the district says no employees assigned to schools were included in this round of layoffs — a measure CPS described as a cost-saving decision to protect student-facing roles.
The eliminated 200 vacant positions were mostly administrative, and CPS says the move was necessary to align spending with actual staffing needs.
The news was first reported by WGN-TV.
Union Pushback: ‘Stand by the Workers Who Stood by You’
Ahead of the CPS board meeting Thursday, union members staged a rally demanding a halt to the layoffs. Doris Alexander, a longtime CPS crossing guard, spoke out during the meeting, raising concerns about student safety:
“How can they get to school safely if there are no crossing guards out there to get them back and forth to school?”
Dian Palmer, President of SEIU Local 73, echoed that frustration:
“It is up to you to make the decision to stand by these workers who have stood by Chicago, who have stood by the school system, who have stood by the students. Do the right thing by these workers.”
Several board members pushed back on the idea of cuts altogether, suggesting instead a need to focus on long-term revenue strategies.
What Comes Next for CPS Staffing?
Dr. King emphasized the district’s intent to remain transparent while navigating its fiscal challenges, adding:
“We must keep students at the heart of all that we do… from early literacy to post-secondary success, from safe school environments to culturally responsive teaching.”
CPS clarified that this round of layoffs is separate from expected school-based staffing adjustments coming in July — meaning more job losses could still be announced this summer.
Are these cuts necessary — or should CPS be looking elsewhere for savings? Share your thoughts and stories at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
