Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Dear CPS Parents:

Yesterday, Superintendent Forrest Claypool made a curiously timed and unfortunate

announcement of cuts to Chicago Public Schools.

As you may know, CPS annually receives a special block grant from the State of Illinois for
hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate for the fact that CPS is unique in paying the
normal cost of its teacher pensions. Despite this special block grant, declining enrollment
and increasing property taxes, CPS continued mismanagement left them with a $215
million hole in the current fiscal year.

In Springfield, Governor Rauner agreed to help Chicago make its full pension payment as
part of comprehensive statewide pension reform that saves money for taxpayers across
Illinois. Its a win-win for Chicago and the state. Additionally, just last week, the
Governors School Funding Commission released a framework to overhaul the states
school funding formula, ensuring low-income schools get more state dollars.

That is why yesterdays announcement by CPS that the district would cut services came as
a shock to all of us. CPS doesnt have to make its full pension payment until June
30th. The Illinois Senate is currently considering a balanced budget package that would
include comprehensive pension reform, including funds for CPS pensions, and a new
school funding formula. Why would CPS arbitrarily create a crisis and hurt its students
and teachers rather than work to pass the Senates balanced budget reform package?

Rather than cutting services and creating a crisis to help justify a campaign to raise taxes
in Springfield, it would be helpful to everyone if CPS would work with all parties to enact a
balanced budget package that includes comprehensive pension reform and a new and
equitable school funding formula.

Sincerely,

Beth Purvis
Secretary of Education