June 2, 2011

Mayor Emanuel and CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard Announce Savings of $75 Million to FY 2012 CPS Budget

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

This morning, Mayor Emanuel and CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard announced savings of $75 million to the Chicago Public Schools by trimming administrative and non-classroom spending from the upcoming FY12 budget.

“In tackling the CPS budget deficit, we will begin by cutting bureaucracy so that we can focus our resources on supporting students and teachers,” said Mayor Emanuel. “This plan will reduce the Central Office budget and scale back on planned spending, keeping cuts as far away from the classroom as possible.”

“We will continually search for efficiencies that let us put more resources toward the education of our children,” said CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard.  “I am determined to route every dollar I can to classrooms. We are starting that process today by having the Central Office do its part.”

The plan will achieve $75 million in savings in the following ways:

  • Implement reductions to Central Office departments: $16 million
    • Close vacant Central Office positions and those that will become vacant due to retirements and resignations; limited layoffs. Reduce Central Office contractual services and delay office equipment upgrades.
  • Minimize debt servicing costs: $44 million
    • Scale back planned FY 2012 bond issuances for capital projects, lowering debt servicing costs.
  • Decrease reliance on privatized custodial services: $7.3 million
    • Reduce unutilized space in under-enrolled schools to decrease need for private custodial services.
  • Increase efficiency of utilities, waste management, and cleaning staff: $1.1 million
    • Partner with ComEd to turn off all non-emergency lights during certain summer periods when school is not in session. Re-bid waste management contract. Cut overtime hours of Central Office cleaning staff.
  • Reduce size of vehicle fleet: $5 million
    • Downsize and increase efficiency of school bus fleet while serving same number of students.
  • Reduce equipment budget for non-teaching staff: $1.2 million
    • Refrain from upgrading computers and software used by Central Office support staff.
  • Close apprentice engineer program for non-CPS students: $520,000
    • Cease funding a 12-person engineering apprenticeship program for high school graduates.
  • Shrink roving custodial crew: $200,000
    • Reduce size of supplementary custodial staff used to augment school custodial staff.