Chicago School Board Passes $5.7 Billion Spending Plan

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Board of Education has passed a budget based on borrowing and hope the state of Illinois will come through with additional funding.

The $5.7 billion spending plan passed Wednesday contains an estimated $19-a-year increase for an owner of a $250,000 home as well as teacher and staff layoffs. It also has a budget gap the district said exceeds $1.1 billion that officials hope will be covered by the tax increase and about $500 million in pension relief.

Schools CEO Forrest Claypool says the district serving about 400,000 students needs the state to “step up and do the right thing when it comes to pensions and education funding.”

Chief Financial Officer Ginger Ostros says if state help doesn’t materialize, the deep cuts to schools, teachers and staff will get worse by late fall.

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