Number of half-empty Chicago public schools doubles, yet lawmakers want to extend school closing moratorium – Wirepoints
April 19, 2024
18 Comments
A set of state lawmakers want to extend CPS’ current school closing moratorium to February 1, 2027 – the same year CPS is set to transition to a fully-elected school board. That means schools like Manley High School, with capacity for more than 1,000 students but enrollment of just 78, can’t be closed for anther three years. The school spends $45,000 per student, but just 2.4% of students read at grade level.
Hopefully, all media will get the message, in Illinois, too.
Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about Illinois’ highest-in-the-nation property taxes, why lawmakers don’t want to touch the tax’s cost drivers, just how much Illinoisans’ tax burden has grown over the decades, why Gov. Pritzker failed to meet his promise to reform property taxes, and more.
It is of note that Brookings published this work. Detractors cannot plausibly cast Brookings as a conservative institution – it reliably leans left of center in most cases. Notwithstanding, those in the political status quo will likely find a way to dismiss or marginalize this work.
Yes, indeed. There’s much that’s notable about piece. Spiotto is very close to the Civic Federation which, while they do great research, has been very timid and weak on solutions. Note in the piece how Spiotto emphasizes the impossibility of the math we face. That’s what Civ Fed and so many others have not been candid about. It’s also core to his legal theories that run through the piece. Impossible math dooms core government services, so Congress and Federal courts will be receptive, he thinks. I agree.