Chicago mayor wants $1 billion more for schools even though 43% of CPS teachers are chronically absent – Wirepoints Quickpoint
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson recently traveled to Springfield with a big wish list, including $1 billion in extra funding for Chicago Public Schools. Among the reasons his demand should be categorically rejected: the growing rate of CPS teachers simply not showing up to school.
Illinois has a law that when school districts consolidate, the teachers from the lesser paid district receive an automatic pay increase to match the higher paid district.
Since the largest single cost in most school districts is teacher compensation, most school district consolidations do not save money in the long term.
In the short term, a state subsidy typically helps compensate the district with the new district with the increased teacher costs.
After the subsidy is phased out, local taxpayers are hit with the tab.