CPS Ax Comes Down

We mentioned it yesterday, but the numbers are in and they aren't pretty. In the first round of cuts meant to save money, the Chicago Public School System has cut 557 jobs. The cuts lower the CPS deficit by about $100 million, from $475 million to $375 million with even more cuts expected in the near future. According to the Sun-Times:

"We'd like to save $200 million from layoffs and cutting contracts but we may not be able to get there,'' CPS spokeswoman Monique Bond said. Without firm information from lawmakers on this year's education budget, Bond was hesitant to say whether furloughs could be in the offing. "Who knows what we will have to do?'' she said.

Bond said 212 employees based in the central office and 345 others who work "citywide" were laid off Wednesday.

The positions included 167 people in "professional mid-management'' making $78,000 to $90,000 a year, Bond said. Human Resources and Information Technology departments in particular were hard hit.

Bond was also vague in the exact positions that were cut, naming "food service" and reading coach positions. Throw in retirements and other position closures, and the CPS could be losing at least 700 employees overall before the next round of cuts.