CPS Make Cuts in After-School Tutoring
By Anthonia Akitunde in News on Oct 17, 2009 6:30PM
Chicago Public Schools cut after-school tutoring for less than half of the children who applied for the service, according to Chicago Breaking News.
The cuts were made in an attempt to address the district's current budget crisis, a nearly $500 million hole CPS had to use reserve money to close. Out of the 72,000 kindergarten to 12th grade students who signed up, the district can only serve 32,000.
"The school district will spend close to $60 million this year for the federally funded after-school programming, which is what is required by law," the report said. Last year the district contributed $20 million more toward the programming and served around 57,000 students. This year, without the funds to exceed the federal requirement, CPS had to pare back on the number of students who can receive tutoring.
Some question the logic of the decision, given the high profile acts of youth violence the city has experienced in recent months. Critics say without after school programming, students will have to find another way to occupy their time. We have to wonder: were CPS after-school programming cuts behind Mayor Daley's push for libraries to become a "safe place" and skill building site?