Schools and Networks

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is investing in the continued academic success of its students by allocating over $4.6 billion in school budgets in FY2023. This is an increase from the $4.4 billion budgeted for FY2022.  

In FY2023, schools will receive funding directly into school-level budgets through a variety of enrollment and needs-based formulas. Funds allocated directly to schools in FY2023 reflect an increase of more than $240 million year-over-year and are intended to ensure, for the first time, all schools can meet the following instructional and school design priorities:

• reasonable class sizes
• limited splits
• access to arts
• intervention supports
• local level priorities

The FY2023 budget builds on the District’s approach in prior years by providing additional centrally-funded resources for schools. In addition to the $4.6 billion in direct funding, centrally-budgeted resources will provide age-appropriate tech devices for every student as well as curriculum and teacher devices for all schools adopting the District’s Skyline curriculum. Since these costs have traditionally been paid for out of direct allocations to schools, the centralization of this funding allows schools to invest more in local-level, school-specific priorities.

For funds allocated through the student based budget formula, the rate has been increased in FY2023 to align with the teacher salary increase in the CTU contract. The base SBB rate for FY2023 is $4,973.50 per pupil, compared to $4,665.35 in FY2022. The only District-managed schools that do not receive student based budgeting dollars are the ten specialty schools and four District-run options schools, which are discussed in later sections of this chapter, along with charter and contract schools that are also budgeted differently.  For additional information on school funding formulas, please review Appendix B.

The District’s approach to direct school funding also includes new investments over and above schools’ student-based budgeting per-pupil allocations. The student based budget funding represents less than half of the funding that District schools will receive. In FY2023, CPS is increasing funding outside of the per pupil formula to improve equity in school resourcing, including investments in equity grants for small schools, additional District-funded FTE allocations, and increases in Supplemental Aid and Title I rates for low-income students.

Equity grants support small schools with declining enrollment to help schools meet their instructional priorities. The FY2023 equity grants provide $50 million in school-based funding to support 238 elementary and high schools. CPS continues to prioritize funding for students from low-income households by increasing Supplemental Aid allocations from $990 to $1,025 per student and maintaining total school-based Title I funding despite declining enrollment across the District.

The following sections discuss funding for instructional priorities and additional funding received by schools.

Enrollment

Budget allocations for SY2022–23 that incorporate an enrollment metric are utilizing each school’s 20th day enrollment during SY2021–22. Funding schools based on prior year enrollment ensures that schools will not see a budget reduction in the fall, even if enrollment declines. As in previous years, schools will receive additional funding if their enrollment on the 20th day of the new school year exceeds their FY2022 budget baseline enrollment. This model allows schools to plan confidently for the year ahead without concern for potential budget reductions in fall, while also ensuring schools have sufficient resources to meet their priorities for their current students.

For more information on student demographics, including enrollment, please see Appendix A.

Number of Schools

Per CPS definition, a school:

1. Is officially authorized by the Chicago Board of Education;
2. Is based in one or more buildings inside the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago;
3. Has or will have one of the following governance structures: a local school council, an appointed local school council, a board of directors, or a board of governors;
4. Employs at least one administrator to lead the school;
5. Employs at least one credentialed person to provide instruction to students;
6. Provides an appropriate curriculum for each grade level served that, at a minimum, meets all requirements of the Illinois State Code;
7. Requires progression toward a terminal grade level within a single school, regardless of physical location;
8. Is not defined under Illinois School Code as something other than a school (e.g., an Alternative Learning Opportunity Program is not a school); and
9. Has or is intended to have at least one actively-enrolled student during the school year.

Based on this definition, there are 635 schools in FY2023. Table 2 provides the school count by type.

The following table explains the change in school count between FY2022 and FY2023.

School Budget Overview

The FY2023 budget contains more than $4.6 billion budgeted at school units. The following tables show fund and position allocations by school type and funding category.

*Includes SBB, equity grants, additional teacher positions allocated by opportunity index and school size, and Title II to support reduced class size and other school-specific allocations.

*Includes SBB, equity grants, additional teacher positions allocated by opportunity index and school size, Instructional Support FTE, and Title II to support reduced class size, and other school-specific allocations.

**FTE at charter and contract schools include federally funded lunchroom staff and security staff, the latter of which are deducted from tuition payments made to the schools that have them.

Charter and Contract Schools

Charter and contract schools are public schools managed by independent operators and offer an alternative to traditional District-managed schools. 

SBB is the largest portion of the general funds budget, and it is allocated to charter and contract schools. The general funds budget also includes some funding categories that are considered District-wide shared obligations, such as the unfunded pension liability. Charter and contract schools do not receive tuition funding based on these shared obligations. Funding for operations, security, Central Office expenses, and education support programs are paid to charter and contract schools through non-SBB funding, rather than through citywide spending for District-run schools. This ensures that these schools receive an equitable share of centralized spending and of each categorical funding source, where applicable. For more details on how charter and contract schools will be funded in FY2023, please see Appendix B.

Alternative Learning Opportunity Programs (ALOP)

Alternative Learning Opportunity Programs provide different educational options for at-risk youth who have not been consistently enrolled in school. Since 2011, CPS has expanded partnerships with providers that specialize in working with off-track youth and has more than doubled the number of available seats in ALOPs.

Specialty Schools

Specialty schools primarily serve students with significant diverse learning needs and students in pre-k. Specialty schools include:

• Five early childhood centers serving only pre-k students, including the two new centers at Lincoln Park and Cornelius, with Vick, Thomas, and Stock continuing to support students
• Three early childhood centers serving pre-k students and a significant number of diverse learners enrolled in primary grades (Blair, Beard, Rudolph)
• Four high schools serving only diverse learners (Northside Learning, Southside, Graham, and Vaughn).

In FY2023, specialty schools will receive $13.9 million in funding for core instruction, which comes through both discretionary dollars and centrally funded positions, in addition to $3.8 million for Supplemental Aid, Title I, and bilingual allocations. The remainder of specialty schools’ budgets is for pre-k and diverse learner programming specific to each school. This funding is provided by the Department of Early Childhood Education and the Office of Diverse Learner Support Services. To account for the specific needs of the diverse learners they serve, the costs of these schools are significantly higher than traditional schools when compared on a per-pupil basis.

District Options Schools

District options schools serve students in confinement, at risk of dropping out of school, or who have dropped out and wish to return. District options schools include one school located at the Cook County Jail (York), one school located at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (Jefferson), one school that serves pregnant women (Simpson), and one school that serves returning dropouts and students at risk of dropping out (Peace & Education Coalition). 

In FY2023, District options schools will receive a core allocation of $6.5 million for teachers and administrative positions. In addition, the schools will receive $12.7 million in Supplemental Aid, Title I, and bilingual allocations to help address their unique challenges.

SAFE Schools

SAFE schools provide an educational option to students who have been expelled from another CPS school due to violence. CPS has one SAFE school, which is managed by an independent operator. The SBB and non-SBB tuition cost for this school is just over $1 million, which is fully offset by a state Regional Safe Schools grant.

Additional Funding Received by Schools

Schools receive additional funding to meet specific student needs, including funding for diverse learners, bilingual students, early childhood students; program costs; and school operations. Please review Appendix B for information on funding formulas for these allocations.

Diverse Learner Funding

Diverse learner allocations are based on the number of special education teachers and paraprofessionals needed to deliver the supports and services defined in Individualized Education Plans. Initial allocations are determined by each school’s special education population as of spring 2022. Allocations may be updated during the year in response to changes in student needs.

Language and Cultural Education

Schools receive supplemental bilingual education teachers and per-pupil funds based on their number of English learners (ELs). There are two programs: Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) for schools that have 20 or more ELs of the same language background and Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) for schools that have fewer than 20 ELs of the same language background. The Office of Language and Cultural Education (OLCE) tracks ELs and allocates supplemental bilingual teachers and funds to schools.

The FY2023 budget contains $41 million in supplemental funding for schools, which includes hiring 331 supplemental bilingual education teachers. Bilingual education is supported by local funding and dedicated state and federal funding.

Early Childhood

To better meet family needs and ensure children are receiving services that will set the foundation for long-term success, CPS has expanded its investment in early childhood education in FY2023 and will provide 26 new free full-day preschool classrooms. The expansion of full-day pre-k continues the District’s four-year plan to provide all four-year-olds in Chicago with access to high-quality, full-day early childhood education.

The FY2023 budget contains $336 million in funding for early childhood education, both in CPS and in community-based programs managed by the City of Chicago. This includes $214 million allocated at 355 elementary schools and early learning centers for early childhood programs, including universal pre-k and child parent centers. An additional $80 million is allocated to the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) for Preschool for All (PFA) and the Prevention Initiative (PI) programs that are implemented at various community-based organizations.

Additional funds are budgeted centrally for items such as:

• Professional development for teachers and administrators;
• Curriculum and instructional materials, furniture, and technology;
• Student and teacher assessments; and
• Nutritious snacks for full-day programs.

Early childhood programs serve pre-k students, ages three and four, and are funded primarily from the state’s Early Childhood Block Grant, with most of the remainder coming from local funds. CPS also provides state grant funding to community-based providers for early childhood programs up to  age five, as noted above and described more fully in the Early Childhood department narrative, but this funding is not reflected in school budgets.

Other Programs

Schools that offer Board-funded educational programming receive additional teaching positions or funding. All programs except for STEM are funded from general funds. Details on these programs are found in their respective departmental narratives. Significant programs are included in Table 8.

*Includes grant funding

Discretionary Funds

CPS schools receive two discretionary funding sources that provide targeted support to low-income students: Supplemental Aid and Title I.

Supplemental Aid (SA) funds are distributed to schools based on the number of students who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals under the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and the National School Lunch Act, as of the 20th day of the school year. For FY2023, CPS increased the rate from $990 to $1,025 per student, providing $260 million in total funding. SA follows the same spending rules as local funds, allowing greater flexibility in how funds are used.

Title I of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides funds to schools with high concentrations of low-income, educationally disadvantaged students who require supplementary services. Over 88 percent of qualifying CPS schools will receive $214 million in Title I funding in FY2023.

Operational Expenses

Schools receive additional positions, services, and funding for various operational expenses. In FY2023, the following operational funding appears in schools' budgets:

• Security: School security officers and security aides are assigned to schools by the Office of Safety and Security. Security positions are budgeted at schools.
• Food Service: This includes the labor costs of the lunchroom staff; the food costs required to provide lunch and breakfast are budgeted centrally.
• School Operational Support: Full-time School Assistants have been provided to all schools with an enrollment above 650 students and schools with fewer students will receive a part-time position to provide school-level operational and supervisory support.

Other operational expenses are managed centrally to ensure the most effective use of resources. Among the positions managed centrally are bus aides, engineers, and custodians. Please refer to the department narratives for more details about each of these operational areas.

Private Schools

Students, teachers, and parents of private or nonpublic schools are entitled to federal support through Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Private or nonpublic schools have also been entitled to a proportionate share of various grants related to federal COVID-19 relief. CPS must set aside a share of the federal funds it receives to make services available to eligible private or nonpublic school students, teachers, and parents. However, these funds are not paid directly to the private schools; instead, CPS operates these programs on behalf of eligible students, teachers, and parents.

Each year, CPS oversees and manages services for approximately 61,000 students in 250 private schools, totaling almost $31 million under ESSA and an additional $21 million under ESSER. In addition, CPS oversees services for children who attend seven residential sites that specialize in serving children under the guardianship of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

The following table shows the allocations for each of the federal programs. Funding is proportionate to the number of eligible students in each private school compared to the student’s designated CPS neighborhood school. FY2023 amounts are projections; the final amounts will be determined after the District’s applications are approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. 

Networks

District-run schools are organized into networks, which provide administrative support, strategic direction, and leadership development to the schools within the network.  There are 17 networks to meet the unique needs of both elementary and high schools. Schools are geographically organized into one of the 13 elementary or 4 high-school networks. Beginning in the FY2022 school year, CPS has begun transitioning schools previously managed by the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) into the District-managed network structure. Schools formerly in the AUSL network are transitioning into their geographic network over a three-year period, with 16 schools FY2022, nine in FY2023 and the remaining six in FY2024.  

Networks are led by network chiefs, who are responsible for building effective schools with strong leaders. Network chiefs play an integral role in developing professional development plans, collecting and assessing data to drive interventions, supporting schools in developing and implementing their Continuous Improvement Work Plan, collaborating on best practices with other networks, and fostering community and parental involvement. Networks are supported by deputy chiefs, data strategists, instructional support leaders, and administrative personnel. Each network also has a social emotional learning specialist and a specialized services administrator, which appear in the budgets for the Office of College and Career Success and the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services. All network staff report to the Office of Network Support.

There are instances where schools are exempt from network oversight. High-performing principals who are a part of the Independent School Principals (ISP) program have the autonomy to operate their schools with reduced oversight from central office. In FY2023, 71 principals are anticipated to retain ISP status.