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Two school districts, two very different approaches to COVID-era spending

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Illinois

* Instead of treating the COVID dollars as temporary, some school districts, like CPS, put that money right into the operating budget, with predictable results…

Administrators, teachers and parents in the Chicago Public Schools system and districts throughout the region are grappling with the end of federal pandemic aid, a looming fiscal cliff because of the steep decline in the one-time funding. There’s worry that the loss of funds will stem the progress that’s been made since 2022. And additional funds are sorely needed to increase academic proficiency at districts like CPS that have large numbers of low-income students and English language learners.

The loss is acute at CPS, which spent nearly two-thirds of its $2.8 billion in COVID dollars on salaries and employee benefits. The district aims to preserve positions that enhance classroom learning, primarily in higher-needs schools, while cutting other costs such as central office staff, says Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova. […]

Other districts in the Chicago area took different approaches to spending the federal COVID dollars, allocating less on salaries and benefits to avoid layoffs down the road.

That was the case in District 129 in West Aurora, where the administration spent only 26% of COVID funds on salaries and dedicated 46% to capital outlays such as personal protective equipment and upgrading the heating and cooling systems. It received nearly $43 million in federal funds.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 1:46 pm

Comments

I know it just sounds like the easy way out, blaming administrators. But CPS is way too top heavy and they keep making bad decisions. Often, fewer leaders lead to better leadership.

Comment by Lurker Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 1:53 pm
Maybe CPS could have paid for more COVID related things, like PPE or ventilation, but it’s not obvious to me how using the money on salaries made anything worse? They just delayed the problem, they didn’t create it. Not sure how dealing with the lack of revenue in 2020 or 21 would have been better.

Comment by Perrid Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 1:56 pm
=The loss is acute at CPS, which spent nearly two-thirds of its $2.8 billion in COVID dollars on salaries and employee benefits=

This works to CPS/CTU advantage - they got a short-term bump to salary spending and now they have a “funding” crisis to complain to Springfield about about.

The Aurora District took the correct path ““When we hired these folks, we were upfront in telling them that the position would end when the grant money runs out,”

Comment by Donnie Elgin Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 1:57 pm
I think the plan along was to use the funds for operational costs that CPS couldn’t afford knowing it would run out. Then you create the crises and claim that you deserve more and that it is prejudice against CPS. They are demainding more State money and using this paradigm. This is no accident and as a trained educational evaluator I don’t trust the reliability nor the validity of the gains that CPS are claiming in academic performance. This is similiar to a legislature starting a new program in mid year because there is enoung money in that fiscal year to fund the program. However, there isn’t enough for a full yer funding but it forces the issue in the followin year budget. It is a common and old ploy.

Comment by Almost retired Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 2:12 pm
CPS posts publicly available salary data that includes staffed headcount.

In December 2019, CPS employed 37,700 employees.

In December 2023, CPS employed 43,200. Student enrollment has fallen by about 25,000 during that time.

CPS used one-time revenues to increase staff. The one-time revenues are almost gone.

Comment by Here's why Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 2:17 pm
It was purposeful. Government can’t help but spend every single penny that comes through their fingers. At no point has any elected official from Chicago said, “I wonder if this program is necessary? And if not could we refund the money back to the people or get rid of the fee/tax that we charged to create that program?”

Good luck to the newly elected school board who is going to have to raise property taxes or cut programs to make the funding work.

Comment by Frida's boss Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 2:23 pm
= allocating less on salaries and benefits to avoid layoffs down the road.=

It was one thing to use the money to offset current salaries, which you could do if you knew how to label it correctly. Doing that does not create a fiscal problem. It may mask one, but it does not create one.

The problem is when you add to your head count and add programs that relies on the stimulus funding. Anyone that has been a superintendent or business official for a year knows that you never do that. When the stimulus money runs out you either cut the program and head count or find money to continue the program. It is fiscal admin 101. The CPS solution is always to hit up the state. Not sure this governor is going to be the willing supporter they expected.

= blaming administrators.=

That would be central office admin since they control the purse strings.

We spent more than 1/3 of our money on upgrading our HVAC and some other facility work. Another 1/3 went to tech upgrades that we will be able to sustain long term. We put less than 25% into salaries and none of it was added head count or programs. Some were new positions, but it was not additional staff.

129 did it right, so did most of us based on the many many meetings I sat in on.

CPS is in fantasy land and CTU is at just about the point where they have completely overplayed their hand. The tipping point will come after the fully elected board and the mismanagement that comes with total control.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 2:50 pm
Good luck explaining this to the voters. Like Jeanne Ives, CTU is going to reap what they sowed here.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 2:55 pm
==- Lurker - Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 1:53 pm:==

Ah, so a return to the magical central office cuts era is in order.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200808115434/https://www.beachwoodreporter.com/politics/cps_claim_of_central_office_cu.php

Comment by Google Is Your Friend Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 3:03 pm
Central office cuts are the Thompson Center sale of CPS.

Comment by Friday Addams Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 4:25 pm
Budgeting 101 is never to use one time gains to address operating costs. Money should have gone on ventilation, tech upgrades, security, and transportation capital. Pretty bad job CPS

Comment by Stormsw7706 Monday, Jun 24, 24 @ 5:31 pm