Paul Vallas, Former Chief Executive Officer for Chicago Public Schools | X
Paul Vallas, Former Chief Executive Officer for Chicago Public Schools | X
Paul Vallas, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), said that the city's request for $1.6 billion in school funding is unrelated to student performance. He noted that Illinois faces a significant budget deficit. This statement was made on X.
"After accepting then wasting $6 billion in COVID funds, the city increased its budget 70%, schools per pupil funding 40% and the CTA 30," said Paul Gust Vallas, Former Chief Executive Officer. "Johnson and CTU President Stacy Davis-Gates claim city schools — which spend $30K per pupil — are shortchanged $1.6 billion. Johnson and Davis Gates' school funding demands are not related to improving student performance. Pritzker can't bail out Chicago."
Chicago Public Schools is currently facing a $1.6 billion shortfall in state funding needed to meet adequacy under Illinois’s evidence-based formula, an increase of $400 million from the previous year. According to reports by the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ, this gap has led to disputes between CPS leaders and lawmakers regarding whether the state will increase aid or necessitate cuts.
In fiscal year 2022, CPS spent $15,274 per pupil on instruction and $24,132 on operations, representing increases of 48% and 52%, respectively, since fiscal year 2018. Illinois Policy reported that this rise surpasses inflation but coincides with declining test scores, prompting questions about spending efficiency.
Illinois is projected to face a $3.2 billion deficit in fiscal year 2026 if current trends persist. St. Louis Public Radio reported that this shortfall could impact education funding significantly, especially if federal pandemic aid expires without replacement.
Vallas is recognized as a public finance expert who served as Chicago’s Budget Director before becoming CEO of CPS from 1995 to 1997. He later led school districts in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Bridgeport. According to Wikipedia, he has also run for mayor of Chicago and governor of Illinois.
Chicago Public Schools is identified as the fourth-largest U.S. district by Wikipedia, serving over 323,000 students across 634 schools. It operates under a mayor-appointed Board of Education with plans for an elected board by 2027 and receives funding through state aid, property taxes, and federal grants.
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