Chicago Public Schools adds 2,500 staffers for 80,900 fewer students

Chicago Public Schools enrollment dropped 80,900 from the 2011-2012 school year to 2023-2024. But staffing increased by over 2,500 and costs rose $3.5 billion.

Chicago Public Schools has hired 2,500 more staffers and is spending $3.5 billion more to educate 80,900 fewer students since 2012.

During the 2011-2012 school year, there were 404,151 CPS students. For the 2023-2024 school year, CPS enrolled only 323,251 students – a drop of 80,900 students, or 20%.

The total number of CPS employees has grown from 41,498 in 2012 to 44,074 in 2024. That is a total employment growth of 2,576, or 6.2%.

When looking at only teachers, the total was fairly steady: 23,290 teachers in 2012, 23,979 in 2024. The increase in teachers is much more modest at 689 or 3%, but stands out given the precipitous decline in student enrollment.

Despite declining student enrollment, CPS’ budget continues to increase. The latest CPS budget is again at an all-time high of $9.4 billion, equaling the fiscal year 2023 budget. This is an increase of $3.5 billion, or 59.3%, from CPS’ FY2012 budget of $5.9 billion. While the FY2012 budget was smaller than originally intended because of funding cuts taken to reduce a $712 million deficit, the trend holds that spending continues to increase despite fewer students.

Record spending. Fewer students. More staff, but not more teachers. Do Chicago schools exist to advance students, or to advance the interests of the Chicago Teachers Union?