Chicago Public Schools interim CEO Dr. Pedro A. King told the Board of Education on July 24 that the district is working to close a $734,000,000 budget gap for fiscal 2026 while trying to protect school-level services.

The board heard extensive public comment and a staff update this morning as CPS leaders described community listening sessions and next steps. “Your honest, insightful feedback is moving us closer to a plan for closing our $734,000,000 budget gap,” King said during her remarks at the meeting.

Nut graf: The district has held five public budget roundtables and a public learning session and collected hundreds of pieces of input. Community participants and union leaders pressed the board and district to seek new revenue from the city and the state — and to seek an emergency legislative session in Springfield — rather than imposing cuts that would reduce services to students, especially those furthest from opportunity.

What CPS told the board: Chief Budget Officer Mike Satowski summarized the outreach and options the district is pursuing. Satowski said the district ran five community feedback sessions with roughly 650 participants and distilled four consistent themes: secure dedicated revenue with local and state partners; avoid cuts that harm classrooms and wraparound services; distribute resources more equitably; and continue community engagement on priorities. Satowski told members that CPS has identified about $165,000,000 in deficit-reducing actions so far, mainly administrative and vendor savings, and is continuing to search for structurally sustainable solutions.

What community groups said: Outside and inside the boardroom, union leaders and parents urged stronger statewide action. Jackson Potter, vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, framed the choices plainly in his public comment: “Do we want special education services for our most vulnerable children, or do we want tax breaks for the wealthiest among us? It’s a choice.” CTU and allied groups asked the board to sign on to statewide revenue campaigns and to mobilize families for advocacy in Springfield.

Unions and principals: Tremaine Reeves of SEIU Local 73 and Raul Magdaleno of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association told the board that school leaders need timely, stable information so they can open schools fully staffed. Reeves said the sudden notifications about staffing changes have caused “devastation” among affected employees and families. Magdaleno called for clarity and predictable timelines so principals can plan instruction and services.

District response on special-education protections: Dr. King directly addressed parent concerns raised in the sessions, saying that services required in students’ individualized education programs (IEPs) will continue. “Children that have 1 on 1 aids per their IEP, they will not be cut,” she said at the meeting.

Revenue and timing: Many public speakers urged the board to pressure the governor and legislators for progressive revenue. Alderman Byron Sicco Lopez, calling in from Springfield outreach, told the board “the time to lead is now,” and urged an emergency session to address education funding statewide. Satowski cautioned the board that including any assumed outside revenue in the adopted budget carries risk: previous state or municipal revenue assumptions that did not materialize forced midyear reductions in past cycles. The district’s legal and finance staff reminded board members that a balanced budget must be based on reasonably assured revenues to avoid midyear shortfalls, credit-rating effects and cash problems.

Next steps and schedule: Satowski said the administration will publish a proposed FY26 budget by Aug. 13, hold two public budget hearings the week of Aug. 18, and present a budget for board approval on Aug. 28. He said staff will continue talks with city and state officials and with labor partners while prioritizing options that keep cuts out of classrooms.

Background and context: Board members and speakers noted that the district’s gap reflects a mix of long-term structural pressures — including debt, pension obligations and the expiration of federal COVID relief — and near-term funding actions at the city and state level. Parents and advocates repeatedly requested that the board and district prioritize equity and protect services for students with the greatest needs.

What to watch: The board will consider a proposed FY26 budget on Aug. 28. CPS’s published proposal and the two planned hearings will be the next public opportunities for officials and community members to weigh specific trade-offs.

Ending: For now the district’s stated priorities are clear: seek revenue partners, limit classroom disruption and ground decisions in equity. The board and the community will reconvene in August as CPS moves from outreach to concrete proposals.