Chicago Public Schools budget roundtables continue as FY2027 gap nears $732.5M

Chicago Public Schools is still in the middle of its FY2027 budget process, and the district says families, staff, and community members still have a real chance to shape what comes next. CPS is working from a preliminary $732.5 million deficit, but the final spending plan has not been locked in.

What CPS says is still open

The district opened community budget feedback sessions on June 23 and says the roundtables continue through July 13. CPS says the sessions are meant to give residents a chance to weigh in on how limited dollars should be directed to school communities, while the district explains its budget pressures and possible tradeoffs. The district also says the input gathered at those sessions will help inform the final budget.

That process matters because CPS says the school budgets sent to principals were only preliminary. Principals and Local School Councils can review the allocations, gather community input, and submit appeals before the Board of Education votes on the final budget later this summer.

Why parents and staff are paying attention

For Chicago families, the budget conversation is less about the headline deficit than about what it could mean inside schools. Staffing levels, classroom support, and student services are the issues most likely to affect day-to-day operations. CPS says this is still the first phase of the process, so no one should treat specific staffing or school funding outcomes as settled yet.

The district says some of the biggest unknowns still include appeals to the preliminary budgets, principal resourcing decisions, central supports, and feedback gathered through the engagement sessions. That means the coming weeks could still change what schools receive, even if the broad fiscal pressure remains the same.

What happens next

The remaining budget calendar includes an in-person session Tuesday, June 30, a virtual session Wednesday, July 1, then in-person meetings on July 7 and July 13. CPS says the sessions are open to students, families, staff, and community members.

The next hard deadline is August 29, when the Chicago Board of Education must approve a balanced FY2027 budget. Until then, the district says it will keep working through the tradeoffs. For Chicago residents, the key question is simple: which priorities survive once CPS closes the gap?

Sources

• Chicago Public Schools press release: community roundtables on FY2027 district budget
• WTTW News report on CPS community roundtables
• CBS Chicago report on CPS first budget hearing