Chicago Public Schools officials on Friday announced more than 160 layoffs, and the elimination of more than 200 vacant positions, mostly among workers in its central office and citywide staff, as the district faces a $734 million budget gap for next year.

A CPS spokesperson said 67 central office and network office workers were laid off, along with seven Chicago Teachers Union positions, and 87 employees represented by SEIU Local 73 – nearly all of whom were crossing guards.

CPS officials also eliminated 166 vacant central office positions, 19 vacant CTU positions, and 24 vacant crossing guard positions.

None of the layoffs or position reductions involved staff assigned to schools, according to CPS.

"Chicago Public Schools remains committed to using every available dollar to support student learning and school communities, despite the District's ongoing and well-documented funding challenges. In continuing preparation of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, CPS is taking a careful and strategic approach to reduce spending while minimizing the impact on classrooms," CPS spokesman Evan Moore said in a statement.

Earlier this week, at her first school board meeting, interim Chicago Public Schools CEO announced the district's budget shortfall for the 2025-26 school year had grown from $529 million to $734 million.

CPS normally releases a budget plan for the school district in June, but has yet to finalize a spending plan for the upcoming school year.

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates recently called on the district to take out a loan to address the shortfall and avoid cuts.

She also said the district needs to do more to persuade Illinois lawmakers to provide CPS more money in the annual budget, arguing the state's education funding formula calls for the district to receive $1.2 billion more each year. 

• Chicago Public Schools