CHICAGO — A new investigation reveals that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are operating around 150 under-enrolled schools, with some buildings serving just a few dozen students — costing taxpayers up to $93,000 per student.
Over the past decade, CPS has lost more than 70,000 students, dropping from roughly 395,000 to about 325,000 this year. According to ProPublica and Chalkbeat, 47 schools are now functioning at less than one-third capacity, significantly increasing operational costs while reducing educational offerings.
Low Enrollment Drives Soaring Per-Student Spending…