Latest news with #Mayfield
Chicago Tribune
16 hours ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
CPS schools to see fewer food options, crossing guard positions because of budget deficit
Amid a $734 million budget deficit and with a little less than a month before it needs to be filled, Chicago Public Schools announced reduced services for the 2025-26 school year, including hot meals for students and custodial operations. The reductions come as CPS has held multiple community meetings and Board of Education discussions attempting to find solutions to the budget shortfall. The budget is required by law to be balanced by Aug. 28. The school year begins Aug. 18. Come the first day of school, students are likely to see reductions in areas beyond the classroom. CPS will operate with changes in reduced lunch staffing, likely to result in simplified menus, fewer hot meal options, or cold meals being served on certain days, according to an update sent out to parents from CPS Chief Operating Officer Charles Mayfield. The district's current after-school meal program, which offers free meals at select schools, will no longer offer hot dinners and instead provide packaged snacks. However, it will continue to offer its free breakfast and lunch program, which provides meals that it said meet federal nutritional standards. CPS provides over 260,000 free meals to students yearly. The after-school supper program varies each year depending on available partnerships and offerings and provided around 430 schools with dinners last year, the district told the Tribune in an email Tuesday. While the school year will begin with snacks instead of suppers, the district will reassess whether it can provide hot suppers later in the year, the email said. Custodial staffing and cleaning schedules will also change. A reduction in staff means a shift in how the district will respond to requests they determine as 'non-emergency maintenance,' though it is unclear what the process will look like, according to the email. Instead, custodial staff will focus on 'essential repairs and maintenance' to create healthy learning environments, Mayfield wrote. Students might also see fewer crossing guards at school after cuts. Given the deficit, the district recently eliminated 102 positions, with 33 of those guards primarily serving private non-CPS schools, according to the email. However, each CPS school will have a crossing guard program. The district did not respond to whether Mayfield's operational changes will save money or help close the budget deficit. CPS has previously stated that it identified over $165 million in potential savings in central office and staffing cuts, reductions to contracts, and limiting operational spending. Twenty-two district schools will also implement new start and end times to allow more buses to run multiple routes in the morning and afternoon. However, transportation to and from some schools could see setbacks despite the bell time changes. New transportation options to and from some schools will start in December, the second half of the school year, despite the bell changes. The district plans to wait to use the Hub Stop transportation system until later in the year, which creates centralized pick-up and drop-off locations at CPS schools, allowing students to meet a bus and be taken to and from school. The system also began last year in the winter. CPS interim Superintendent and CEO Macquline King said she is happy the program is continuing this year, and students eligible for the service will be contacted later this year at last week's board meeting. 'Hub Stops are CPS schools that are selected based on a number of factors, including their bell times, their capacity to support the program and the CPS Opportunity Index,' King said. 'Consistent with previous practice, we will add eligible students in phases, beginning with those students who are most in need.' Eligible students and families can expect to hear about Hub Stop services the week of Nov. 24 and the service is planned to start Dec. 8, according to a CPS update. Within some schools, reduced funding and staffing might mean students are unable to receive school-based vaccines and physical exams. According to its website, there are currently 32 CPS school-based health centers offering services throughout the district, with 15 open to all community members, 15 open to students enrolled at that school, one open to CPS students and family members, and one open to CPS students only. The budget deficit and the need for cost reduction will also affect the technology used across the district. Repairs on network infrastructure may be delayed, Mayfield wrote, and CPS schools might have to use their funding to buy replacement devices. 'We recognize that these changes may create challenges for students and families, and we will work hand-in-hand with our school communities to make the adjustments as smooth as possible,' Mayfield wrote. 'In the coming days, schools will provide more detailed updates and offer support to help navigate these transitions.' In the email, a CPS spokesperson wrote in a statement that the district is taking a student-centered approach to reduce spending. 'These are difficult but necessary decisions,' the spokesperson said. 'No cut to public education is ever made lightly. Every dollar we save centrally helps protect students, teachers, and classrooms from deeper disruption.'
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Chicago's school budget crisis signals trouble ahead for urban public education
As public schools in Chicago prepare to open their doors on August 18, thousands of families are being warned of scaled-back services, fewer hot meals, and delayed maintenance—a stark result of a $734 million budget deficit. The deepening crisis is not just a local concern. Education analysts warn it could be a harbinger of challenges facing urban public school systems across the United States. What's changing in Chicago? In a letter sent last Friday, Charles Mayfield, Chief Operations Officer of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), outlined several cost-saving measures that will take effect this school year. Students and educators alike will feel the changes in daily operations. The most immediate impacts include: Simplified school meals due to a reduction in cafeteria staff. Cold meals will replace hot lunches in many schools. Reduced custodial and engineering staff, leading to delays in non-emergency maintenance and scaled-back cleaning. Cuts to the crossing guard and Safe Passage programs, though every school will retain some form of these services. Limited access to school-based health services, with families being directed to outside providers for vaccinations and physicals. Adjustments to school bell times at 22 schools to optimise transportation. After-school programs that previously provided hot dinners will now offer only packaged snacks. All these changes come on the heels of budget proposals showing 238 fewer lunchroom workers and 220 fewer discretionary support staff compared to last year. A city's struggle, a national warning While CPS has long offered free breakfast and lunch to all students, especially critical in a district where over 70% of students come from low-income households—this year's cuts raise fresh concerns about food insecurity and the learning conditions for vulnerable students. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo Urban education experts say Chicago's current situation reflects broader issues many large districts face: Rising costs tied to inflation, staffing, and school safety Reduced federal pandemic-era funding Shifting financial responsibilities from city governments to school districts, as seen when Chicago transferred the $14 million cost of crossing guards to CPS during the pandemic Uncertainty ahead With CPS yet to unveil its full 2025–26 budget, questions remain about whether more cuts are on the horizon. The district has not clarified whether the changes outlined last week reflect previously announced staff reductions or additional cutbacks. Parents are expected to receive campus-specific updates in the coming days. Mayfield acknowledged the strain these measures may place on families but reiterated that the district's core mission remains unchanged: providing every student with a safe, high-quality education. The national picture Chicago's situation is not unique. Other major urban districts, from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, have reported funding gaps, aging infrastructure, and shrinking staff pools, all while serving large populations of high-need students. Without stable long-term funding models, experts worry that patchwork solutions will only delay deeper systemic issues. The message from Chicago is clear: When a city's public education system is forced to make cuts this severe, it signals broader trouble ahead for how urban America funds—and values—its public schools. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Tampa Bay gives Baker Mayfield big guarantee for 2026 season
Baker Mayfield has been living his best NFL life since signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent in the 2023 offseason. After beating out Kyle Trask for the starting quarterback job that summer, Mayfield has become the franchise quarterback for the Buccaneers, leading them to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. After taking Tampa Bay to the divisional round of the 2023 playoffs following a win over Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, Mayfield signed a three-year $100 million deal to stay in Tampa Bay. However, his deal didn't include any guaranteed money in 2026 until now. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Buccaneers have reworked his deal to guarantee $30 million next year, which is scheduled to be the final year of his contract. Mayfield is now guaranteed to spend the 2026 season with the Bucs and is slated to be a free agent in 2027. But following two playoff appearances and a pair of Pro Bowl selections, the two sides will likely work out a contract extension next offseason to keep Mayfield in Tampa Bay to finish out his career. Mayfield's $33.3 million cap hit for 2025 ranks 19th among quarterbacks this season. As the former Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winner has had a resurgence to his career with the Buccaneers, he'll be in line for a significant raise in his next contract negotiations. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield A Top 10 QB?
Is Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield A Top 10 QB? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is enjoying the best football of his career since moving to the NFC South. He was on the scrap heap, and forced his way into the Buccaneers' starting role and hasn't looked back. Coming off a career year in 2024, when Mayfield threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, some are still waiting for the regression they predicted a year ago. Such has been Mayfield's form, and the current construction of the Buccaneers roster, ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum has the Bucs in the thick of the NFC race, while also having some glowing words for Baker. "I put them right up there with Detroit, Philly, Washington and the Rams, Tannenbaum said on "First Take." "If we just look at how Baker Mayfield has played in Tampa, there's a reason Liam Coen is a head coach. Baker Mayfield has worked his way back into the top 10 conversation." There is no denying that Tampa Bay in 2025 isn't on the outside looking in at the big boy table; it has itself a seat. With an offense considered one of the best in football, along with an improved defense, the Buccaneers should be winning the division and making it to the playoffs for the third straight year under Mayfield. Exactly what his numbers will look like, we can roughly guess, but those don't matter. What is going on is a deep playoff run. It's a deep playoff run or nothing, and that is part and parcel of having a well-rounded roster and a top 10 quarterback leading it. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield Reveals Brutally Honest Take On QB Rankings
Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield Reveals Brutally Honest Take On QB Rankings originally appeared on Athlon Sports. This offseason, we have seen Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield finally start to get the plaudits he deserves after two good seasons of football. Entering the 2025 season as a dark horse Super Bowl contender and one of the NFC's stronger teams, the Buccaneers have seen quarterback Baker Mayfield consistently ranked among the league's top 10 quarterbacks—or just outside it—in various publications. That is quite the tip of the cap to the former first overall pick, but if you thought he takes any stock in what those rankings are, you're sadly mistaken. "I don't really think about them," Mayfield said. "Most of the people that vote on them haven't played the position at a high level or in the NFL. So, I just do my job. That's not a knock on the people that vote, but the rankings don't mean anything if you don't win games." He isn't wrong. The rankings mean nothing if you aren't winning football games, and in 2025, Tampa Bay and Baker are expected to win a lot. Favorites for the NFC South (cue shocked face) and expected to not only make the playoffs, but go on a deep run given the offense that has been assembled and the defensive improvements, the Buccaneers have the tools to make this upcoming season a one to remember. Of course, Mayfield is at the heart of that – and if he can play at a top 10 level, there's no telling how far the Buccaneers can go. But one thing is for certain, it will make Tampa Bay one of the most dangerous teams in football. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
